Grant Partners

Family Health Center of Worcester (FHCW) assists patients and clients with insurance applications and renewals, provides education on how to use and keep coverage, and works to outreach to agencies that serve its target populations – people with low-income, the uninsured, as well as immigrants and refugees. FHCW provides culturally and linguistically competent health insurance outreach and enrollment assistance to individuals who are or may become uninsured. During the grant year, it will outreach to agencies that serve populations of interest including soup kitchens, food pantries, and other community-based organizations; attend events at area agencies; develop multilingual marketing collateral; and advertise in multicultural media outlets. FHCW will also assist eligible and interested clients with SNAP applications.

In partnership with the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, DeeDee's Cry will work to develop a burial and resource guide for families impacted by suicide. The guide will create and support a more equitable and compassionate response to families impacted by suicide, especially low-income/working-class people of color.  The Suicide Loss Survivor's Healing Journey Guide will contain burial and planning funeral information, mental health resources, and local support groups. DeeDee's Cry and the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute will identify other organizations and local agencies to distribute this guide to families in need.

Codman Square Health Center (CSHC) will train and activate a corps of telehealth navigators toward the goal of integrating the telehealth experience into CSHC patient care model to provide a path to achieving better overall patient health. This initiative will help patients understand what to expect from a virtual visit, from check-in to follow-up. Telehealth navigators will help patients set up and understand how to access their online health information, access appointments, and communicate with their care team.

Funding to hire a clinician to develop a program for its volunteer group facilitators about nervous system responses to trauma. The program will include simple strategies for the facilitators to teach clients to use to regulate their nervous system if activated during and after groups or during times of crisis.

Funding to partially support a 10-week, research-based, daily mental health check-in series. The series teaches positive coping strategies and builds cognitive-behavior skills to support youth in pandemic-related healing.

This grant was made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) promotes a healthy Massachusetts through advocacy, community organizing, and coalition building. MPHA works with community groups, state policy organizations, health care institutions, state agencies, and others to identify community health challenges, design policy solutions, and advocate for action.  It will advocate to improve and invest in our local public health system so that local public health departments can meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.   It will organize to win inclusion of Alliance for Community Health Integration recommendations in the next 1115 waiver and advance a suite of housing and transportation policy reforms, including protections for renters and working-class homeowners, investments in public transit, and stronger accountability for air quality improvements. 

Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee’s (CEOC) multi-faceted approach to health insurance outreach and enrollment services focuses on individuals who have remained uninsured, as well as those who need assistance in maintaining and using coverage. CEOC provides resources to assist individuals to better understand and maintain health insurance that meets their individual needs, reaching them where they receive services, or in a familiar place, such salons, restaurants, and bars. CEOC also assists with SNAP applications during health insurance enrollment, on site, remotely, and at community events, such as shelters, public housing, senior centers, or food pantries.

Funding to purchase office equipment and computers for new staff hired to meet increased demand due to the pandemic.

This grant was made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

GreenRoots bridges the intersection of environmental justice and public health by engaging the most impacted residents in the highly industrial neighborhoods of Chelsea and East Boston, while uplifting their voices and empowering them through innovative campaigns to improve the collective health in its communities. GreenRoots will address health disparities by focusing on food justice, improving indoor and outdoor air quality, and chronic diseases. It will continue to utilize various advocacy tactics on improving the air quality to address health impacts and other health equity policies– including grassroots organizing, data collection, working with policymakers and collaborating with other organizations to move these issues forward.  

This grant funded the development of a survey tool intended to longitudinally track the capacity of the outpatient behavioral health clinical workforce.

Health Care for All (HCFA) advocates for consumers on health care access, quality, and cost. HCFA's goals, strategies, and tactics are shaped by thousands of consumer experiences captured by the HelpLine, outreach, and ongoing organizing efforts. HCFA will focus on three key areas: affordability, health equity, and integration. HCFA's affordability agenda includes a three-pronged approach – addressing pharmaceutical costs, hospital costs, and insurer costs.  Related to health equity, HCFA will advocate to require MassHealth to extend coverage to 12 months postpartum, ensuring continuous coverage during a critical time, and advocate to improve equitable access to health coverage for children with disabilities by expanding CommonHealth coverage to all qualifying children and young adults with disabilities, regardless of their immigration status. Additionally, HCFA will work to better integrate care so that health-related social needs, primary care, behavioral health, oral health, pediatric care, and other services are provided and addressed in a more coordinated and efficient system for consumers. 

THRIVE will develop a pilot to provide high-quality ongoing mental health service to THRIVE community members to address underlying trauma or long-term impacts of incarceration. THRIVE will partner with Lowell House to support individuals while still incarcerated and serve as a consistent point of contact when their detention is over to navigate community resources and services and help coordinate mental health care services.

Brien Center will increase community-based locations with behavioral health urgent care (BHUC) and expand their operating hours, including 24/7/365 staff for BHUC. Brien Center’s BHUC program will also serve as a bridge between an individual’s emergency services assessment and the connection to outpatient services. The Center will increase its focus on working with all local police departments, the Massachusetts State Police, and other sources to encourage appropriate direct referral and transport to community-based behavioral health urgent care rather than the Emergency Department.

Funding for training sessions to support home hospice nurses manage pandemic-related stress, which has resulted in compassion fatigue and burn out. The session will help nurses continue to be strong caregivers.

This grant was made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Greater New Bedford Community Health Center (GNBHC) assists people with insurance applications and renewals and provides education on how to use and keep coverage. GNBHC works to bridge the gaps between enrollment and maintenance of health insurance coverage year-round. GNBHC also outreaches to community-based organizations to reach immigrants, people experiencing unemployment, and young people. The health center also provides referrals for clients who require assistance in applying for SNAP and it is exploring opportunities to provide the assistance in-house.