New Health Commons, which offers free health and wellness services, opening on St. Paul’s East Side
Many people visit their doctor only once a year, and we know the majority of healthcare happens beyond clinic walls — affected by social determinants of health like access to nutrition, physical activity, and stable housing.
How can we bring care to our communities?
We’re excited to announce the opening of Health Commons East in St. Paul this month at the Conway Community Center. The Health Commons model is one way M Health Fairview – working together with community partners – promotes health and wellbeing year-round in an accessible, trusted space. Anyone can drop in during programming hours and access a variety of no-cost services including medication consultation, health education, blood pressure screenings, exercise classes, massage, social connectedness, and more.
Our health system has partnered with Augsburg University and a number of community organizations to open two Health Commons locations in Minneapolis. The new location at Conway Community Center, will be St. Paul’s first. The community center is operated by The Sanneh Foundation, one of our long-time partners on St. Paul’s East Side.
A proven model of care
Our health system opened Health Commons Cedar-Riverside, our first location, nearly 10 years ago. Together with Augsburg, People’s Center Health Services, and the East Africa Health Project we are able to provide accessible, culturally relevant care to the East African community in Cedar-Riverside.
We opened the second location, Health Commons at The Living Room, in 2014 in North Minneapolis in partnership with Redeemer Lutheran Church and the Redeemer Center for Life.
In a recent annual impact survey, over 90% of people visiting these locations say they are making one or more positive lifestyle changes because of Health Commons programming. These include eating healthier, exercising more, and improving social connectedness.
We’re now thrilled to bring this proven service to St. Paul, in partnership with Augsburg, The Sanneh Foundation, and the East Side Health & Well-Being Collaborative. The Collaborative is a group of community organizations and initiatives convened by M Health Fairview to improve health and wellbeing on St. Paul’s East Side.
Community hub focused on wellbeing
Anyone can walk into Health Commons East and connect with our staff to find helpful health resources and programming. We’ll have nursing staff on site from both M Health Fairview and Augsburg to provide services like weight and blood pressure checks, medication consultation, health education, and care coordination. We’ll have a number of well-being offerings on site, as well, including a massage therapist and access to exercise classes.
“There’s a strong value offering services in spaces where community members already are,” said Nawal Hirsi, manager of community programs and initiatives with the M Health Fairview Community Advancement team. “We’re improving trust and helping break down misconceptions about health and healthcare, while limiting barriers like insurance and cost. People can access supportive health and wellness resources in their own neighborhoods, receiving care that reflects their identities and advances their goals for individual and family wellbeing.”
Health Commons East will launch on May 24, 2023. It will initially be open two days a week: Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Thursdays from 3 to 7 p.m. The program will continue to adapt and expand based on community input and needs. It’s located at Conway Community Center, 2090 Conway St. in St. Paul.
