Trinity Health's $2.9B 'Care Dividend' Redefines Non-Profit Mission

LIVONIA, MI – January 07, 2026 – In a period marked by significant financial strain across the American healthcare landscape, Trinity Health has announced a landmark $2.9 billion investment in community programs and services for its 2025 fiscal year. The not-for-profit, faith-based system is framing the massive reinvestment not as a typical expenditure, but as a “care dividend,” a strategic deployment of resources aimed at strengthening communities and expanding access to care across its 25-state footprint.

This move comes as hospitals nationwide grapple with persistent challenges, including soaring labor costs, inflation, and complex reimbursement environments. Trinity Health’s initiative presents a powerful counter-narrative, demonstrating a commitment to leveraging its financial margins for broad-based social impact rather than shareholder returns.

“Every dollar we generate above expenses is reinvested into providing accessible, high-quality care and programs that lift up whole communities,” said Michael A. Slubowski, president and chief executive officer of Trinity Health. “This year’s $2.9 billion in community impact is our Community Return on Health in action... At Trinity Health, our Mission calls us to be a compassionate and transforming healing presence, especially for the most vulnerable. To live that Mission, we must sustain a margin – not for shareholders, but to generate what we call a care dividend.”

Beyond the Clinic: A Systemic Approach to Health

At the heart of Trinity Health's strategy is a profound acknowledgment that health outcomes are shaped by factors far beyond the hospital's walls. The organization is systematically embedding social care into its clinical operations, moving from treating sickness to proactively building wellness.

A cornerstone of this effort is a massive screening program. In FY2025, the health system screened more than one million outpatients and 137,000 inpatients for health-related social needs. The results painted a clear picture of the challenges facing patients: 27.4 percent of outpatients reported at least one unmet need, with food access, financial insecurity, and social isolation being the most common.

Identifying needs is only the first step. To connect patients with tangible solutions, Trinity Health has deployed a growing force of 162 Community Health Workers (CHWs). These crucial frontline professionals addressed more than 16,300 distinct social needs in the past year, providing personalized navigation for patients requiring help with housing, food, transportation, and other essential supports. The organization notes that resolving a single social need can be a complex process, often taking months or even a year.

“Improving health outcomes requires us to see and respond to the full context of our patients’ lives,” explained Dr. Daniel J. Roth, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Trinity Health. “By integrating social care into our clinical workflows, we are helping people avoid preventable hospitalizations, manage chronic conditions, and experience care that is dignified, culturally responsive and truly person-centered.”

Building Healthier Communities from the Ground Up

Trinity Health’s investment extends into long-term community-building initiatives that address the root causes of health disparities. The system's Community Investing Program stands out as a powerful example of this commitment. Since 2018, the program has deployed more than $44 million in low-interest loans to community development partners. This initial seed funding has generated an extraordinary return, catalyzing over $1.18 billion in local investment—a leverage of approximately $26.70 for every dollar Trinity Health invested.

The tangible results of this program are striking. It has supported the creation of over 15,700 units of affordable housing and 380 supportive housing beds, providing stability for thousands of families and individuals. The investments also bolster local economies by creating jobs and funding scholarships.

Specific programs directly target immediate needs. The “Food Is Medicine” initiative, for instance, recovered more than one million pounds of nutritious food and established weekly produce distributions for over 2,500 people. In parallel, medication access programs like the Dispensary of Hope provided $1.1 million worth of donated medications at no cost to qualifying patients, while the system's Specialty Pharmacy offered $1.3 million in financial support to help over 4,000 patients fill critical prescriptions.

A New Standard for Non-Profit Accountability

Trinity Health's comprehensive $2.9 billion figure represents what it calls its total “community impact.” Within this larger number is the $1.4 billion formally reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as “Community Benefit” under the specific guidelines of Form 990, Schedule H. This distinction is significant, as it highlights the system's efforts to measure and communicate a broader scope of mission-driven activities than what is narrowly defined by tax regulations.

This level of detailed reporting and strategic framing arrives at a time of increasing scrutiny on the community contributions of large, tax-exempt hospital systems. As policymakers and the public demand greater accountability, Trinity Health's proactive 'care dividend' model provides a potential blueprint for how non-profits can demonstrate their value.

The investment also includes covering $310 million in direct care costs, which helped nearly 450,000 people with incomes up to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level receive necessary routine and emergency services. By combining direct financial assistance with deep investments in housing, food security, and workforce training, the health system is making a multi-billion-dollar bet on a holistic vision of health.

“From street medicine and housing outreach to food recovery, transportation and workforce training, we are working with communities to build a healthier future for everyone,” Slubowski concluded.