While the demand for Covid vaccines has lessened, we continue to host events with community partners to provide preventive education as well as flu and Covid vaccines. The good news is that we see many people receiving the Covid vaccine for the first time, so our messages of prevention are working.

There is much activity in the northern suburbs as we welcome newcomers, many from Ecuador. With the influx of immigrants, service needs related to the social determinents of health have expanded.

Providing mental health services is a key component of our offerings. With Raices Sagradas, we offer individual counseling with a Spanish speaking, licensed counselor. And our St. Catherine University partnership provides additional mental health education and support.

Our six clinic locations offer halfday sessions. Plans are in the works to open another session in Apple Valley in the spring of 2024 to ease the bottleneck in scheduling.

A four-year grant from the Minnesota Department of Health allows us to strengthen services and care to patients either diagnosed with or at risk of developing diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

The staff and volunteers of St. Mary’s demonstrate a truly remarkable level of dedication and commitment to service. The care and compassion shown to our community is exemplary and the presence of trusting relationships is the base for successful health care delivery. The work of SMHC could not continue without such commitment and versatility from caregivers.