Pregnancy and childbirth, mental health, basic needs among top health concerns for Central Florida

Thousands of residents across Central Florida contributed their voices to identify the region’s most pressing health challenges.
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  • Caroline Glenn
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Community
An aerial view of Lake Eola in Orlando, Florida.

AdventHealth has announced three critical focus areas that will guide its community health initiatives over the coming years in its pursuit to improve the health and wellbeing of Central Floridians:

  • Pregnancy and childbirth

  • Mental health

  • Access to basic needs such as housing, nutritious food and transportation.

These priorities emerged from the 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), a comprehensive survey developed in collaboration with local partners. Thousands of residents across Central Florida contributed their voices to identify the region’s most pressing health challenges.

“As a not-for-profit health system, we want to find solutions to these problems – because whole-person health happens everywhere, not just inside the hospital,” said Sharon Line Clary, senior vice president of Community Impact and Partnership Engagement for AdventHealth. “Every year, AdventHealth invests over $1 billion in our community, and we’re excited to once again partner with amazing nonprofits that are on the frontlines helping people every day and work together to make our entire community feel whole.”

Why These Issues Matter

The statistics behind these focus areas are alarming:

  • The U.S. has the highest maternal death rate of any developed nation, with 80% of those deaths deemed preventable.

  • Florida ranks last in the country for maternal fetal health.

  • 1 in 5 Americans struggle with mental illness, yet only half receive the treatment they need.
  • Approximately 40 million Americans live in poverty, unable to afford essentials like food, housing or transportation.

These data points underscore the urgency of targeted intervention and investment in community-based solutions.

What’s Next?

Later this year, AdventHealth will select local nonprofit partners that are tackling these issues in the zip codes where help is most needed. Last year, AdventHealth awarded $1.4 million to six nonprofits focused on workforce development — one of the top health concerns identified in the previous CHNA.

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