Mercy Health - Cincinnati

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In Cincinnati, the Mercy Serves AmeriCorps program is helping bridge the gap between emergency care and long-term community support. Emergency departments are increasingly caring for patients facing substance use disorders, behavioral health challenges and complex social needs that extend beyond immediate clinical treatment. Mercy Serves AmeriCorps Members provide compassionate, person-centered support by screening patients for substance use and social needs and connecting them to critical community resources.

The program’s impact continues to grow. During the 2025–2026 service year, AmeriCorps members are on track to screen more than 3,300 patients in the emergency department. Mercy Serves has demonstrated strong continuity of care outcomes, with half of the patients referred for substance use treatment successfully receiving services.

Mercy Serves also invests in developing the next generation of community health leaders through certifications, Mental Health First Aid training and Community Health Worker pathways. One AmeriCorps Member, Alicia Pepper, recently used her training to support a patient struggling with alcohol withdrawal and loneliness, helping connect the patient to behavioral health services and reinforcing the importance of compassionate care.

As the program approaches its 10th anniversary, Mercy Serves is preparing to expand its successful model to additional markets and health systems, extending compassionate support to even more vulnerable patients.