Giving Compass' Take:

• Maurice A. Jones and Howard Kern from Sentara Healthcare discuss their plan to target social determinants that prohibit people from getting medical care in their community.

• Why is a holistic approach to health important for communities facing a number of insecurities?

• Read about how partnerships and collaborations can improve healthcare access.


Increasingly, a number of factors including housing, income, job security, transportation and access to education impacts a person’s health. In fact, studies have shown that nearly 80% of people’s overall wellness is determined by social, environmental and behavioral factors.

As we look to the future, social determinants of health will remain a central concern. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2018, 37 million people struggled with hunger across the United States, and on any given day, 1 in 6 American children do not know where their next meal is coming from.

That’s why as leaders of two not-for-profit organizations dedicated to improving both communities and well-being, we’re embarking on a new partnership to address social determinants of health — the conditions where people live, work and learn. We’re announcing a $100 million investment that we hope will have a lasting impact on health outcomes for people in communities served by Sentara Healthcare and Optima Health across Virginia.

Read the full article about changing health by changing the community by Howard Kern and Maurice Jones at LISC.