Grant Partners

Prisoners’ Legal Services will develop a project to increase access to medical parole by creating an infrastructure for pro bono attorneys and medical advocates to collaborate on prisoner petitions.  Prisons are not equipped to handle the health care needs of seriously ill or dying prisoners, and medical parole is seen as the best alternative. To increase support for eligible incarcerated individuals, the nonprofit will identify and train pro bono attorneys who can respond to referrals, forge connections between the attorneys and pro bono medical providers, and develop resource materials and communications to family members.

Walker, Inc, will conduct a feasibility study for a therapeutic preschool model and develop an effective intervention for the growing number of preschool-age children with challenging behaviors who are at risk of suspension or expulsion from early education and care programs in the Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, and Roxbury neighborhoods of Boston.  Walker, Inc. will research the issue, outline a sustainable funding model, and prepare to launch a pilot preschool program.

Burlington Public Schools will pilot Collaborative Care in Schools, a team-based mental health care approach created to complement existing school services. The pilot will enhance behavioral health support for students and families without additional costs to the school districts. A specialized mental health care team will be deployed to Burlington Public Schools, consisting of a behavioral health care manager, a licensed clinician with a master's level in behavioral health, and a nurse practitioner. Additionally, a consulting psychiatrist will be available once a week to meet with the mental health care team. This model aims to cater to both students and faculty members of Burlington Public Schools and work toward reducing barriers to mental health services and providing personalized care that meets each student's unique needs. 

The Fishing Partnership (TFP) will increase behavioral health equity in Massachusetts fishing communities by promoting the availability and accessibility of behavioral health support with a focus on cultural competency and language accessibility. This funding will allow TFP to integrate behavioral health access within its existing community health worker program by training TFP Navigators in behavioral health with Riverside Trauma Center (RTC). This will enhance the Navigators’ ability to respond to traumatic incidents in the fishing industry alongside the RTC team of clinicians.

Community Servings will pilot a “step-down program” for clients who have received medically tailored meals but have become well enough to transition away from home-delivery service.  The program will provide a pathway to address food and nutrition insecurity.  The step-down program will provide medically tailored food boxes, a cookbook with simple recipes, cooking demonstration videos, nutrition education, and support from a registered dietitian nutritionist.

In collaboration with Community Care Cooperative (C3) (an accountable care organization that funds 24 Federally Qualified Health Centers across Massachusetts) Mandela Yoga Project will pilot a peer-led, culturally responsive, trauma-responsive mind-body intervention at Uphams Corner Health Center (Uphams) and Brockton Neighborhood Health Center. The pilot will address disparities in diabetes and hypertension by increasing the percentage of diabetes patients with controlled blood pressure, increasing the percentage of diabetes patients with A1C control, and improving member experience.

Luminosity Behavioral Health Services will develop an improved responsive behavioral health model in communities of color throughout southeastern Massachusetts.  As the co-convenor and fiscal agent for the South East Multicultural Providers Association (SEMPA), Luminosity and its collaborative partners are aiming to end the “scavenger hunt” for supportive, culturally sensitive therapeutic interventions that exist in the region.  SEMPA members will implement cross-agency agreements to address the availability of services, youth advocacy and referrals.  The goal is to train and certify 60 staff members in applying trauma-specific interventions, create a standardized referral process and policies to reduce long waitlists across the participating organizations, and increase the pool of multicultural health professionals and youth mentors serving the needs of Brockton families.

The Primary Care Physician-Community Health Center (PCP-CHC) Early Psychosis Outreach Initiative will improve care for youth and young adults with early psychosis and their families, particularly those experiencing inequities and discrimination due to race, income, or other factors.  The PCP-CHC Outreach Initiative will work with primary care practices statewide, focusing on community health centers serving diverse youth from families with low-incomes. The Brookline Center will provide education, consultation, and technical assistance on psychosis, screening tools, and methodologies. They will support primary care practices to improve clinical assessment and offer ongoing support as staff incorporate these skills into their workflow.

Martha’s Vineyard Community Services will create a co-responder pilot program to address the lack of behavioral health care access for island residents, who typically engage with mental health and substance use services only through 911 calls to police.  The new program will link a qualified behavioral health clinician with local law enforcement to create a pathway to community-based services, diverting residents from detainment, arrest, or transport to the hospital emergency department.

Saheli will develop and deliver a cultural competency training program for frontline hospital providers and staff to help them understand the unique cultural characteristics and motivations of South Asian and Arab immigrants, specifically, women, to identify signs of abuse within a cultural context. Saheli will work with hospital partners focusing on the domestic violence units and the staff and providers of the gynecology, primary care, pediatric and maternity units.  

Immigrants' Assistance Center will work with unaccompanied and undocumented youth in elementary and middle school and their families and/or guardians to increase access to health care and regular health check-ups, including vaccinations. It will educate children and their families and/or guardians about the best ways to meet their health needs. It will also educate them about, the importance of preventive care and the dangers of not addressing health issues promptly.

This project is a collaboration between UMass Amherst Elaine Marieb College of Nursing (EMCON) and the Bay Area Neighborhood Council (BANC) in Springfield. 

The two organizations will work together to address racial disparities in maternal health by launching health education services and bringing resources to pregnant people and new mothers in the Bay neighborhood in Springfield. The project will build BANC’s capacity to sustain the maternal health program in their community.

YWCA Malden will support Malden High School students to understand their mental health needs and provide them with tools to access appropriate mental health services. The Quest for Life program will also help students to engage with the outside environment to create meaningful experiences or “quests” for themselves and the wider student community.

Vital CxNs (VC) will address the factors that impact health outcomes (e.g., food access, exercise, stress management, housing, etc.) related to elevated rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) by working with BIPOC communities to redesign diabetes and CVD prevention for their communities. VC will strengthen communication between communities, key stakeholders, and clinical partners to develop a roadmap that will center communities' voices and needs in prevention efforts related to CVD and diabetes.

The Maternal Wellness Support Program intends to “Pave a Path to Wellness'' for expecting mothers and mothers within the first year of birth. The Cape and Islands Maternal Depression Task Force (CIMDTF) will address the critical need for nonclinical emotional support for new mothers while building the capacity to create a sustainable, evidence-based peer network of trained moms. The project expands upon (1) training expecting parents on the realities and possibilities of new motherhood; (2) training parents to be peer mentors to new and expecting parents; and (3) supporting new parents after birth with free home visiting by a doula.