Community integrated health is the effort to strengthen the linkages between traditional healthcare and community-based prevention strategies (like the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program) in order to help individuals prevent, delay, or live better with chronic conditions. Community integrated health:
- Increases access to care
- Lowers costs
- Prevents and addresses chronic disease
- Reduces the effects of some social determinants of health
Community integrated health work is already happening at Ys across the country as they work to improve the health and well-being of all through our suite of chronic disease prevention programs.
- YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program
- LIVESTRONG at the YMCA
- Enhance®Fitness
- Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring
- And more programs that target chronic diseases
Partnership with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Y-USA and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Opens a new window (RWJF) have worked together to improve health since 2008. The collaboration began with the Healthier Communities Initiatives, which focused on engaging state and community leaders to promote healthy lifestyles among vulnerable, low-income populations.
In 2016, Y-USA and RWJF renewed their commitment with a 10-year partnership dedicated to helping build a Culture of Health across the country. For the first three years of the partnership, Y-USA will study and develop the Y's unique model for community integrated health. Y-USA will also help local YMCAs receive reimbursement from third-party payers (health insurance plans, employers, etc.) for chronic disease prevention programs.
