How is Temple Health showing up in your neighborhood? I’m Loraine Ballard Morrill with Care that Connects—bringing you stories that uplift, inform, and inspire you to take control of your health and connect to care right where you live.
In this episode, we’re joined by Lakisha Sturgis, Director of Community Care Management at Temple Health. With more than 20 years of experience, Lakisha is leading efforts to make healthcare more accessible and equitable for communities across Philadelphia—meeting people where they are and removing barriers to care.
Want to connect with Temple Health in your community? Visit templehealth.org/events to find free screenings, health fairs, and more. Follow @TempleHealth on social media to see where mobile health teams will be next. Many programs welcome walk-ups—with no insurance or pre-registration needed. Together, we’re building healthier communities—one neighbor at a time.
In this episode, we’re joined by Lakisha Sturgis, Director of Community Care Management at Temple Health. With more than 20 years of experience, Lakisha is leading efforts to make healthcare more accessible and equitable for communities across Philadelphia—meeting people where they are and removing barriers to care.
Want to connect with Temple Health in your community? Visit templehealth.org/events to find free screenings, health fairs, and more. Follow @TempleHealth on social media to see where mobile health teams will be next. Many programs welcome walk-ups—with no insurance or pre-registration needed. Together, we’re building healthier communities—one neighbor at a time.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
How is Temple Health showing up in your neighborhood. I'm
Lorraine Baller. Tomorrow join me for stories and uplift, in
form and inspire you to take control of your health
and connect to care right where you live. In this episode,
we're joined by Lakeisha Sturgis, Director of Community Care Management
at Temple Health. Lakisha brings over twenty years of experience
and leads efforts to make healthcare more accessible and equitable
(00:22):
for communities across Philadelphia. Well, it's very nice to meet you, Lakeisha,
and I'll start by asking you. Temple Health has deep
roots in this community. Which organizations are you working with
to bring health resources to the community and why did
you choose to partner with them?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Great question.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
So, Temple Health has been a part of the fabric
of North Philadelphia.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
For a long time, right, So a lot of.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Organizations that we partner with align with our goals and
our mission of the organization. So we partner with organizations
like Project Home, who really focuses on addressing housing and
security for our community members. We partner with me and
Feel Abundant to provide nutrition support for individuals with chronic
(01:04):
conditions and food insecurity.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
We also partner with churches such.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
As Zion Baptist Church, tri and Theaptist Church and NA
and Tabernaco Church. They're trusted sources in the community that
provide outreach. We also partner with North ten that is
an organization that is led by Josh Kellers and Chase Alnfes.
That organization is a great partner. They focus on community revitalization,
(01:29):
workforce development as well as you programs. And then also
we partner with the schools in the area as well
as other community based organizations like CDC's Nice Town Taioga
Improvement Team is one of.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Those as well. Lakeisha.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
We know that screenings are so important, and I wonder
if you can share with us what kinds of health
services or screenings are you offering in neighborhoods right now
and how can folks get involved or take advantage of them.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
So, we currently offer a wide variety of screenings through
our mobile insight based health services, and some of those
screenings really focus on early detection chronic disease management like
blood pressure and blood glucose screenings play a crucial role
in the healthcare efforts for many of our patients and
community members.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Many of them.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Unfortunately, do not realize the importance of knowing their health
status in these conditions, and we know that unmanaged conditions
like blood pressure or blood sugar which is diabetes, can
lead to serious illnesses like a stroke, a cardiac event,
or other complications. Our partners at Fox Chase conduct mammograms
and breast cancer screenings. We also disseminate colorectal kits like
(02:39):
fit kits to detect colon cancer. We disseminate gunlocks in
nur can. We also provide information around depression and anxiety.
So those are some of the services that we provide
in a community.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Health education is so important. It's important to know what
you don't know, and it's very important to make sure
that you're willing formed as part of long term wellness.
So how is Temple Health helping people in our community
feel more informed and empowered about their health.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Well We believe that knowledge is one of the finest
forms of care. When individuals are educated, they are not
only empowered themselves to make informed decisions, but they also
learn to ask the right questions that can guide them
to better decision making and share that information with their
community members and their families.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Our health education efforts.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Really consist of information that is key in some of
the drivers we see within our communities. For example, we
have a bilingual health workshop in English and Spanish that
focus on diabetes. We also, through our partnership with the
Fraser Family Coalition, which is located at thirteen hundred What's
Lehigh Avenue, we offer nutrition and cooking demonstrations, especially for
(03:51):
families managing chronic conditions. So those are some of the
things that we do to provide education in the community,
and we're always striving to make health information accessible, culturally sensitive.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
And actionable.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Lakeisha, you have a great background on your screen. It's
a big RV that says healthy Together. So clearly you
get out into the community and provide a lot of
these programs and screenings that we talked about. You've seen
the impact firsthand of Temple Health getting out into the
community and making a difference. And I wonder if you
can share a success story, maybe a moment when you
(04:25):
saw the power of one of these partnerships truly making
a difference in someone's life.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Yeah, So one of the programs, as we mentioned, healthy Together,
and yes we have a mobile health band, but we
also have a site at Shot right of Box Street
where we provide blood pressure screaming and blood glucose screening.
So one story that comes to mind was a young man.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
He was thirty three.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
He stopped my shotright to share with us a few
weeks ago that when he had his blood sugar and
his blood pressure checked at our Healthy Together hub, and
both were elevated.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
When we screened him.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
We advised him to go to the er and he
did as instructed, and when he came back to us,
he let us know that Temple determined that he was
in the midst of having a heart attack and that
he had to receive immediate intervention. So the work we
do is life changing and life saving. But once again
that sticks out as a story because it was a
young man. He would never thought that he was having
(05:19):
a major event, so you know, him stopping by to
get screened was an important step in his healthcare.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Very important, Lakeisha. You're making a huge difference in the
lives of men. We know how hard it is for
men to get the care that they need. So what
have you done to really elevate that great question?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Just recently we partner with the African American Mail Wellness
Agency and this organization goes through twenty three cities in
the country to highlight the disparity of men's health. On
June seventh, we were here in Philadelphia and we were
able to screen four hundred plus African American men for
biometric screenings like blood pressure colors, we're all blood glucose
(06:01):
and there be a MI. In addition to that, one
hundred and five men received labs from lab Core which
included the PSA to detect prostate cancer. So this was
a major event. We know that it's going to get
bigger and better, but that's one of the efforts we
take to screen African American men and close that gap.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
That's fantastic. I'm sure you saved a lot of lives
by doing exactly what you did, so thanks for that.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
That's the goal.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
If people want to connect or get involved with Temple
Health programs in the community, what are some of the
best ways to start well?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Our community engagement portal at Templehealth dot org slash community
is one of the ways that they can do that.
They can also follow us on social media at Templehealth,
and we are always advertising the work that we're doing
in various social media outlets.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Thanks till Lkeisha Steregis, Director of Community Care Management at
Temple Health, wanted to connect with Temple Health in your community.
Visit templehealth dot org slash events to find free screenings,
health fares and more. Follow Temple Health on social media
at Temple Health to see where our mobile teams will
be next, and remember many of the programs welcome walk
ups with no insurance or pre registration needed. Together, we're
(07:14):
building healthier communities, one neighbor at a time. I am
Lorraine Balladmorrow,
How is Temple Health showing up in your neighborhood. I'm
Lorraine Baller. Tomorrow join me for stories and uplift, in
form and inspire you to take control of your health
and connect to care right where you live. In this episode,
we're joined by Lakeisha Sturgis, Director of Community Care Management
at Temple Health. Lakisha brings over twenty years of experience
and leads efforts to make healthcare more accessible and equitable
(00:22):
for communities across Philadelphia. Well, it's very nice to meet you, Lakeisha,
and I'll start by asking you. Temple Health has deep
roots in this community. Which organizations are you working with
to bring health resources to the community and why did
you choose to partner with them?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Great question.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
So, Temple Health has been a part of the fabric
of North Philadelphia.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
For a long time, right, So a lot of.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Organizations that we partner with align with our goals and
our mission of the organization. So we partner with organizations
like Project Home, who really focuses on addressing housing and
security for our community members. We partner with me and
Feel Abundant to provide nutrition support for individuals with chronic
(01:04):
conditions and food insecurity.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
We also partner with churches such.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
As Zion Baptist Church, tri and Theaptist Church and NA
and Tabernaco Church. They're trusted sources in the community that
provide outreach. We also partner with North ten that is
an organization that is led by Josh Kellers and Chase Alnfes.
That organization is a great partner. They focus on community revitalization,
(01:29):
workforce development as well as you programs. And then also
we partner with the schools in the area as well
as other community based organizations like CDC's Nice Town Taioga
Improvement Team is one of.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Those as well. Lakeisha.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
We know that screenings are so important, and I wonder
if you can share with us what kinds of health
services or screenings are you offering in neighborhoods right now
and how can folks get involved or take advantage of them.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
So, we currently offer a wide variety of screenings through
our mobile insight based health services, and some of those
screenings really focus on early detection chronic disease management like
blood pressure and blood glucose screenings play a crucial role
in the healthcare efforts for many of our patients and
community members.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Many of them.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Unfortunately, do not realize the importance of knowing their health
status in these conditions, and we know that unmanaged conditions
like blood pressure or blood sugar which is diabetes, can
lead to serious illnesses like a stroke, a cardiac event,
or other complications. Our partners at Fox Chase conduct mammograms
and breast cancer screenings. We also disseminate colorectal kits like
(02:39):
fit kits to detect colon cancer. We disseminate gunlocks in
nur can. We also provide information around depression and anxiety.
So those are some of the services that we provide
in a community.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Health education is so important. It's important to know what
you don't know, and it's very important to make sure
that you're willing formed as part of long term wellness.
So how is Temple Health helping people in our community
feel more informed and empowered about their health.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Well We believe that knowledge is one of the finest
forms of care. When individuals are educated, they are not
only empowered themselves to make informed decisions, but they also
learn to ask the right questions that can guide them
to better decision making and share that information with their
community members and their families.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Our health education efforts.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Really consist of information that is key in some of
the drivers we see within our communities. For example, we
have a bilingual health workshop in English and Spanish that
focus on diabetes. We also, through our partnership with the
Fraser Family Coalition, which is located at thirteen hundred What's
Lehigh Avenue, we offer nutrition and cooking demonstrations, especially for
(03:51):
families managing chronic conditions. So those are some of the
things that we do to provide education in the community,
and we're always striving to make health information accessible, culturally sensitive.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
And actionable.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Lakeisha, you have a great background on your screen. It's
a big RV that says healthy Together. So clearly you
get out into the community and provide a lot of
these programs and screenings that we talked about. You've seen
the impact firsthand of Temple Health getting out into the
community and making a difference. And I wonder if you
can share a success story, maybe a moment when you
(04:25):
saw the power of one of these partnerships truly making
a difference in someone's life.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Yeah, So one of the programs, as we mentioned, healthy Together,
and yes we have a mobile health band, but we
also have a site at Shot right of Box Street
where we provide blood pressure screaming and blood glucose screening.
So one story that comes to mind was a young man.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
He was thirty three.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
He stopped my shotright to share with us a few
weeks ago that when he had his blood sugar and
his blood pressure checked at our Healthy Together hub, and
both were elevated.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
When we screened him.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
We advised him to go to the er and he
did as instructed, and when he came back to us,
he let us know that Temple determined that he was
in the midst of having a heart attack and that
he had to receive immediate intervention. So the work we
do is life changing and life saving. But once again
that sticks out as a story because it was a
young man. He would never thought that he was having
(05:19):
a major event, so you know, him stopping by to
get screened was an important step in his healthcare.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Very important, Lakeisha. You're making a huge difference in the
lives of men. We know how hard it is for
men to get the care that they need. So what
have you done to really elevate that great question?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Just recently we partner with the African American Mail Wellness
Agency and this organization goes through twenty three cities in
the country to highlight the disparity of men's health. On
June seventh, we were here in Philadelphia and we were
able to screen four hundred plus African American men for
biometric screenings like blood pressure colors, we're all blood glucose
(06:01):
and there be a MI. In addition to that, one
hundred and five men received labs from lab Core which
included the PSA to detect prostate cancer. So this was
a major event. We know that it's going to get
bigger and better, but that's one of the efforts we
take to screen African American men and close that gap.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
That's fantastic. I'm sure you saved a lot of lives
by doing exactly what you did, so thanks for that.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
That's the goal.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
If people want to connect or get involved with Temple
Health programs in the community, what are some of the
best ways to start well?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Our community engagement portal at Templehealth dot org slash community
is one of the ways that they can do that.
They can also follow us on social media at Templehealth,
and we are always advertising the work that we're doing
in various social media outlets.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Thanks till Lkeisha Steregis, Director of Community Care Management at
Temple Health, wanted to connect with Temple Health in your community.
Visit templehealth dot org slash events to find free screenings,
health fares and more. Follow Temple Health on social media
at Temple Health to see where our mobile teams will
be next, and remember many of the programs welcome walk
ups with no insurance or pre registration needed. Together, we're
(07:14):
building healthier communities, one neighbor at a time. I am
Lorraine Balladmorrow,
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