Grant Partners

Brockton Neighborhood Health Center, which serves a community with one of the state’s highest number of uninsured residents, will partner with local organizations to expand its reach to specific populations, including immigrants, recently or chronically unemployed, residents recovering from substance use disorder, probationers and parolees. It will position its certified application counselor in the community five days a week and work with consumers post-enrollment to ensure that they maintain coverage and have access to care.

Health Law Advocates (HLA) will work to advocate for public policy reforms that help consumers access necessary health care. Key focus areas in the coming year include: continuing to lead the effort to improve access to mental health services for children through the continued expansion of the Mental Health Advocacy Program for Kids, which provides free legal assistance to help low-income, high-risk youth to overcome barriers to mental health services; closing the gap in coverage for in-home health services, such as skilled nursing and non-emergency transportation that harms many immigrants enrolled in MassHealth Family Assistance; and building on the progress made reducing MassHealth’s longstanding difficulty assigning immigrants to the maximum benefits for which they are eligible.  Additionally, HLA will continue to improve access to gender-affirming health care for low-income transgender consumers.

To purchase a new terminal server with significant storage space.

To support a Prevention and Wellness project including purchasing medical equipment, hosting community meetings, producing marketing materials and technology enhancements.

To convene a symposium on Long Term Support Services including recording a video, the compilation, printing, and distribution of a final report to disseminate across Massachusetts.

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. 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.

The Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery (MOAR) will advocate for continued telehealth services for addiction and recovery and advocate for policy flexibilities that should be made permanent when we transition out of the COVID-19 moratorium period, such as allowing methadone patients to take the medication at home for 14 to 28 days. A key focus will be on advocating against all cuts to publicly funded addiction services in collaboration with Massachusetts Coalition for Addiction Services and ensuring that the proposed Recovery Coach Credentialing board has more recovery coach representation. In addition, MOAR will implement its new action plan focused on ending racial discrimination in the organization and with its external partners.

To hire a consultant to help the organization obtain licensure with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to become a Behavioral Health Clinic.

To hire consultants to write content, create design, and reprogram their existing website to facilitate the organization’s new Donor Recruitment and Retention Strategy.

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 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. 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.

The Family Van will test how an innovative approach used to increase access to mental health care internationally (Problem Management Plus) can be adapted domestically. This new pilot program, Healthy Roads, will increase access to mental health services in low-income communities, build the capacity of Community Health Workers (CHWs) to address mental health issues and introduce a new model of care to The Family Van’s provision of services.

The Dimock Center will hire a second community outreach coordinator to expand its reach in communities with high rates of uninsurance, developing relationships with community organizations, and supporting consumers to enroll in and maintain health insurance coverage. It will expand hours at its financial counseling office during the week and increase technological capacity to further aid patients in filing electronic documents. The Dimock Center will expand its efforts to reach specific populations, including seniors who may have additional barriers to enrolling in coverage, and it will continue to participate in community events, including the Latino Family Festival, Boston Public Schools Back to School festivals, and local farmers’ markets.

To hire a consultant to analyze data on the impact of its work, informing programmatic decisions, and expanding quantitative data capacity.

To hire a professional development consultant to implement a year-round staff training plan focused on the topics of emotional wellness, mental health, and substance abuse issues as they affect youth.

Community Action Committee of Cape Cod & Islands (CACCI), which serves a community with a limited number of insurance plans and available providers, will provide education and ongoing support to consumers as they navigate the health care system and access services. CACCI works with organizations across the region to ensure that consumers enroll in and maintain coverage through advertising, cultural and ethnic events, health and human service providers, businesses, and outreach to specific populations, including immigrant communities. CACCI offers extended hours and tools in languages other than English to increase knowledge and to empower consumers to proactively maintain health care coverage and access the care they need.