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HomeAbout usHealth EquityHealth Equity Alt

Health Equity

At Fidelis Care, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to live a healthy life. It’s our mission to ensure New Yorkers have access to high-quality healthcare, so they can get the care they need when they need it.

But many other factors contribute to an individual’s health and wellness beyond access to healthcare. Socioeconomic conditions can influence health risks and outcomes. Poverty, food insecurity, housing instability, education, employment, access to transportation and other circumstances contribute to health disparities among underserved and vulnerable populations.

Fidelis Care is committed to removing those barriers to health to improve access, quality, and affordability. It is an ongoing process that requires working together with our members, providers, and community-based organizations to support fair and just opportunities to equal access to healthcare.

Learn more about our different approaches to improve health equity:


Key partnerships

Wellness commitment to Buffalo Urban League

To nurture social entrepreneurship, facilitate wellness, and strengthen organizations focused on Black, Indigenous and People of Color in Buffalo’s East Side, Fidelis Care and the Centene Foundation donated $1.1 million to the Buffalo Urban League (BUL) to help establish its new headquarters and develop a Wellness and Entrepreneurial Center.

In addition, Fidelis Care partners with BUL through community programs and at events held in the city focused on health, family support and stabilization services, foster care, adoption, education, job training, employment, scholarships, and more.

Buffalo-Urban-League

Mental health alliance with The Jed Foundation

As part of our behavioral health efforts, Fidelis Care and the Centene Foundation awarded $1.1 million to The Jed Foundation (JED) to protect the mental health of New York State’s youth.

Through the funding, JED will expand its current services, providing at least five youth-serving community-based organizations (CBOs) with consultation or strategic planning services, including expert guidance, educational workshops, and training programs, equipping young people with life skills and connecting them to mental healthcare when they are in distress.

Fidelis-JED-Social


More Health Equity News


Take Care of Your Eyes and Learn About Healthy Vision
5/6/2025 • Posted by Fidelis Care in Caregiver Support, Children's Health, Health and Wellness, Vision

Healthy-Vision-Month

May is Healthy Vision Month. This is a great opportunity to learn how to keep your eyes healthy and safe. The National Eye Institute encourages you to:

  • Get an eye exam. This is the best way to check your vision and know if your eyes are healthy. Talk to your eye doctor about how often you should have one.
  • Live a healthy lifestyle. Maintain a healthy weight and eat foods like fish and dark leafy green vegetables to lower your risk of eye disease. Don't smoke. Smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body.
  • Know your family history. Genes can have an impact on eye disease, including diseases that are the leading causes of blindness. Ask your family members about their eye health history.
  • Wear protective eyewear: Safety glasses or goggles can protect your eyes. Talk to your eye doctor about protective eyewear for sports or work.
  • Wear sunglasses: Choose sunglasses that block out 99% to 100% of both UVA and UVB radiation.
     

Why Are Eye Exams Important?

Eye exams are important for everyone, even if you do not have any symptoms or vision problems. Everyone ages 6 and older should get an eye exam every year. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends eye exams for newborns, babies between 6 and 12 months, babies between 12 and 36 months, toddlers between 3 and 5 years old, and at age 5.

During an eye exam, your eye doctor will do tests to look at the health of your eyes. An eye exam can detect if you need eyeglasses or contact lenses. It is recommended that all school-age children get an eye exam in the summer before they start each new school year, or as needed during the year.

At your exam, your eye doctor will look at:

  • Visual acuity measures how well you can see details at a specific distance
  • Binocular vision is how well both eyes work together to see one picture
  • Depth perception is your ability to understand how far away things are from you
  • Color vision is the ability to see and understand different colors
  • Peripheral vision is what you see out of the corner of your eye

Annual eye exams are an important part of healthcare. Get regular checkups to take care of your eye health and find any vision problems early.

Sources

https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/caring-for-your-eyes/eye-exams

https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/caring-for-your-eyes/eye-exams

https://www.nei.nih.gov/sites/default/files/health-pdfs/HVM_Fact_Sheet_2016.pdf

 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/eye-test-for-preschoolers