Community Health & Well-Being
Community Health & Well-Being Main Content
Meeting Needs
We're working alongside our neighbors to build a healthier, stronger community.
Creating a Healthier Community
Health beyond our walls
Our involvement in the community may start with the giving hearts and volunteering hands of our employees, but it doesn’t stop there. Baptist Health collaborates with community organizations and civic leaders to lead initiatives that address real health inequities of our neighbors and then use our resources to lead efforts.
To ensure a higher quality of life is attainable for everyone, we focus on three strategic priorities:
As the only locally governed, faith-based, not-for-profit health care system in Northeast Florida, we’re able to ensure that money stays in the region and is reinvested into our health care services and community programs, all with the aim of improving the health and wellness of our community.
Meeting Needs
We're working alongside our neighbors to build a healthier, stronger community.
Community Health & Well-Being Additional Content Section 1
Determining needs in our community
At Baptist Health, we hold ourselves accountable for making measurable improvements in the health and well-being of our community.
Every 3 years, we connect with local health systems to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). While Baptist Health serves across all areas of need, this helps us determine the most pressing and persisting needs so we can develop intentional and innovative solutions.
The 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment identified four areas of priority:
- Access to Care
- Housing
- Mental Health
- Food Environment
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Our Strategy: Leading community transformation
80% of a person’s health is determined by what happens in their everyday life – in their homes, schools, workplaces and community. That's why we lead strategic partnerships, programs and investments that advance access to quality health care for all and respond to community concerns about critical health issues.
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The Emerald Trail’s LaVilla Link
Baptist Health recently made a significant strategic investment in the Emerald Trail, a 30-mile walking and biking path that will link historic neighborhoods to promote wellness, belonging, walkability and community.
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Blue Zones Project Jacksonville
Often Baptist acts as the catalyst to strengthen community resources. One example is the implementation of the multi-year Blue Zones Project in Jacksonville that aims to achieve measurable well-being improvement in areas focused on people, places and policy.
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We want to collaborate with you
No organization can meet all the health needs of a community alone. That’s why we collaborate with and/or provide financial support to nearly 100 community and faith-based organizations each year to create and offer community-based solutions that work.
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Investing in our next generation
Access to quality education and employment opportunities is one of the determining factors of the health of a community.
We offer programs that expose youth to careers in health care and provide mentorship, hands-on experiences and skill-building learning opportunities that foster lifelong career success.
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Community Health & Well-Being Committee
These committee members are leaders from across our health system boards dedicated to improving access to the resources, support and care individuals and families across Northeast Florida need to address social drivers of health and enhance overall community well-being.
Pictured left to right: Keli Coughlin Joyce, Connie Hodges, Julie Merten, Kyle D. Reese, Janice Ancrum, Deb Pass Durham, Clay B. Tousey, III
Not pictured: Kristin Keen, Asghar Syed, Cleve Warren