The mission of the Health and Human Services (HHS) facet is to promote and facilitate programs that support the maintenance of good health and the elimination of chronic health disparities in communities of color through education, health advocacy and optimal utilization of health resources. 
 

Linking Together Against Syndrome X is our chapter's signature program created to carry out the vision, mission, and goals of The Links, Incorporated HHS facet.

 

HeartLinks to Heart Health Initiative
Linking Together Against Syndrome X and for Women's Red Dress Heart Health Symposium is our chapter’s HeartLinks to Heart Health initiative. This is held in February and over 200 women from Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties participate in a free health symposium on cardiovascular health, diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol management, obesity prevention, oral and mental health.
 

 

National Black Breast Health Initiative
The Black Breast Health Initiative educates the Links membership and the communities we serve about the importance of knowing one's family history and the risk factors for breast cancer. Our goal encompasses advocacy and personal health record retention to ensure proper healthcare maintenance.
 

To implement this initiative, our chapter partnered with Martin Health Systems in conjunction with Volunteers in Medicine Clinic and the Gertrude Walden Child Care Center (Stuart, FL) to host a Health Awareness Day and Black Breast Health program in October.

 

The program provided educational presentations regarding risk factors, prevention treatment of breast cancer, testicular cancer, and Syndrome X. More than 310 people from the East Stuart and neighboring communities attended.
 

 

HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Initiatives
The National HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Initiatives ensure that Links members and the communities we serve to understand the incidence and prevalence of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C in the African-American community, how these infections are transmitted and how the diseases can be prevented.
 

 

Linkages to Life Initiative
Linkages to Life signature program educates Links members and the African-American community about the importance of and need for organ, tissue, and bone marrow donation
as well as the importance of healthy living and prevention.
 

This awareness initiative is conducted in partnership with local and national transplant organizations, the faith-based community and civic organizations throughout our chapter's program year.
 

 

National Mental Health initiative
The goal of the National Mental Health Initiative is to educate Links members about mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety and social issues that impact our physical and mental health so that our members can take the knowledge learned into our communities.
 

Our chapter strategically partners with community organizations that specialize in Black mental health issues. By identifying and sharing resources that educate on how to seek and find treatment, we help eliminate the stigma of mental illness within the Black community. Mental health professionals are presenters at each of our chapter's three area health symposiums.

 

 

National Oral Health Initiative
The National Oral Health Initiative addresses oral health in adults and children. Links chapters have the opportunity to impact their communities by:

• Helping families become knowledgeable on how oral health affects the body

• Helping families become knowledgeable about how diet affects dental care.

A dentist presents critical oral health information regarding diabetes and periodontal disease at our chapter's three health symposiums.
 

 

Walk for Healthy Living Initiative

The Walk for Healthy Living signature program teaches how healthy, sustained lifestyle changes can reduce the incidence of many diseases. The program's goal is to encourage Links members, their families and the communities we serve, to improve their health by walking more. This is supported by the sponsoring of Links Walk-a-Thons and challenging members and the community we serve to take 10,000 steps each day.

 

Our chapter launched its Linking Together Against Syndrome X - Woman to Woman Walk for Healthy Living program for the women of Gertrude Walden Childcare Center (GWCC) in Martin County. The women were provided specially designed t-shirts, pedometers, and a step tracker to track their weekly steps and they will participate in a metered walk each month.

 

The GWCC women are also a target population for our chapter's Syndrome X transformational program. The women receive information on Metabolic Syndrome prevention and management and monthly presentations from trained health professionals. They are provided with healthy meals for themselves and their children, their vital health statistics are taken and they receive literature and other healthy living tools.