Committed to Our Communities
Residents are able to recognize health and barriers to health in their lives, communities, and institutions, and are empowered to take actions towards a healthier self, healthier neighborhoods, and healthier organizations. Healthier Condiments Many store bought condiments, like salad dressings and soy sauce, are high in salt. Lower sodium versions exist but they aren’t available everywhere or may still have a lot of salt. Healthier, healthiest 1. Possessing good health: a healthy child.
Mission Fit Statement
The mission of Spectrum Health is to improve health, inspire hope and save lives. To fulfill this mission Healthier Communities focuses on reaching the highest level of health equity possible with the people, neighborhoods and regions we serve.
Spectrum Health dedicates $6 million every year to Healthier Communities to advance health equity in West Michigan. Spectrum Health Healthier Communities is committed to supporting work that reduces infant mortality, advances family economic security by improving health outcomes and improves community wellness by reducing chronic disease. Funding is monitored by an independent community board, the Community Commitment Advisory Committee (CCAC).
To eat a healthier diet, you need to combine nutritional science, a jolt of common sense, and pure enjoyment. Most of us know that fresh salad, berries, and slowing down when eating are better for us than wolfing down energy bars and sweets. But how to make that leap from our current habits to healthier ones?
What is health equity?
Health is defined as the “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.' Health equity is the absence of avoidable, unfair or remediable differences among groups of people, whether those groups are defined socially, economically, demographically, geographically or by other means. Health equity implies that everyone should have a fair opportunity to attain their full health potential and that no one should be disadvantaged from achieving this potential. Total health in a community cannot be present where health inequities exist.
What are our strategies?
- Reduce infant mortality
- Advance family economic security as a means to improve health
- Improve community wellness and reduce chronic disease
What is our theory of change?
Spectrum Health Healthier Communities uses a theory of change to examine community need and decisions about how we use our resources. Our theory of change is simple: We focus on reaching the highest levels of health equity possible. To do this we believe that resources need to focus on the individual or systems that include institutions, networks of institutions or dynamics within the community. Spectrum Health Healthier Communities will focus its resources on these four drivers of health:
People
- The influence of those around you and the potential positive and negative impacts they have on your overall health and wellbeing. Your network’s power to support you in the advancement of your goals, wishes and daily life. Your network’s collective knowledge, access to larger systems, and understanding of who you are and your situation. How a person or a group of people are materially situated in a community.
Agency
- Self-esteem, strength of identity, coping skills, ambition, attitude, emotional intelligence and understanding of your own culture. The desire to see your life through a positive lens and the ability and willingness to meet your life goals. The ability and willingness of a neighborhood or community to organize around issues that ultimately impact health.
Access
- An individual’s ability to access available services or institutions without high cost and in your own language. The ability to adhere to medically appropriate advice and prevention, including medication and other medical regimens. The ability of a system to be accessible or incent adherence to a medical regimen.
Quality
- The power of a community or neighborhood to solve its deepest issues. Quality may range from advocacy for policies that reduce health barriers to an organization delivering high quality, culturally appropriate care based on best practices.
Community Partnerships
Healthier Communities works closely with community partners to impact infant mortality, chronic disease and economic security outcomes in the community. We support our partners with funding, evaluation, technical assistance and network building. Our community partnerships are an invitation-only process.
Healthier Synonym
Programs
Healthier Communities provides programming focused on infant mortality, chronic disease and economic security outcomes in the community. These programs work closely in collaboration with other institutions across the communities we serve, including partner organizations, funders, universities, school systems, health systems and governmental agencies.
Contact Us
Healthier Communities
665 Seward Avenue NW, Suite 110
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504
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Phone 616.391.5000
Additional Links
Healthierr.com
By Tehrene Firman of Best Life |100 Easy Ways to Be a (Much) Healthier Woman
Getting healthy—and, equally important, staying healthy—can appear like one big insurmountable task to undertake, but the reality is that it really doesn't have to be. And given that we are still in the middle of a pandemic, a time where having our health and a strong immune system is more essential than ever, the time to start getting healthy is right now. There are so many little things you can do in your day-to-day that add up over time—not only helping you feel great in the moment but also ensuring you still feel top-notch down the road. From adding a little turmeric to your meals to opting for the stairs over the elevator, here are 100 ways you can be a much healthier woman. And for things to watch out for when it comes to your well-being, check out 50 Signs of Poor Health Women Should Never Ignore.
Healthier Together
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