Improving the Health of Children and Adults

Without the ability to earn livable income, parents are unable to provide meals for their children, individuals cannot retain housing, and our community as a whole is left vulnerable. In 2007, the Hampton Roads’ poverty level was estimated at 10.8%*, ranking our region above the state average. United Way recognizes this crisis and is working towards alleviating circumstances that has forced our friends, neighbors, and families to be financially insecure.

United Way of South Hampton Roads maintains a safety net for families and individuals in crisis through partnerships with local human service agencies. We help provide skills training, career development and financial education. Through these efforts, United Way is making our neighborhoods strong, healthy, and safe for everyone.

United, we will promote financial stability and independence.

Our Challenge:

A 2004 statistic estimated that there were 156,000 medically uninsured persons in South Hampton Roads, an undoubtedly growing statistic in today’s tough economic times. Many low paying and entry level jobs are without health benefits. In 2005 and 2006, fifty percent of bankruptcies were caused by medical debt. The Hampton Roads area has an infant mortality rate of 9.5 per 1,000 births, compared to the state’s rate of 7.1 per 1000.

Our Community Measurement Areas:

• Health Disparities: Disparities in health status will be reduced for children and adults.

• Access to Services: Access to primary care services will be improved for low-income and the uninsured.

Our Programs:

• Access Partnership is a community collaboration that addresses important health issues in Hampton Roads. Successes of this partnership have been, bringing a Community Health Center to Virginia Beach, expanding the Oral Health Coalition, and managing care programs to the Ambulatory Care Center at Norfolk General and Park Place Medical Center.

• Free FamilyWize Prescription Drug Discount Cards is an essential program to our community that gives immediate prescription discounts for the medically uninsured or for medications not covered by a person’s health insurance. From January 2008 through August 2008, there were 56,000 claims with a retail value of $3.0 million. The uninsured received savings of 1.2 million, a 40% discount.