St. Mary Medical Center - Bensalem Ministries

What is it?

Now an umbrella for several programs, Bensalem Ministries was started in 1991 with Mother Bachmann Maternity Center, the only one of its kind in the area that accepts women regardless of their ability to pay. In 1998, the Family Resource Center was established, a collection of programs and services designed to empower families to make sustainable changes in their lives. Services include job readiness, parenting classes, counseling and case management, life skills classes, literacy and English as a Second Language courses, and drug and alcohol counseling. The Center is home to numerous community organizations, making it easy for them to cross-refer families as needed.

A special interest of the Center is in preparing clients for careers in health care. St. Mary supports the initiative by hiring job-ready participants and providing ongoing mentoring to ensure their success. As part of the center, St. Mary rents three emergency apartments where homeless families can be housed for four to six months, during which time they receive intensive case management, parenting classes and other comprehensive services. The program’s adult primary care center opened in 2002, working with community partners to provide necessary primary health care services to adults in the region.

In 2004, St. Mary Children’s Health Center opened to meet the needs of children either covered by Medicaid or lacking health insurance. The Health Center provides services to hundreds of children as well as works with parents to find resources and access the health care system.

Who is it for?

Bristol-Bensalem residents that lack care or face challenges in breaking the cycle of poverty.

Why do they do it?

Bucolic Bucks County is the second most affluent county in Pennsylvania, but the Bristol-Bensalem area is one of the poorest and most underserved. Following a needs assessment of area residents, St. Mary Medical Center embarked on an ambitious initiative to raise the level of health and improve the lives of the neediest county citizens.

Impact

Every year, hundreds of individuals complete job preparedness training and complete Graduate Equivalency Diploma and English as a Second Language courses. Dozens of families receive case management, with more than 75 percent meeting all their treatment goals.

Contact: Jill Simon
Administrator
Telephone: 215-710-6875
E-mail: jsimon@stmaryhealthcare.org