Sun River Health Partners with Unite Us to Increase Access to Health and Social Care Resources

NEW YORK, DECEMBER 1,  2022 – 

Sun River Health, the largest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in New York State, and Unite Us, the nation’s leading technology company connecting health and social care, are partnering to expand a coordinated care network called Unite NYC that addresses the unmet needs of people and families throughout New York. The expansion will initially launch in the Bronx, with plans to expand throughout the five boroughs and into Hudson Valley and Long Island over the next year.

Unite Us helps connect people to much-needed resources and services such as assistance with housing, food assistance, and transportation.  The network currently has over 700 active programs in NYC alone, with more organizations and providers joining each day. 

Sun River Health acknowledges the importance of addressing social care to improve a person’s overall well-being, offering community-centered, quality, and equitable health care for all, with locations throughout New York City, the Hudson Valley, and Long Island. Through this partnership, Sun River hopes to better standardize the social care referral process at their sites, allowing for less burdensome workflows for staff members and eventually utilizing data from the Unite Us network to identify and bridge service gaps. This partnership will be invaluable to support the needs of New Yorkers and can serve as a model for other similar communities, as Sun River Health is the sixth largest FQHC in the United States. 

In addition, Sun River Health and Unite Us’ integrated data capacity will enhance the integration of health and SDoH services and provide support to 1115 Waiver activities.

“At Sun River Health, we know our patients face significant barriers to health that fall outside the areas of traditional health care,” said Anne Kauffman Nolon, MPH, Chief Executive Officer at Sun River Health. “We are thrilled to have Unite Us support more efficient referrals to our community-based partners to increase more comprehensive services. This partnership represents a critical step in our journey toward health equity.” 

Together, Sun River and Unite Us will securely connect people in need with community-based resources that can be difficult to navigate otherwise. The network provides a central point of contact where healthcare providers, social service organizations, and individuals can securely access and refer people to needed services while monitoring progress and measuring outcomes.

“The collective goal of our partnership with Sun River Health is to effectively address social drivers that affect health and wellness while increasing equitable access to care for all residents regardless of circumstance,” said Marc Natale, New York State Director at Unite Us. “Sun River Health and Unite Us will work together to redefine the quality, impact, and intersection of health and social care across this community.”Nonprofits, community-based organizations, and providers who want to connect their clients and patients to Sun River Health services within Unite Us’ network can visit uniteus.com/contact/.