Community Outreach and Education
At Rochester Regional, we look to develop a workforce for a healthcare system that wants to see a better tomorrow. We have started a large number of programs over the years to ensure the health and wellness of our stakeholders, and we are looking to continue the programs to stay involved in our community.
Like many cities in the U.S., Rochester NY suffers from generational poverty that has led to some striking statistics. According to the Poverty and Self-Sufficiency report released by ACT Rochester in September of 2016, Rochester is the 5th poorest city in the U.S. among the top 75 metropolitan areas with a rate of 33.8% of people living in extreme poverty. When compared to cities our size, Rochester shockingly has the worst child poverty rate of 52.5%. These are heart-breaking statistics that will not be fixed overnight, but require a hard look at some of the fundamental ways we operate in order to develop a truly sustainable solution. While Rochester Regional cannot fix these problems alone, we are working hard with other community partners to improve our communities’ health, and provide opportunities for those we serve to rise out of poverty.
Rochester is the 5th poorest city in the U.S. among the top 75 metropolitan areas with a rate of 33.8% of people living in extreme poverty. When compared to cities our size, Rochester shockingly has the worst child poverty rate of 52.5%.
Initiatives
School Based Clinics
Rochester Regional Health sponsors many school based health clinics within the Rochester City School District that provide healthcare services and education for students including physical examinations for work or sports, treatment of injuries and illnesses, prescription management, immunizations, laboratory testing, and mental health services. These clinics are free for any students enrolled in the school.
Hillside Work Scholarship
Rochester Regional proudly partners with Hillside through their work-scholarship program. This scholarship was started as a way to employ teenage student identified with a high risk of not graduating high school, and provides them mentorship and a chance to gain valuable hands-on experience. Students enter the program from seventh through ninth grade and are offered an opportunity to gain real-world job experiences at Rochester Regional to assist in building an academic and career pathway in healthcare. Thanks to the comprehensive support they receive from Hillside and partners at Rochester Regional Health, students enrolled in the program are able to complete high school at almost double the rate of their Rochester City School District peers.
Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing
This nursing development program is a full-time one year practical nursing program associated with Rochester General Hospital that provides evidence based education that provides nursing professionals to learn how to effectively practice in an ever changing health care community. In this program, nurses are trained to perform exceptionally in the health care environment, with a mindset towards life-long learning. In 2016, the Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical nursing was listed in the Rochester Business Journal of top 100 Workforce Training Programs. For more information, please visit the IGH School of Nursing website
New Visions
The New Visions Healthcare program is a collaborative effort between eastern Monroe Career Center, BOCES 1 School District, and Rochester Regional Health, where high school students participate in a rigorous academic program with hand-on experience in medical careers by shadowing someone at one our of our facilities. The program allows for an in depth look at the responsibilities of patient care in a healthcare facility for students explore various career options by working side-by-side with healthcare professionals in four 10-week rotations.
Newark-Wayne MedQuest Summer Camp Program
An annual healthcare career camp is hosted at Newark-Wayne to give young people a hands-on opportunity to experience the vast array of healthcare careers available at Newark-Wayne and in the region. Teens explore nursing, emergency medicine, mercy flight nursing, surgical services, telehealth, rehabilitation services, radiology, food and nutrition, and many other services. Many of the students who attend these camps have gone on to complete their education in healthcare, and some have even come back to work at our hospitals. Whether they come back here for not, it is a win-win situation.
Refugee Assistance
The Center for Refugee Health resettles approximately 800 refugees a year. Rochester Regional partners with a local resettlement agency, Catholic Family Center, to assist refugees with resettlement, facilitating an initial health screening.
RIT – Rochester Regional Health Alliance
Rochester Regional partners with Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) on many initiatives including biomedical research, healthcare educational programs, research and development of innovative technology, and other sustainability initiatives within the Rochester community. Rochester Regional provides real world experience for students who will expand the care we provide to our communities. To learn more visit the RIT – Rochester Regional Health Alliance Website
InterVol
InterVol is a non-profit organization that collects un-used medical supplies from local area practices and donates them to the places that cannot afford to purchase them, but need them the most. Many of these places are 3rd world countries overseas where thousands of pounds are delivered every year. In addition to providing supplies, InterVol coordinates medical missions across the globe that many employees of Rochester Regional tirelessly have given their time too. Rochester Regional Health hosts Intervol at our headquarters, where donated medical supplies are sorted and distributed to wherever the greatest need is. To find more information about Intervol and volunteer opportunities, please visit InterVol’s Website
Youth Apprenticeship Program
The Rochester City School District and Rochester Regional Health have partnered together with a vision to give high school students in the Rochester City School District the opportunity to gain “real-life” experiences in healthcare. Students gain access to the different positions within a healthcare organization, and become certified by New York State that they have had youth employment competency training when they earn their high school diploma. In the past 9 years, 100% of students went through this program have graduated high school. Upon graduation and completion of the program, participants are eligible to apply for entry level positions as a patient care technician, pediatric technician, material record assistant, respiratory care aide, and a transporter and lab assistant. For more information or interest in applying, please visit the Youth Apprenticeship Program Website
Get in Touch
If you have an idea for a new initiative, we want to hear it! Submit your ideas below.