In honor of its mission to provide exemplary health care and increase community benefit contributions, Samaritan Health Services has been recognized as one of the three national finalists for the 2017 Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service. As a finalist, Samaritan will receive $10,000 to be used in support of its community health initiatives.
As one of the most revered community service awards in health care, the Foster G. McGaw Prize is sponsored by the Baxter International Foundation, the American Hospital Association and its non-profit affiliate Health Research & Educational Trust. First awarded in 1986, the annual prize recognizes the initiatives that hospitals and health systems take to improve the health and well-being of their communities.
“We are pleased and honored to be named a finalist for this prestigious award,” said Doug Boysen, President and CEO of Samaritan Health Services. “The work we do in the community is particularly rewarding and impactful, and we are committed to working with our local partners to build healthier communities together."
Samaritan coordinates with local non-profit agencies, schools, local governments and the faith community to develop the local needs assessments that identify their community’s most recent health and social needs.
“The mission of Samaritan Health Services extends beyond traditional medical care into the partnerships, collaborations and programs that influence families, infants, teens, seniors, non-English speakers, veterans, the homeless and more,” said John O’Brien, chair of the Foster G. McGaw Prize Committee. “And it goes beyond the many kinds of populations they serve – Samaritan Health Services’ leadership and staff explore the depth of each community so they can recognize and effectively address the unique needs faced by the people in those communities.”
Among other programs, Samaritan Health Services is recognized for the following community service initiatives:
- Coast to Cascades CATCH Program: Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) is an evidence-based program designed to prevent childhood obesity. Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital partnered with local schools, after-school programs and child care centers in rural Linn and Lincoln counties to provide nutrition education and physical activity for over four years.
- Samaritan Early Learning Center: The Samaritan Early Learning Center in Lincoln City was established over 24 years ago to create a positive learning experience, and a safe and caring environment for children six weeks to eight years of age in a community where no child care services existed.
- Community Outreach, Inc.: Community Outreach is a homeless shelter in Corvallis that also serves as a vital safety-net clinic in its community, providing social support and free medical and dental care as well as mental health services to low-income, uninsured and the homeless populations in the region for over 45 years.
- Healthy Smiles for All: Healthy Smiles for All is a collaboration with Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital, Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center and multiple community partners to offer free dental care to uninsured, underinsured, low-income residents and veterans who live in rural east Linn and Lincoln counties. The program has been in place since 2012.
- Samaritan Maternity Connection: A public/private partnership in Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties, it was established in 2002 to ensure all women have access to care during pregnancy with an emphasis on Spanish speaking women.
The 2017 winner of the $100,000 Foster G. McGaw Prize is Yale New Haven Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut. In addition to Samaritan Health Services, other finalists included UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, and Providence Health & Services in Portland.