More than 100 community members connected with free screenings, health information, and local resources at the Berkshire Family YMCA
On Saturday, October 3, Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) and the Berkshire Family YMCA welcomed community members to the Community Health & Wellness Fair in Pittsfield. The event brought health experts, free screenings, and practical support together in one accessible location, helping attendees learn about their health, connect with local resources, and take their next steps toward care.
Making Health Resources Easier to Access
The fair helped make healthcare more accessible by meeting people where they are and addressing common barriers to care. Attendees included individuals without a primary care provider or health insurance, as well as those who benefited from Spanish and Russian interpretation services. The event also successfully engaged men, a group often less likely to participate in community health events, creating more opportunities for people to connect with healthcare services, information, and resources.
Connecting People with Services and Support
Attendees could speak with health and wellness experts, participate in guided walks, and receive preventive services or help accessing ongoing resources. During the fair:
- Nearly half of attendees received flu vaccinations.
- Many attendees took steps to better manage their healthcare by creating new patient portal accounts.
- New families were connected with Women, Infants, & Children Nutritional Program (WIC) services and resources.
- More than one in four attendees received nutrition services.
- Translation services helped attendees access information and care in their preferred language.
Turning Screenings into Next Steps
Free screenings gave attendees information they could use to better understand possible health risks. Community members completed or scheduled screenings for blood pressure, glucose, breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and vascular health. The fair also offered screening for health-related social and disability needs.
When results identified a concern, event teams helped attendees connect with additional testing, and follow-up care. Referrals were made for findings related to cancer risk, vascular health, and health-related social needs.
One Conversation Opens a Path to Care
For one community member, a conversation and blood glucose screening at the fair became the beginning of a path to ongoing care. The attendee was connected with Advocacy for Access for health insurance needs. Three days later, our nurse outreach team followed up and by Thursday, the community member had seen a primary care provider.
Working Together for a Healthier Community
Six BHS providers and fifty staff members supported attendees during the fair, while another forty BHS staff members contributed to planning this event. Their work, together with the support of the Berkshire Family YMCA, and community partners, helped bring health within reach and turn conversations into meaningful next steps.
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