Backpacks and School Supplies to be Distributed to Students in
Arizona and Texas
PHOENIX, July 18,
2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Equality Health
Foundation, in partnership with Mercy
Care and UnitedHealthcare, is excited to host this year's
Well-Child & Back to School Drive. The annual drive was created
to ensure that every child starts the school year healthy and with
the tools needed for academic success. This year's packing was held
on July 10 at the Equality Health
Foundation headquarters where volunteers filled 2,000 backpacks
with school supplies and educational materials.
"Access to whole-person healthcare and
essential school supplies are critical for children and teens to
thrive," said Tomás León, Equality Health Foundation
president.
New backpacks filled with supplies and health and well-being
resources will be distributed by pediatric primary care practices
in Equality Health's network in Arizona and Texas at well-child visits in advance of the
new school year. During the visits, physicians will be available to
provide comprehensive well-child exams, including vision, hearing,
dental and general health screenings, as well as immunizations, to
ensure that children are up to date with their vaccines. Pediatric
primary care practices and community partners are committed to
ensuring that students and families are equipped for a healthy and
successful year.
"Access to whole-person healthcare and essential school supplies
are critical for children and teens to thrive," said Tomás León,
Equality Health Foundation president. "Our Well-Child & Back to
School Drive provides children in vulnerable communities the
medical attention and resources they need to be healthy and
well-prepared for the school year, setting them up for success both
in and out of the classroom."
Preventative care is key to babies' and children's health. The
American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 13 well-child visits
before the age of six to conduct age-appropriate screenings and
assessments, physical exams, document height, weight and BMI, and
inform parent or caregiver of recommended immunizations. On
average, children miss 30% to 50% of these recommended checkups. A
variety of social determinants may contribute to parents' and
caregivers' ability to get children to these crucial visits,
including lack of transportation, inability to take time off from
work, and inadequate childcare. Missing well-child visits
contributes to higher rates of emergency department visits,
hospitalizations, and delays in diagnosing developmental
disorders.
With the support of Mercy Care
and UnitedHealthcare, Equality Health Foundation hosts annual
well-child drives benefiting the patients of Equality Health
Network pediatric primary care practices and local community
residents. As families with children in K-12 are projected to spend
$529 per child on back-to-school
needs this year, an increase over last year's spending, the support
of community sponsors helps students in low-income households start
the year healthy and ready to learn.
"Last year through multiple back to school events, more than
35,000 Mercy Care members got their
well-child visits to start the school year off on the right foot,"
said Dr. Gagan Singh, Mercy Care chief medical officer. "Collaborating
with our community partners is an effective way to help
Arizona families navigate social
risk factors that can impact their health and wellbeing. We're
proud to do our part."
The success of this event is made possible through the generous
support of community partners and sponsors. Equality Health
Foundation extends its gratitude to local businesses, healthcare
providers and volunteers who contribute their time and resources to
help prepare students for a healthy and prosperous academic
year.
Equality Health Foundation, the philanthropic partner of
Equality Health, is an organization dedicated to advancing health
equity and improving well-being access for underserved communities.
Through initiatives like the Well-Child & Back to School Drive,
the foundation strives to create a healthier, more equitable future
for all.
For more information on Equality Health Foundation and the
Well-Child & Back to School Drive, please visit
equalityhealthfoundation.org/back-to-school-drive-az/ (AZ) and
equalityhealthfoundation.org/back-to-school-drive-tx/ (TX).
About Equality Health Foundation
Established in 2019, Equality Health Foundation envisions a
world of vibrant and inclusive communities where all individuals
have the opportunity to live healthier and longer lives. A bold
vision like this cannot be accomplished alone and requires
extensive collaboration across local communities around the country
to level the playing field and make a sustainable and
transformative change—a movement for advancing equal access to
health and well-being for all. For more information about Equality
Health Foundation, visit equalityhealthfoundation.org/ or follow
Equality Health Foundation on Facebook, @EQHFoundation on Twitter,
and Equality Health Foundation on LinkedIn.
About Equality Health
Equality Health is a technology-enabled primary care platform
that leverages the proven capabilities of value-based payment
models to transform healthcare for diverse and often marginalized
populations. From predictive modeling to advanced care-tracking
tools, utilizing Equality Health's proprietary software,
participating PCPs can streamline value-based administration and
stay one step ahead of a patient's journey. Equality Health's care
model is Medicaid-first in design, partnering with over 3,200 PCPs
and 750,000 lives across Arizona,
Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Virginia. Equality Health partners with
practices to close care gaps, optimize performance, increase
compliance, and improve profitability. Members engage with holistic
and personalized programs delivered through the lens of social and
cultural needs. Equality Health is revolutionizing how care is
delivered through hyper-local resources at scale and establishing
critical linkages with payers, providers, members, and community
resources. For more information about Equality Health, visit
equalityhealth.com or follow EqualityHealth on Facebook,
@EqualityHealth on Twitter, and EqualityHealth on LinkedIn.
Media Contact
Jennifer
Howard, Evolve PR & Marketing, 1 4804381602,
jhoward@evolveprandmarketing.com,
https://evolveprandmarketing.com/
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SOURCE Equality Health Foundation