Health system and congregational leaders pen Cleveland.com op-ed about pivot to address social drivers of health

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Tags: Sisters of Charity Health System , Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine , Sister Judith Ann Karam

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The Sisters of Charity Health System is pivoting from the traditional hospital model towards a comprehensive approach addressing root causes of poor health. By recognizing that physical health is intertwined with emotional, spiritual and social well-being, the health system can have greater long-term impact. Sr. Judith Ann Karam, CSA, congregational leader of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, and Michael Goar, president & CEO of the health system, recently wrote an op-ed for Cleveland.com about adapting to fill unmet needs.

The full text of their op-ed is below or available here

Healing the whole person - Sisters of Charity pivot to social drivers of health: Sr. Judith Ann Karam and Michael Goar

Cleveland is home to the nation’s best hospitals. Yet Cuyahoga County is one of Ohio’s least healthy counties, ranking 70 out of 88 and falling below the U.S. average for health outcomes—proof that access to quality healthcare is one piece of a larger puzzle.

Studies show that social, economic, and environmental factors -- social drivers of health -- shape approximately 80% of health outcomes. These drivers, including economic stability, quality education, access to jobs, safe neighborhoods, and social support, significantly affect health.

The Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine understand this dynamic. For 174 years, we have been serving the needs of vulnerable populations in Northeast Ohio and beyond. Today, the Sisters of Charity Health System helps 1.3 million people per year, directly or indirectly, in Ohio and South Carolina. Whether supporting those experiencing homelessness, helping those with mental health or substance abuse disorders, bolstering early childhood education, or delivering faith-based care for older adults, we know health isn’t just about the body — it’s about the whole person.

Today, the Sisters of Charity Health System is pivoting from the traditional hospital model towards a comprehensive approach addressing root causes of poor health. By recognizing that physical health is intertwined with emotional, spiritual, and social well-being, we can have greater long-term impact.

Our commitment to this needs-based approach is deeply rooted in our legacy. As our healthcare landscape changes, we are adapting to fill unmet needs.

Soon we will begin the demolition of St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, a hospital that served our community for more than a century; however, we will be adding new services -- transforming our legacy into a Health and Healing Hub addressing social drivers of health.

This Hub will be a place where we and our partners can provide resources beyond acute health care. We are collaborating with organizations like The Centers, providing behavioral health services, and Neighborhood Family Practice, providing health services for families, from our Hub on East 22nd Street.

But that’s just the beginning. We will improve and expand services that address the specific needs of those in Cleveland’s Central neighborhood, where our St. Vincent Charity Health and Healing Hub is located. Our medical respite care program, which serves people experiencing homelessness, will grow with renovations at Joseph & Mary’s Home. We will continue addiction treatment and recovery at Rosary Hall, which has served Northeast Ohio since its 1952 founding by Sr. Ignatia Gavin, CSA. We will continue outpatient behavioral health and pharmacy services.

More broadly, we will persist in our fight against food insecurity in Cleveland, where 59% of residents live in food deserts, by providing hot meals, canned goods, and fresh produce through Mission Kitchen. Cleveland Central Promise Neighborhood will work to break the cycle of poverty and create a safe, healthy, thriving community. And we will double down on education, as our partnership with SPARK in Stark County has proven that early literacy powers long-term success.

Our services, ministries, and partnerships in Central will address factors that impact health, while emphasizing compassion, dignity, and care for the marginalized — key pillars of our Catholic faith.

We continue to care for older adults at Regina Health Center in Richfield and Light of Hearts Villa in Bedford and invest in programs that tackle root causes of poverty, support children and families, and more, through the Sisters of Charity Foundations in Northeast Ohio and South Carolina.

By addressing social drivers of health, the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine will create healthier communities and better long-term outcomes for all.