Mercy Neighborhood Ministry
Mercy Neighborhood Ministry (MNM) carries on the work of the Sisters of Mercy, who were often called the “walking sisters” for their compassionate, active service out in the community, beyond the bounds of the House of Mercy. We walk in the communities we serve in the St. Louis region in order to identify needs, make connections and referrals, develop partnerships, improve community health and advocate for our most vulnerable neighbors outside of our hospital walls.
Based out of Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur, MNM focuses on addressing social needs for individuals serviced by Mercy hospitals and clinics in St. Louis, Franklin, Jefferson, St. Charles, Warren, and Lincoln Counties. We partner with over 100 community health and social service agencies, clinics, churches, and schools to connect the economically underserved with health and social service resources. We also seek to connect our Mercy co-workers with meaningful service opportunities in the community.
Since MNM was founded over two decades ago, our scope has evolved and our commitment to community health has deepened. MNM is now integrated with Mercy Community Health & Access, which is responsible for the hospitals’ Community Health Needs Assessments, Community Health Implementation Plans, and Community Benefit reporting. If MNM’s core function is charity, to meet the needs of people as they are, where they are, Community Health and Access is focused on justice, removing systematic barriers for healthier, more equitable communities.
Community Health & Benefit
Responding to the health needs of our communities, particularly those who are most vulnerable, is central to Mercy’s mission, and contributes to Mercy’s community benefit. Each Mercy hospital works in partnership with community stakeholders and experts in public health to identify needs and develop strategies to improve the health of individuals, families and neighborhoods. Every three years, a new comprehensive assessment of community needs is completed, and strategic plans are outlined to drive meaningful, collective impact across a variety of health and social outcomes.
CHNA Priorities
Through the needs assessment process, each hospital prioritizes community health needs to address. The following needs have been identified across the four hospitals in Mercy's St. Louis region:
Access to care gives individuals the ability to obtain health care services in a timely manner to achieve the best health outcomes. Certain barriers such as lack of insurance coverage, availability of services in a geographic area, lack of cultural competence in care, language barriers, and other social determinants of health must be overcome for equitable access to care to be achieved.
Health equity is achieved when every person has an equal opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This reaches beyond access to the health care system by focusing on the systems and social determinants of health that create disadvantages for certain individuals that are avoidable and unjust.
Behavioral health describes the emotions and behaviors that affect your overall well-being, including mental health and substance use disorders. Addressing gaps in health care for behavioral health, mental health, and substance use disorder is essential to improve the overall health of individuals and communities.
Chronic disease prevention and management seeks to utilize screenings, check-ups, monitoring and coordinating treatment, and patient education to improve quality of life and reduce the burden of chronic disease for individuals, health care systems, and communities.
MCH focuses on health issues concerning women, children, and families, including access to prenatal care, infant and maternal mortality prevention, maternal and child health, newborn screening, child immunizations, child nutrition and services for children with special health care needs.
St. Louis Region
Volunteer Opportunities
Mercy co-workers can now signup to volunteer online View current volunteer opportunities.
The Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
The Sisters of Mercy around the world dedicate themselves to those in need through service and addressing the root causes of systemic injustices. These are carried out by today’s sisters through prayer, personal transformation, community choices, educational outreach, legislative advocacy, and corporate engagement. While Mercy continues the legacy of the Sisters through our health care ministry, MNM further elevates their work by utilizing the critical concerns to inform prioritization in addressing community needs. Learn more about their focus today on five critical concerns.