Grant Partners

East Boston Neighborhood Health Center (EBNHC) serves one of the largest Latinx populations in the state and several of the communities it serves have among the highest rates of uninsurance. EBNHC will conduct outreach in partnership with local community organizations, proactively assist self-pay patients in applying for coverage, and promote enrollment services through social media and in clinical areas of the health center. It will also cross-train call center staff to provide appropriate health insurance information (pre-and-post enrollment) and support to patients. Through 2021, specific grant plans may be adjusted to meet the current health and safety guidelines to protect the wellbeing of clients, patients, and staff.

Massachusetts Association for Mental Health (MAMH) will focus on expanding the number of mental health professionals participating in MassHealth and commercial insurance, ensuring continued access to telehealth, and working with partners to advise policymakers on comprehensive parity implementation. It will continue to lead the Children’s Mental Health Campaign’s efforts to promote an effective pediatric behavioral health urgent care system. Additionally, MAMH will continue to work with the Community Behavioral Health Promotion and Prevention Commission to promote early intervention and the integration of behavioral health and pediatric primary care, and mental health education in schools to increase awareness, resiliency, and help-seeking behaviors. Additionally, MBMH will continue to support efforts to address disparities in the justice system and ensure that police reform includes meaningful efforts to support people with mental health conditions more effectively.

Family Health Center of Worcester will focus insurance outreach and enrollment efforts towards refugee, immigrant, and asylee populations through targeted clinics and community events with an emphasis on dispelling misinformation, myths, and fears related to public charge. It will proactively outreach to patients who are newly uninsured as a result of a change in life circumstances and will hold new patient education sessions monthly in languages other than English. Family Health Center of Worcester will also conduct ongoing reviews of information collected from Health Insurance Literacy surveys and provide group learning opportunities for its navigators to identify and address themes and content for staff training. 

To purchase dental hygiene equipment and technology to expand outreach to patients with limited access to preventive dental hygiene care, including at homeless shelters, for children in DCF care, and at recovery programs.

The Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) will continue to convene the Task Force on Coronavirus & Equity; the Task Force and its members have led the effort to advocate for equity in the state's response to the crisis.  In addition, MPHA will advocate for progressive revenue, rather than austerity budget cuts that will further impact people of color and low-income people, to close the significant state budget gap. A key focus area for MPHA will be to continue to coordinate the Alliance for Community Health Integration (ACHI), which works to harness the Massachusetts health care system to promote health equity and address patients' social needs. A particular focus for the ACHI, will be on revising the Massachusetts Principles for Healthy and Affordable Housing in the coronavirus context and continuing to advocate for changes to the next Medicaid1115 waiver.

Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program will bridge gaps in care for homeless immigrant and non-English speaking patients by enhancing and expanding outreach and health insurance enrollment services at key locations, including shelter sites, where it sees a large volume of patients with limited English language proficiency. It will also expand access to enrollment services at its Oasis Clinic, a dedicated clinic that incorporates a variety of services to meet the needs of immigrants and patients with limited English proficiency. At the clinic, it will inform patients about their health coverage, the requirements for retaining benefits, and provide advice for overcoming logistical barriers that homelessness brings in maintaining coverage. It will also include enrollment services on its outreach van in East Boston, which serves primarily immigrant and uninsured patients. Through 2021, specific grant plans may be adjusted to meet the current health and safety guidelines to protect the wellbeing of clients, patients, and staff.

To purchase updated technology equipment, including a server, wireless sound system and speakers.

Powers Music will replicate the key elements of the Watch City Singers program, an innovative and successful cross-sector music program which addresses the harmful effects of isolation and loneliness on older adults through weekly rehearsals that combine progressive skill-building content with social engagement activities.  The program will focus on low-income, diverse communities with an emphasis on communities of color.

Clinical and Support Options (CSO) will increase its ability to provide an integrated behavioral health system that determines, assigns and begins the right service at the time needed for each person; increase prescriber hours; enhance addiction services; continue to improve the Greenfield Living Room peer support diversion program; and grow partnerships with community organizations, state human services agencies, and police departments.  

The Joint Committee for Children’s Health Care in Everett assists clients, many from immigrant, multilingual, and multicultural backgrounds, to understand health insurance coverage options and how to access services. It will coordinate six, large-scale enrollment events across different settings and provide focused outreach to specific populations, including children aging out of parents’ household coverage. It will convene two stakeholder meetings of practitioners and other participants to discuss strategies to eliminate churn and minimize misinformation. It will also attend community events and distribute flyers monthly throughout the service area at venues such as service agencies, ethnic small businesses, laundromats, libraries, parks and places of worship.

Lowell Community Health Center, which serves a community with a high rate of uninsurance, will strengthen services to engage and enroll clients in health insurance and educate staff and community-based agencies about the health care system to increase understanding and trust, especially among refugee and immigrant populations. It will increase efficiencies to improve patient access to health insurance benefits services and it will increase its capacity to formalize tracking systems for its patients to address churn. Lowell Community Health Center will increase timely, culturally and linguistically appropriate guidance to assist clients in making informed decisions and maintaining health insurance.

The Joint Committee for Children’s Health Care in Everett assists clients, many from immigrant, multilingual, and multicultural backgrounds, to understand health insurance coverage options and how to access services. It coordinates enrollment events across different settings and provides focused outreach to specific populations, including children aging out of parents’ household coverage. It will also attend community events and distribute flyers throughout the service area at venues such as service agencies, ethnic small businesses, laundromats, libraries, parks and places of worship including virtually and through social media. Through 2021, specific grant plans may be adjusted to meet the current health and safety guidelines to protect the wellbeing of clients and staff.

To hire a consultant to provide Medicare credentialing services to providers.

Greater New Bedford Community Health Center, which serves a community with a high rate of uninsurance, will provide screening, education, enrollment, and post-enrollment services for patients and community residents, including information on how to maintain insurance coverage. It will also attend community events and partner with the Immigrant Assistance Center to inform individuals about the insurance application process and to answer questions about public charge.

Caring Health Center, which serves a community with a high rate of uninsurance, will provide culturally competent insurance enrollment assistance and education to patients, including insurance eligibility, applications, enrollment, policies, subsidies and tax credits, plan selection, and assistance in maintaining coverage. Caring Health Center will increase health insurance literacy through culturally and linguistically appropriate one-on-one, group education, and community outreach, including to programs serving jobseekers, unemployed persons, students, and community members who need support outside of the health center. It will also implement extensive media and grassroots community outreach campaigns.