Families navigating the challenges of a serious illness often face more than just medical concerns. The financial burden of treatment or prolonged hospital stays can add extra worry to an already stressful situation. Recognizing this, local hospitals, Children’s Mercy and St. Luke’s Health System, have partnered with Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas to provide resources to patients and their families. These partnerships will provide Catholic Charities with unrestricted funding to help support individuals referred by the hospitals.
Through these partnerships, hospital social workers identify patients’ needs. Patients are then referred to Catholic Charities, and the agency works to provide the patient with financial assistance, resources and referrals. Support can also include groceries from one of our eight food pantries, clothing, back-to-school supplies or connections to other community partners.
“Health challenges often create a domino effect, impacting employment, which in turn can affect finances. When basic needs like food, shelter and clothing are not met, physical health can decline even further,” explained Angela Jackson-Sampel, Director of Family Support Centers. “When hospitals see that a patient is struggling to meet essential needs, they can connect families with our support. We help stabilize a difficult situation, so families can focus on their health and well-being. When a child is sick, the last thing a parent should have to worry about is something such as whether the lights will stay on at home. By offering support, we can give families not just resources, but also a little more hope for the road ahead.”
The partnership with Children’s Mercy began last spring, and St. Luke’s more recently, but these connections are not the agency’s first collaboration with healthcare systems. Over the past decade, Catholic Charities has also worked with medical teams in Topeka.
Last fiscal year, Children’s Mercy referred 127 families (94 from Wyandotte County and the rest from Johnson County) to Catholic Charities. Those numbers are expected to grow as the partnerships continue.
“Both partner hospitals’ missions align closely with Catholic Charities’ values of joy and kindness in service. Having met with their representatives, you can see those values in action,” Jackson-Sampel noted.
