We believe that people of all ages should have the opportunity to be healthy, active, caring members of our community.

Health is strongly linked to education and income: good health allows children to learn better, adults to increase their income through productive work, and older adults to avoid costly acute care incidents and unnecessary institutionalization.  Conversely, health problems often lead to increased school absences (a predictor of dropping out of high school) among children, as well as increased on-the-job absences by adults.  Coping with serious illness with no or insufficient health insurance has driven thousands of Americans into financial crisis.  Fifty percent of bankruptcies in 2005 and 2006 were caused by medical debt.   To further connect the dots, entry level and lower paying jobs are often without health benefits. 

A lack of health care coverage often means that primary care – so important to preventing or treating illness before it becomes more serious – is an unattainable luxury.  Health care coverage for children means they are more likely to receive preventive health care (such as immunizations, physicals and non-emergency treatment.) For many people, particularly those who receive publicly funded health care, coverage does not equal care.  Individuals covered by Medicaid and Medicare often face difficulty finding providers who will serve them and long wait times for appointments; these problems are even greater for mental health services.  

Health Goals

1. Increase the number of children and adults who have access to health insurance and affordable prescription coverage.
2. Increase utilization of preventive health care.
3. Increase the number of older adults who are healthy and independent.

 Results

United Way invests in Health programs that provide some of our most vulnerable citizens with the support they need to achieve or maintain good health. People living with HIV/AIDS receive nutritional meals, Latinos with diabetes receive support to manage their disease and educate others on prevention, and low-income children receive supplies for time spent out of school when healthy food may not be available.  In addition, our investments in prevention help older adults, young parents, and newly arrived refugees and immigrants access services to maintain the health and independence of themselves and their families. 

Result: More children and families have access to health care coverage and prescription drugs.

• Advocacy by New Haven Legal Assistance helped 20 individuals qualify for health care coverage
• Individuals have saved approximately 22% on their prescription costs by using the FamilyWize Prescription Discount Cards, which are distributed throughout the region by United Way of Greater New Haven.  To date, there have been 329 claims that have used the FamilyWize cards. 

Result: Residents of Greater New Haven have better health from use of preventive care.

• Individuals living with HIV/AIDS have fewer problems with weight maintenance, have maintained or improved their activity level, report lower stress on their families and on them, and have maintained relationships with their primary care providers.
• Refugees had more timely access to medical care, which prevented health issues from being barriers to work and resettlement. 
• 57 individuals received 155 home health care visits that they otherwise would not have received; the care helped stabilize the patients’ health.
• 241 older adults were connected to needed entitlements and other programs to stay healthy and independent.