In 2016, Kaiser Permanente launched the award-winning* Good Health & Great Hair initiative to bring critical health and social support services to communities in Baltimore City. Barbershops and salons have long served as gathering places, and through a unique partnership, we’ve been able to provide our exceptional health care in safe and trusted spaces within the communities where individuals live, work, play, and pray.
Bringing total health to Greater Baltimore
At Kaiser Permanente, we believe in total health — addressing the physical, mental, and social health needs of our members, as well as the needs of their communities. Our total health approach is the cornerstone of our integrated care delivery model.
The Good Health & Great Hair Barbershop and Salon initiative is one example of total health in action. Our program addresses physical health through clinical screenings at barbershops and salons in Baltimore City, mental health with community conversations and referrals, and social health by offering important support services to participants who need them most.
These monthly classes, offered in partnership with the Black Mental Health Alliance (read the Phase 3 report), are designed to address core drivers of mental wellness. Each month features a unique topic to discuss with licensed clinicians, authors, and persons with relevant life experiences. Come build community and strengthen your coping skills through conversation with experts.
The stress of financial decisions can impact one’s emotional and physical well-being, especially in these difficult economic circumstances. Join this workshop—offered by Kaiser Permanente in partnership with Bon Secours Community Works—to learn more about the connection between your emotional state and your financial decisions, and learn coping methods to improve your own health.
Exercise and proper nutrition support a healthy body and a strong immune system, which are both more important than ever in the battle against COVID-19. That’s why we offer these workshops in partnership with Brown & Healthy. Come try a variety of exercises for all ages, or learn tips and recipes for eating healthy at home.
The Good Health & Great Hair initiative owes its success to many groups and individuals, who shared a belief in a healthier future for Baltimore communities. We depend on our home bases, barbershops and salons, to create access points for our resources and bring us in contact with those who need them most.
We depend on Kaiser Permanente medical professionals to provide the care and education that heals communities and gives them a healthy future. We depend on our social support partners to increase the scope of our care and truly bring total health to communities in need.
These community touchpoints make the Good Health & Great Hair initiative possible. Barbershops and salons are gathering spaces where social interaction occurs in a safe environment; where intergenerational knowledge is transferred; where social justice and advocacy initiatives are cultivated; and where deep, personal bonds of friendship between patron and barber are forged. We built upon the traditional role that barbers and stylists play as community educators and advisors, turning them into our first GHGH Ambassadors.
Our physicians, nurses, and other Kaiser Permanente medical professionals provide the clinical support for the Good Health & Great Hair initiative. Together, this team offers residents a broad range of immunizations, plus no-cost preventive screenings for conditions like obesity, high blood pressure, HIV, liver and kidney disease, certain cancers, and more. Residents even receive follow-up notifications of their lab results, and assistance with scheduling appointments at safety net clinics if needed.
Our mobile health team brings care directly to residents in target communities. The team travels aboard the Kaiser Permanente Mobile Health Vehicle, which is equipped with exam rooms, a medical lab, ECG equipment, and generators to ensure reliable operations. The Vehicle is also connected to our electronic medical record system, which means Kaiser Permanente members get the same continuity of care as they do in our medical centers — and any services they receive will be added to their personal health records.
The Good Health & Great Hair initiative offers a variety of services to help participants attain total health, including financial counseling, health insurance counseling, resume workshops, mental health seminars, fitness and wellness workshops, and more. Residents can submit a form anytime indicating their interest in these services, and reference our program calendar for specific dates, times, and locations for services.