Cincinnati Children’s shares Community Impact Report that details efforts to improve child health, access to care

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Cincinnati Children's has issued its third-annual Community Impact Report, which highlights how the nonprofit is improving child health, well-being and access to care.

For example, the report notes that the Michael Fisher Child Health Equity Center, which Cincinnati Children's launched in 2022, is collaborating with community food pantries and organizations to address hunger and food insecurity. Cincinnati Children's supports more than 25,000 children and families experiencing such issues through a variety of programs, including meal cards and a voucher program for families who qualify. The Fisher Center addresses numerous social issues that influence child health while considering innovative approaches to address deep-rooted and challenging inequities.

Cincinnati Children's is also expanding clinical care and collaborations in Eastgate, Northern Kentucky and Indiana to improve access and outcomes for kids, the report notes.

"The world-class clinical care we provide is made possible by our 19,500 team members, of which nearly one-third are engaged in medical research to develop treatments and cures that benefit kids here and around the globe," said Steve Davis, MD, president and CEO of Cincinnati Children's. "At the same time, we are improving access to care for all families, with the goal of making our local children the healthiest in the nation."

The report notes that during Fiscal Year 2022, Cincinnati Children's employees delivered $474.5 million in community benefit services - including more than $258 million in charitable patient care and over $13 million in subsidized health services. That total included nearly $14.8 million devoted to community outreach such as wellness initiatives and injury prevention. Another $110 million went to laboratory science and applied research, and over $77 million to the education of prospective physicians and other healthcare professionals.

One of the nation's largest providers of pediatric mental health services, Cincinnati Children's reported more than 212,000 visits, screenings, consultations and admissions related to mental health in Fiscal Year 2023. Every year at our College Hill campus, Cincinnati Children's cares for over 4,000 mental health inpatients, who range from 2 to 17 years old. College Hill also offers mental health outpatient services. Nationally, one in 10 children has a disability associated with or due to mental health issues, and about one in five children experience a mental health disorder in a given year.

Overall during FY23 (July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023), Cincinnati Children's had more than 1.65 million patient encounters (admissions plus outpatient, Emergency Department and Urgent Care visits). That included:

• 1.44 million outpatient visits
• 173,000 ED and Urgent Care visits
• 106,000 telehealth visits
• 33,100 admissions