Garnet Health collaborates with organizations, schools, public agencies and businesses to educate the public, shift policy, and create a culture of health for the communities we serve. It is our goal to engage and influence other sectors while providing leadership for dynamic, large scale change. By committing to community health work, Garnet Health will be a key driver to improving health and reducing chronic disease in our communities.

Garnet Health Medical Center, a member of Garnet Health, provides health resources and education to our community in an effort to improve the health of families and support wellness proactively through promotion of:

• Community Health Programs and Events
• Healthy lifestyles
• Research
• Free classes, seminars, support groups and screenings
• Online video archives of previous self-help seminars
• Training and disease prevention

We also participate in and sponsor numerous community events including but not limited to health fairs, walks/runs, conferences and other health related efforts.

Our community health program partners with numerous local agencies to positively affect the health and well-being of our community as a whole. Garnet Health, comprised of Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills and Garnet Health Medical Center, has made community health initiatives a priority to specifically improve the health equity of Orange and Sullivan counties, acknowledging that there are multiple health determinants other than medical care, including social factors such as education, poverty, inequality, and the environment. In 2016 A University of Wisconsin Public Health Institute report published that:

• Only 10% of health can be attributed to clinical care
• 40% has been attributed to social and economic factors
• 30% to health behaviors, and 10% to environmental factors

Community Health Priority Areas

Every 3 years, we conduct a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment to evaluate the health needs of individuals living in Orange and Sullivan Counties. The aim of the assessment is to reinforce Garnet Health’s commitment to the health of its residents and align its health prevention efforts with the community’s greatest needs. The findings from the assessment were utilized by Garnet Health to prioritize public health issues and develop a community health implementation plan focused on meeting community needs identified.

Our current focus is promoting well-being and preventing mental and substance user disorders.

Our priority areas were based on several discussions with key stake holders in Orange and Sullivan Counties as well as information provided to us in community surveys that resident’s completed.

Director of Planning and Community Relations

Moira Mencher, MBA joined Garnet Health as Physician Liaison in 2019, and was promoted to Manager of Physician Relations and Community Health in 2020 and Director of Planning and Community Relations in 2023.  During her time at Garnet Health, she has developed an effective Physician Relations Program that promotes working relationships between Garnet Health, members of the medical staff, their office staff and physicians within the community. Ms. Mencher has also worked closely with the Community Health Department to include physicians in community health initiatives.

In her new role, Ms. Mencher oversees physician relations and community health and strategic planning and is facilitating the synergy of these departments. She works with community organizations in Sullivan and Orange Counties to integrate and align Garnet Health System’s Community Health programs with community health initiatives as outlined by each county’s Community Health Needs Assessment and the System’s Corporate Community Health Plan.

Additionally, Ms. Mencher collaborates with community partners to improve the health of Sullivan and Orange Counties through innovations in education, patient care, research, community and physician engagement. She provides integrated research, planning and leadership in the development of community health initiatives and identifies community health program grant funding opportunities.

Ms. Mencher has a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Communication and a Master of Business Administration. She serves her community as a member of the Warwick Valley Rotary club and as a Director on the board of the Inspire Foundation.