CLEVELAND — Healthy families promote thriving communities.
When it comes to our physical health, there are social and economic influences that affect our bodies.
MetroHealth has created a program to deal with the social determinants of health to create healthier communities.
Through health, opportunity, partnership and empowerment, the Institute For H.O.P.E. improves the health of the community by expanding their care beyond hospital walls.
Good Morning Cleveland anchor Danita Harris got to see firsthand how this program is making Cleveland, A Better Land.
"We are addressing the social health of our patients and the community. We know 80% of our health outcomes is determined by our environment. Knowing that information, we're not just sitting it to the side and tabling it. We've gone into action," said Marla Bell, the Manager of MetroHealth’s Opportunity Centers.
The Institute for H.O.P.E. has a food pantry, housing resources, assistance with digital connectivity, and more.
"We offer free financial coaching here where patients can in the community, address any finance health goals that they may have that can include building their credit, repairing their credit, being prepared to purchase a home," says Bell.
Travis Lathan is a recovering alcoholic who has benefited from the resources the center provides. He told me he received help with his housing and also a free computer. A staff member is teaching him how to use it.
"He's helping me learn about the computer steps, taking my laptop and shutting it right, because I didn't know how to shut it down properly. Now I open my computer says, 'Welcome Travis'. I put my code in then go BLING and I go all these windows going on together," said Lathan.
The goal of the program is to eliminate barriers and fix the root cause of health disparities in our region. Lathan is a great example of how “hope” has changed his life for the better.
"MetroHealth is offering hope because they see the community, they are listening to the community, we are boots on the ground in the community,” says Bell.
"We want everyone to have the opportunity to live a healthy life and to have hope."
