(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – Residents of the west side of Chicago suffer from higher rates of chronic disease and mental illness. A unique community collaborative is looking to change that.
Wellness West operates in ten zip codes, and it serves residents covered by Medicaid or without health insurance and it connects them with resources.
Executive Director Misty Drake says the coalition is made up of 40 healthcare and service providers to bridge the gap in wellness and health care.
“Black and brown people that live on, you know, the west and south side of Chicago, oftentimes their health outcomes are very different than their white counterparts or people that may live in more affluent communities.”
Drake says health care is tied to so many other things that determine quality of life: housing, transportation, food security and accessibility, education, and exposure to discrimination and violence.
In just three years, Wellness West has screened 25,000 people for health related social needs.