Thank you for being a champion of YMCA Evidence-Based Health Interventions aimed at preventing and managing chronic disease. Please read below for information about the content of our programs, class schedules, and options for referring patients from healthcare settings to the YMCA. 

Why the YMCA provides evidence-based health interventions

As a community-facing organization, the Y’s mission has long focused on helping people to live their healthiest lives and reach their full potential in mind, body, and spirit, acknowledging that individual “health” is influenced by a range of interconnected environmental, social, and biological factors. We want to leverage our position—as an organization capable of inciting change at the individual, community, and national levels—to increase access to disease prevention and management resources in settings where people already live, work, learn, grow, and play. 

At the Y, we know that community-based organizations focused on long-term relationship building and peer support are essential to successfully transition our healthcare system from a focus on volume to a focus on value. When 7 out of the 10 leading causes of death and 86% of healthcare spending in our country are related to chronic disease, we know that “the way we’ve always done things” has to change. We can extend the goals and values of clinical care into community settings—reaching more people with long-term, face-to-face support –when places like the Y and local healthcare systems work together.  

Programs for Health

We offer supportive options to participate in transformational programming throughout the year. Visit the links below to learn more about each program.

• Diabetes Prevention: The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program
• Cancer Survivorship: LIVESTRONG at the YMCA
• Eating well, playing more: ACT! Actively Changing Together
• Modified moves maximum results: Enhance Fitness
• Parkinson’s Management: Pedaling for Parkinson’s

See an overview of all programs

Our Care Coordination staff will contact your patient within one week of receiving a referral, and will provide each individual with the most up-to-date information on which programs are being offered at certain times and locations. For specific questions, please contact ChronicDiseasePrevention@seattleymca.org.

Patient referrals

Individuals are much more likely to participate in a program when they are directly referred to the YMCA, allowing YMCA care coordination staff to engage directly with the referred individual and connect them to the most appropriate program option. 

If you are working with someone who would like to participate in any of the programs mentioned above, please feel free to send the referral to us via any of the secure methods below:

• Secure Fax: Fax this form to 844-836-8957
• Direct Message via your EHR: send referrals via your direct mail address to ymca@seattleymca.cernerdirect.com (this is a centralized inbox).

If your organization is interested in building a smart phrase, EHR order, AVS report, or anything else that would help make referring individuals to these programs efficient and as effortless as possible, please let us know through contacting Sally Sundar, Program Executive of Health Integration and Transformation for the YMCA of Greater Seattle and the Washington State Alliance of YMCAs.

All other questions regarding program content and scheduling can be sent to Sonya Daniels Walker, Program Executive of Healthy Living at the YMCA of Greater Seattle.

YMCA Staff are happy to visit your clinic and provide presentations and/or written materials to increase provider awareness of YMCA program goals, how to refer, and what to expect. We also offer leave-behind resources for both care teams and providers, which can be co-branded if desired. Please contact Sally Sundar for more information.

Thank you for entrusting the YMCA with supporting individuals in your care! It is a responsibility we do not take lightly and a true privilege.