Grant Partners

To purchase computer hardware and accessories to conduct outreach.

Lynn Community Health Center (LCHC) will conduct outreach and partner with MassHealth and the Connector to host enrollment events. They will provide individualized education about the importance of maintaining coverage. Lynn will conduct post-enrollment follow-up to ensure access to primary care services and distribute guides to educate individuals on topics like eligibility and program requirements, assistance with citizenship or residence documentation, medical bills, referrals, and redetermination applications.

Project Director: Susan Crandall, PhD

“Inventory of Types of Social and Human Services in Massachusetts” is a one year project that will inform developing MassHealth accountable care organizations and others about the vast array of social and human services available in Massachusetts that support social determinants of health including: housing, food, transportation, fuel assistance, income assistance, and workforce development. The research team will develop a comprehensive overview of these programs to educate health care providers about how to readily leverage and refer to these programs when seeking to care for the holistic needs of their patients.

Brockton Neighborhood Health Center (BNHC) will provide outreach and enrollment assistance as well as assist clients with obtaining email accounts and accessing online applications through group sessions utilizing a bank of computers at partner organizations. BNHC will also provide Community Leader Forums that educate on health insurance literacy to local leaders of churches and cultural organizations.

Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition’s Health Access Campaign advocates for health care coverage for all immigrants. MIRA supports bills to lift caps for the Children’s Medical Security Plan, reduce out-of-pocket costs, and reinsert affordability protections for the lowest-income residents ineligible for MassHealth. MIRA will also convene a Task Force on Immigrant Healthcare Professionals to examine barriers to relicensing faced by thousands of foreign-trained health care professionals.

Funding will support the On Solid Ground (OSG) Coalition, which is facilitated by Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA), and includes advocacy organizations representing health, housing, education, employment, legal services, and faith-based communities, as well as research and philanthropic partners.  In the past year, OSG conducted gap analysis and research, publishing Observations and Findings from 31 Public Support Programs Available to Low-Income Families in Massachusetts, which identified the programmatic and administrative barriers faced by vulnerable residents of the state when they try to use such social service resources.  OSG plans to deepen its involvement, with key staff continuing to partner with the Foundation on Actions Labs and other convenings, attend hearings on Medicaid reform and related topics, and participate in coalitions that work on community benefit agreements, determination of need, Medicaid reform, and research initiatives in other states.  They will strive to increase funding and support for housing assistance and services as part of a coordinated strategy to address the social determinants of health. 

To purchase EmpowerDB, a reporting database, and to train Direct Service Advocates on the tool.

Hilltown Community Health Centers (HCHC) will work with small businesses, Councils on Aging, schools, employers, medical providers, and community organizations to conduct outreach, advertise in newsletters, print, and social media. They will work with the Connector to identify and target outreach to consumers who need to renew their coverage and partner with sheriff’s departments, courts and probation offices to reach recently incarcerated and court-involved individuals who experience higher rates of churn. To address health insurance literacy, they will develop consumer-friendly education tools and collateral. 

To hire a strategic planning consultant who will facilitate a day-long leadership institute with Board members, staff, and program participants. 

Community Action of the Franklin, Hampshire, and North Quabbin Regions will conduct outreach through four community coalitions, food pantries, and career centers.  They will screen all callers for health insurance needs and send reminders about member responsibilities to submit documentation and update information.  At enrollment meetings, Community Action will provide materials to help members stay organized and follow-up to see if they have a PCP, can access their Connector account, and have responded to any mailings. 

The Massachusetts Senior Action Council (MSAC) will address key public policy and community issues affecting the health and well-being for the 65 and over population, empowering its members to use their own voices to address key public policy and community issues. Advocacy will focus on the growing disparity in out-of-pocket costs and affordability. MSAC will coordinate the “Bridge the Gap” campaign, which focuses on health care affordability for seniors.

To purchase tablets for clinicians who provide mental health care and treatment in clients' homes, schools, and other community settings. 

HSL has developed a depression services program, Making Real Progress in Emotional Health, to integrate behavioral health treatment with primary care and other health services to reduce the severity of depressive symptoms in seniors, and to improve overall health.  The Foundation's grant will enable HSL to expand services to patients receiving in-home care.  In 2015, HSL acquired Jewish Family and Children’s Services, which expanded HSL’s home care services by an additional 1,000 seniors (now totaling 2,000 older adults).  In contrast to seniors in supportive housing who tend to be part of a community, seniors in home care are more likely to suffer from isolation, pain, and increased debility post-hospitalization.  These stressors also increase these seniors’ susceptibility to depression.  HSL will take the lead in developing and monitoring individual care plans; tracking health outcomes in collaboration with primary care physicians from the practices treating the majority of patients; and developing additional community partnerships to ensure more comprehensive collaborative care for their patients.

To hire a consultant to help the organization design and implement a health education program and develop the organization's fundraising strategy.

Harbor Health Services will participate in off-site joint outreach sessions at social service agencies, supermarket chains, ethnic markets, Councils on Aging, Veterans Agencies, sites serving behavioral health and developmental delayed persons, subsidized housing, state employment and job training sites, schools, food pantries, WIC program sites, health fairs, and via social media. It will create a health insurance literacy community assessment, and develop user-friendly materials that educate clients on how to use health insurance benefits. Finally, it will dedicate a phone number and webpage for residents to reach staff for enrollment assistance, and execute a social media campaign.