HERSHEY, Pa. — Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine employees touched more than 1 million lives through community health programs in fiscal year 2024. The organization’s successful efforts to improve mental health, health equity, and wellness and disease prevention are brought to life in the 2024 Community Benefit Report, “Advancing Health Equity. Strengthening Our Communities.”

“The care we provide doesn’t stop within the walls of our hospitals and medical practices,” said Deborah Addo, Penn State Health interim CEO, president and chief operating officer. “Our employees partner with schools, faith-based organizations, shelters, food pantries and more to help give every adult and child the opportunity to live a healthy life.”

The health system also contributed $165,936,729 in community benefits and financial assistance during fiscal year 2023, the highest amount in its history. This “total community benefit,” required by the Internal Revenue Service for hospitals to maintain their nonprofit status, includes effective programs, charity care, unreimbursed Medicaid costs and supplemental medical, dental and pharmaceutical services.

To help guide its community health strategies, Penn State Health conducts a needs assessment every three years. The assessment identified three key health issues: mental health, health equity and wellness/disease prevention. Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine employees, together with their community partners, are actively addressing these issues by connecting low-income people to health care services, offering free flu shots and teaching children about stroke and skin cancer.

“Penn State Health goes beyond the traditional role of health care provider,” Addo said. “As an integrated academic health system, we collaborate with Penn State College of Medicine on groundbreaking clinical trials and train the next generation of health professionals. Penn State Health and the College of Medicine are addressing the disparities that create health inequities and helping to build healthier, stronger communities for everyone.”

The 2024 Community Benefit Report webpage features audio recordings of the five highlighted stories, ensuring accessibility for individuals with impaired vision or those who prefer to listen. The stories showcase a Penn State Health community health nurse who is a conduit to care at a Lancaster nonprofit; the health system’s drive-through flu shot clinics; two programs that teach kids how to spot a stroke and protect their skin from the sun; and community health workers who lead Penn State Health’s grassroots health care outreach.