Whittier Street Health Center Addresses Health Status of Roxbury

Whittier Street Health Center co-hosted the session in partnership with the Boston Public Health Commission and the CHNA-CHIP Collaborative, the latter of which is comprised of a group of Boston health centers, hospitals, community-based organizations and residents concentrated on achieving racial and ethnic health equity.

The open discussion addressed the need for continued and expanded community outreach and education to provide the necessary and comprehensive range of treatment and prevention services to low income minority and immigrant populations.

Community members attending the event were connected to health resources offered by the City of Boston, including the Boston Health Start Initiative (BHSI) which provides direct support to pregnant and parenting women, children, and families of color. Whittier Street Health Center is a designated BHSI site.

“The recent Health of Boston reports shows that the life expectancy gap of Roxbury residents has shown a slight improvement, but there remains a gap of 23 years when compared to the residents in Back Bay,” said Frederica M. Williams, president and CEO of Whittier Street Health Center. “We need to continue our efforts to address the barriers to good health such as housing, food and economic insecurity while empowering our residents to engage in lifestyle changes and behaviors that will improve their health and quality of life. Having access to prevention, screening and treatment in addition to community investments in the social determinants of health can lead to better health outcomes. We are grateful to all who have supported our Boston Health Equity Program, which was launched in 2012, and look forward to expanding our health equity partnerships so we can continue to close the 23 year life expectancy gap.”

About Whittier Street Health Center

Whittier Street Health Center is an independently licensed community health care center with a mission of providing high quality, reliable and accessible primary healthcare for diverse populations while promoting wellness and eliminating health and social disparities. A champion of equitable access to high quality, patient-focused care, social justice and economic equity, Whittier Street Health Center is accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC), certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient-Centered Medical Home, and recognized by the NCQA for its Behavioral Health Integration. Through its locations in Roxbury and North Dorchester, and its Mobile Health Van program, Whittier Street Health Center serves more than 30,000 patients and 20,000 community outreach visits annually; its ethnically and racially diverse patient base is primarily made up of individuals from Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, the South End and greater Boston. Approximately 28% of Whittier’s patients are uninsured. Whittier Street Health Center provides a comprehensive array of 40 healthcare programs and services designed to meet the primary health care, behavioral health, and social needs of the community. For more information, please visit www.wshc.org as well as Facebook (www.facebook.com/WhittierStreetHealthCenter), Twitter (@Whittier_Boston), or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/whittier-street-health-center), or call 617-989-3221.