Advocating for a Healthy Victor Valley/High Desert  

Advocacy
By promoting grassroots advocacy and engaging persons of influence throughout the High Desert and San Bernardino County, advocacy works to affect social and public policy change in order to promote both community health and healthy communities. St. Mary Medical Center believes one of the ways it can best improve the health of people living within the High Desert is to be an advocate for them. Because of this, we view our advocacy efforts as being key components in achieving our mission.

St. Mary working for healthcare change
More and more people are going without insurance. People who have health insurance are paying more. Some people are forced to choose between paying for medication and buying food. Still others delay visits to doctors because they can't afford them. The situation is affecting all of us, whether we're employees, business owners, seniors or children, whether we have a comfortable income or are barely making ends meet.

Insurance for Victor Valley/High Desert residents
There are many steps to make the changes we need. An important one is bringing people from different backgrounds and experiences together to look at how health care works today and at some possible ways to make it better in the future.

We think you'd be a great addition to such a group.  Contact Kevin Mahany at St. Mary Medical Center if you would like to attend or host a dialogue on reforming healthcare. 
Working in conjunction with St. Joseph Health System and it's new Center for Health Care Reform,  a field tested process of running community dialogues has been developed to include participant course materials and surveys and follow-up advocacy work.  For additional information on joining a healthcare dialogue visit this site: http://www.ourhealthcarefuture.org/home.php

Healthy Communities

A Healthy Community creates opportunities for each resident to meet his or her potential physically, mentally, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

A Healthy Community builds on the strengths of its people and systems to improve the quality of life and to create a sense of hope for all.

Healthy Community activities throughout the High Desert build community capacity and empowerment individually and collectively, through community organizing, leadership development, partnership and coalition building.

Healthy Communities Initiatives

Childhood Obesity Initiative

Reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity among High Desert children through a partnership between the hospital, physicians, schools, residents, and local businesses.

Education and Youth Development Initiative

Help reduce drop out rate and increase number of students matriculating to college through mentoring programs, and internships with partnerships with schools and colleges.

Healthy High Desert Initiative

Partnership with San Bernardino County Public Health, Healthy Communities Department and High Desert cities and towns to improve the overall health and well being of residents and the environment.