Connecting Consumers with Care – 2011 Grant Summaries

Grants were awarded at $40,000 per year, and total $520,000.

Boston Public Health Commission
The Boston Public Health Commission will use funds to train staff of city agencies and consumers on how to navigate the health care system and a newly launched web-centric resource database will be developed to help locate referral organizations.  Customized 'My Health Portfolios' will educate consumers on facts to consider when obtaining health care.

Brockton Neighborhood Health Center

Brockton Neighborhood Health Center will use funds to provide traditional outreach and individual assistance with applications, referrals to primary care providers, education on health plans, and assistance with annual renewals. The program will focus on local food pantries and the Plymouth House of Corrections.

 

Caring Health Center  (Springfield)

Caring Health Center's program will use funds to target refugees, immigrants, and other linguistic and cultural minority groups who face barriers to enrollment and health care navigation.  The health center provides comprehensive primary medical care and dental services to residents in the medically underserved city of Springfield and its surrounding areas.

 

Community Action Committee of Cape Cod & Islands, Inc. (Hyannis)
Community Action Committee of Cape Cod & Islands will use the funds to provide residents of Cape Cod and the Islands with enrollment in public health insurance programs.  The program will focus on recently unemployed residents or those whose employers have eliminated health benefits or raised employee contributions beyond their ability to pay.

Community Health Center of Franklin County (Turners Falls)

Community Health Center of Franklin County will use funds to provide a comprehensive continuum of services including community outreach, enrollment and eligibility assistance, transportation assistance, Spanish interpretation, case management, and care coordination.  The health center will target residents affected by significant social and geographic barriers to care, as well as new immigrants, migrant workers, and non-English speakers.

Community Health Connections (Fitchburg)

Community Health Connections will use funds to provide street outreach, and one-on-one application and enrollment assistance to children and adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, as well as members of the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking communities.  

County of Dukes County (West Tisbury)

County of Dukes County will use funds to provide culturally and linguistically competent enrollment assistance, referrals, and retention services for public insurance and safety net programs, with a focus on the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking communities.

Ecu-Health Care (North Adams)
Ecu-Health Care will use funds to provide public health outreach, application assistance, and support accessing primary care providers. One-on-one training will educate clients on the individual mandate, minimum creditable coverage policies, and affordability regulations.

Family Health Center of Worcester

Family Health Center of Worcester will use funds for their Consumer Self-Sufficiency Program to improve access to health care and insurance coverage for low-income individuals and families, and increase patient self-sufficiency in navigating the health care system and obtaining the appropriate level of preventive and acute health care.

Hilltown Community Health Centers  (Roxbury)

Hilltown Community Health Centers will use funds to assist clients to access and maintain health insurance coverage, aiding them in learning how to stay enrolled in the public programs for which they are eligible. The program will also connect clients with a primary care physician and address prescription costs.

Joint Committee for Children’s Health Care in Everett

The Joint Committee for Children's Health Care in Everett will use funds to provide outreach, interpretation, application assistance, and scheduling support. The program will target children and their parents, particularly Latino and Haitian immigrant populations.

Whittier Street Health Center  (Roxbury)

Whittier Street Health Center will use funds to provide enrollment and redetermination assistance through 'Virtual Enrollment Sites' and make referrals to services at Whittier and partner organizations.  A yearly redetermination education campaign will include educational workshops and fliers/brochures based on MassHealth's guidelines.