Beyond Barriers – Health Equity Zones

HEALTH EQUITY ZONES

Health Equity Zones are defined areas where Eskenazi Health and community partners will work together to focus on building healthy neighborhoods by addressing long-term social determinants of health, with the goal of increasing the life expectancy of area residents. Together with neighborhood residents and community partners, a collaborative community plan will be implemented to address immediate and systemic barriers through a holistic and all-encompassing approach to improve the following:

This is unlike any other health equity zone project that exists. For the first time, an anchor institution that possesses the infrastructure, capacity and individualized approach is leading. This campaign represents a deliberate decision to focus philanthropy at the point of greatest opportunity. Alone, Eskenazi Health is not enough. The expertise of community partners is required for removing many barriers. At the same time, Eskenazi Health is dedicated to improving three pillars: Health Care, Mental Health Care, and Food as Medicine.

The most exciting news: change has begun. Eskenazi Health’s vision for a healthier community is within reach.

Health Equity Zones

1 – West 38th / International Marketplace Health Equity Zone
This is a vibrant, diverse neighborhood with a long history of strong community ties and welcoming newcomers. Community leaders work tirelessly to support small businesses and new immigrant entrepreneurs. The area has a large, highly diverse minority population, including many with limited English proficiency. The neighborhood experiences high levels of poverty, unemployment and low high school graduation rates. At the hub, Eskenazi Health Center West 38th Street serves the highest volume of patients in our network.

2 – East 38th / Northeast Corridor Health Equity Zone

The intersection of East 38th Street and Arlington Street is the epicenter of the Northeast Corridor. The unemployment rate here is five times higher than elsewhere in the County, which contributes to a prevalence of gun violence. Nearly half of neighborhood residents are spending more than 30% of their income on housing. The Northeast Corridor is known for strong community leadership, with a key asset in the significant faith-based institutions that undergird the health of the community. The new Eskenazi Health Center will serve as an anchor for this Health Equity Zone.

3 – Grassy Creek / Far East Health Equity Zone

The Grassy Creek neighborhood is young and full of promise. Home to 40,000 people, it showcases an incredible diversity, from Haitian Creole to Hispanic, from African American to Indian. With nearly half of the population living more than a mile from a supermarket and poor neighborhood walkability, transportation is a significant challenge expected to improve with IndyGo’s new Purple Line Bus Rapid Transit route. The neighborhood is known for its great community collaboration, anchored by several non-profits and faith-based efforts and has been home to the Eskenazi Health Center Grassy Creek since 1999.

Eighty percent of our health is shaped by Social Determinants of Health. Thinking another way, Medical Care is traditionally delivered contributes only 20% to reducing premature death. To radically transform outcomes, Eskenazi Health must integrate medical care with social care. The Beyond Barriers Campaign represents a deliberate decision to focus philanthropy at the point of greatest opportunity.

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