Abstract

Community Wellness Hubs: Collaborative Partnerships Focused on Improving Health

Doneisha Bohannon¹, Nicole Kozma², Denise R Strehlow, RD, MPH, MSW³, Erica Oliver⁴, Caren Bacon⁵ and Deidre Griffith¹
(1)BJC Health System, Saint Louis, MO, (2)Saint Louis, MO, (3)BJC HealthCare, Saint Louis, MO, (4)BJC HealthCare, St. Louis, MO, (5)BJC Health System, Saint Louis, MO 63108, MO

APHA 2025 Annual Meeting and Expo

BJC Health System’s Office of Community Health Improvement exists to eliminate barriers to wellness across the communities we serve. A critical component was the development of Community Wellness Hubs (CWHs) to improve mental and physical health with a focus on prevention education delivered in trusted gathering places that connect community members to essential programs. Team members spent ten months working in community to build and nurture relationships, secure resources, and co-design this concept with community members. The free of charge health promotion programs are delivered by BJC community health educators and partner community organizations. Since November 2022, BJC has co-designed seven Community Wellness Hubs at well-known and trusted community gathering sites in libraries, recreation, and community centers. CWH sites are established and likely not going to close their doors to the community they serve. The team delivered 607 wellness and prevention education programs to 17,622 community members. Post-program surveys indicate satisfaction with the program (88%), would recommend it to others (95%), and found the information to be relevant (96%) and engaging (96%). Most program participants indicate learning something new (85%) and planned to use what they learned (93%) to help them feel better mentally or physically. BJC staff have also delivered more than 400 weekly office hours in CWHs, providing one-on-one support to 75 community members, resulting in 55 referrals to community-based organizations and services to address health-related social needs. BJC has fostered these positive outcomes through trust, communication, and collaboration among program facilitators, resource providers, community members, and sites.

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs Public health or related education