Crozer-Keystone Health System - Community Connections

What is it?

Community Connections – an assortment of health, economic, and social programs and services – was developed in partnership with 20 other organizations and governmental agencies. Community Connections includes a partnership with the Chester Upland School District and the Pennsylvania Department of Health to implement an immunization program for its students. The Department of Health supplied vaccines and one nurse, while Crozer-Keystone Health System provided five physicians and five nurses. Chester-Upland School District bused elementary students to the middle and high schools, where immunizations were administered to all under-immunized elementary, middle, and high school students.

Wellness Center Youth Leadership program was developed as a result of the immunization program’s success, training 40 high school students per year in adolescent health topics. The students work as peer leaders to teach risk-reduction lessons to sixth-grade students in the Chester-Upland School District. The peer leaders also have the opportunity to participate in personal, academic and career enrichment activities throughout the year.

Who is it for?

The Chester community and its surrounding areas.

Why do they do it?

Chester had been facing an economic downturn for many years; in 1995, the town was declared by the state as a distressed municipality.

Impact

Crozer-Keystone Health System’s efforts have had a major stabilizing impact on Chester and have improved health outcomes for residents. Immunization rates are now a near-perfect 99.85 percent, and the teen pregnancy rate for those enrolled in the Wellness Center Youth Leadership program is dramatically lower than those not involved in the program.

Contact: Kathy Scullin
Public Relations
Telephone: 610-447-2000
E-mail: kathy.scullin@crozer.org