This listing includes all community benefits programs that hospitals and HMOs
have chosen to itemize in their annual report summaries. There are several ways
to access information about these programs:
- If you want to see an overview of all reported community benefits programs for
the year, use the "Browse
Programs" function to scroll through the complete list (organized
alphabetically by hospital and HMO);
- If you want to find certain types of programs by region served, target
population or health indicator, use the "Search
Programs" function to generate a list of programs that match your
specifications; or
- If you want to do further analysis by importing program data into your own
spreadsheet software, use the "Download
Program Data" function to generate a downloadable report.
- If you want to search for programs included in previous years' reports (FY 2001 and later),
select the "Switch Fiscal Year" option above. Remember that annual reports are due
April 1st for hospitals and June 1st for HMOs.
If you are primarily interested in accessing the community benefits report of a
particular hospital or HMO, go to the
Hospital and HMO Annual Reports section of this web site.
Note: The information contained in the Community Benefits Program
Database is posted on this site as it has been reported by the hospitals and
HMOs. The Attorney General's Office does not audit or "approve" the program
information that the hospitals and HMOs submit, and makes no representations as
to the accuracy or completeness of this information.
| Program Name : Women’s Night Out |
Brief Description or Objective : A seminar series delivering information on topics including osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, breast health, cardiac care, stress reduction, mental health, proper diet, and exercise, and asthma. Topics are determined based on input from community members.
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| Program Name : Healthy Snack Corner |
Brief Description or Objective : Children are encouraged to select healthy snacks each day, tracked on a door size tracking chart. Each week, children receive a healthy snack hero trading card , i.e. "Captain Broccoli" to encourage healthy snacking. Those who read library books about health and fitness sit on special chairs and rugs.
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| Program Name : How Far Can You Go pedometer program |
Brief Description or Objective : The pedometer program encourages school children to walk, tracking their steps on a wall size map through historic landmarks across the US. Families, senior citizen centers, school staff, and classrooms currently use the pedometer program.
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| Program Name : Senior Dinners |
Brief Description or Objective : 40 to 50 senior citizens a month have dinner at the hospital, hear a physician speaker and receive health information on a select topic of interest to the 60+ population.
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| Program Name : Teddy Bear Clinic |
Brief Description or Objective : Staff performs "wellness checks" on teddy bears as way to entice children and parents to talk about health care, receive info on hospital services.
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| Program Name : Old Fashioned Games and Healthy Ways Maze |
Brief Description or Objective : Program developed to provide school children with supplies for organized activity during recess. Meets need within the school. Collaborated with local high school “At Risk” alternative education students were trained as youth leaders and now travel to local elementary schools with game supplies, train students to play the games.
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| Program Name : Resource for Triton Wellness Committee |
Brief Description or Objective : Anna Jaques provides resources,information and physician speakers to the Triton Regional School District Wellness Committee.
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| Program Name : Make One Change Magazine |
Brief Description or Objective : This 12 page magazine is direct mailed to 20,000 residents, and distributed through physicians offices, gyms, libraries, schools and hospital events. Articles educate readers on breast health, obesity and weight reduction, healthy eating, cardiovascular health. Copy can be read at http://www.ajh.org/womhealth/pdfs/10_fall_moc.pdf
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| Program Name : Just Right Kids |
Brief Description or Objective : Teaches pre-school children about portion control, farm to table concept
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| Program Name : Newburyport Farmer's Market |
Brief Description or Objective : One of two main sponsors to help ensure that the Farmer's Market takes place, bringing organic fruit and produce and other fresh food to the city every Sunday morning.
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| Program Name : School Safety |
Brief Description or Objective : Anna Jaques participates in all safety fairs held in surrounding school districts. We contributed educational materials, staff and safety items such as bike reflectors.
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| Program Name : salisbury elementary school breakfast/healthy snack program |
Brief Description or Objective : School administrators report that 50+ children are homeless and arrive at school without having eaten breakfast. School nurses regularly purchase breakfast foods and healthy snacks for these children with their own money. A program was developed to provid
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| Program Name : Morning Java Radio Show |
Brief Description or Objective : A weekly 1/2 hour radio show interviewing physicians and community members in order to provide health and wellness, and disease prevention information to the community.
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| Program Name : Health and Home |
Brief Description or Objective : Direct mail magazine to elderly women who may be house bound and underserved in Newbury, Newburyport and Salisbury. Funded by a grant from the Newburyport Society for the Relief of Aged Women.
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| Program Name : Lifeline |
Brief Description or Objective : Subsidized program offering greatly reduced fee services for individuals.
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| Program Name : Support Groups |
Brief Description or Objective : Provides space, publicity, and in some cases, staffing, for a variety of Support Groups to address health related issues in the community
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| Program Name : Community Outreach Nurse |
Brief Description or Objective : Flu clinics, outreach education, prevention efforts
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| Program Name : Emergency Preparedness |
Brief Description or Objective : Leadership role in organizing and coordinating Community Emergency Preparedness efforts
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| Program Name : Workforce Development |
Brief Description or Objective : Internships, externships, mentoring, job shadows, career education opportunities
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| Program Name : Youth Education |
Brief Description or Objective : In partnership since 2003 with public schools throughout BFMC's service area, BFMC has offered experiential programming to expose children and adolescents to the relationship between science, math and health care, and to stimulate their interest in pursuing further education in the field.
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| Program Name : BFMC Support Groups |
Brief Description or Objective : Baystate Franklin Medical Center offers a variety of support groups for individuals and families facing specific health issues - giving them opportunities to gain the insight and knowledge needed to best address their conditions.
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| Program Name : Outreach to Seniors |
Brief Description or Objective : To improve individual compliance with medication protocols, promote home safety and support general wellness in the senior population of Franklin County, BFMC offers a variety of educational programs, materials and services.
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| Program Name : Financial Assistance Counseling |
Brief Description or Objective : For over ten years, Baystate Health has provided financial counseling services to inpatient and outpatient individuals who have concerns about how to pay for care. Financial Counselors are dedicated to identifying and assisting patients who are unable to pay their estimated care prior to treatments or who have large existing balances. This assistance includes linking patients to available funding sources such as Medicaid and Medicare and determining whether they are eligible for charity care or for Baystate’s Financial Assistance Program.
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| Program Name : Healthbeat |
Brief Description or Objective : “Healthbeat” is a community interview show featuring physicians, nurses, community leaders, and volunteers, who discuss a wide variety of health care and BFMC-related topics. Produced by Amy Swisher, Regional Director, Public Affairs & Communications, Baystate Health Northern and Eastern Regions. Co-hosted by Chuck Gijanto, President, Baystate Health Regional Markets. "BFMC HealthBeat" airs on cable access channels throughout Franklin County, a total of 65-85 times per month. It can be seen regularly on Greenfield Community Television Mondays at 6:00 pm and Thursdays at 11:00 am.
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| Program Name : Community Outreach and Education |
Brief Description or Objective : Baystate Franklin Medical Center offers a variety of education, wellness and prevention programs to the community at large at no cost. These various programs are presented by BFMC physicians, nurses and allied health staff. The programs help participants live healthier, more productive lives by offering a variety of educational opportunities and health screenings that promote disease prevention, behavior change, and healthier lifestyles.
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Baystate Health
No community benefits programs identified.
| Program Name : Emergency Medical Technician Training |
Brief Description or Objective : Baystate Mary Lane Hospital partners with Quality EMS Educators of Worcester to offer Basic EMT Training to community members. Strained town budgets make EMS training and education a challenge for many rural fire/ambulance squads. To date over 90 community members have taken the EMT Basic Course. EMS providers are a vital part of the safety infrastructure of our community, and the first link in the chain of care for our residents. Many of the candidates that have completed this EMT course are now providing essential emergency care in the communities they live in.
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| Program Name : Community Health Outreach and Education |
Brief Description or Objective : Baystate Mary Lane Hospital offers a variety of education, wellness and prevention programs to the community at large at no cost. These various programs are presented by BMLH physicians, nurses and staff. The Community Health Education programs help participants live healthier, more productive lives by offering a variety of educational opportunities and health screenings that promote disease prevention, behavior change, and healthier lifestyles.
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| Program Name : BMLH Support Groups |
Brief Description or Objective : Baystate Mary Lane Hospital offers a variety of support groups for individuals and families facing specific health issues—giving them opportunities to gain the insight and knowledge needed to best address their condition.
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| Program Name : Financial Assistance Counseling |
Brief Description or Objective : For over ten years, Baystate Health has provided financial counseling services to inpatient and outpatient individuals who have concerns about how to pay for care. Financial Counselors are dedicated to identifying and assisting patients who are unable to pay their estimated care prior to treatments or who have large existing balances. This assistance includes linking patients to available funding sources such as Medicaid and Medicare and determining whether they are eligible for charity care or for Baystate’s Financial Assistance Program.
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| Program Name : Healthbeat |
Brief Description or Objective : “Healthbeat” is a community interview show featuring physicians, nurses, community leaders, and volunteers, who discuss a wide variety of health care and BMLH-related topics. Produced by Michelle Holmgren, Public Affairs & Community Relations Specialist.
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| Program Name : Partners for a Healthier Community |
Brief Description or Objective : Baystate Health is the primary funding partner for Partners for a Healthier Community. Partners for a Healthier Community is committed to building a measurably healthier Springfield through civic leadership, collaborative partnerships, and advocacy.
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| Program Name : Family Advocacy Center |
Brief Description or Objective : The Family Advocacy Center provides assessment, treatment and crisis support to child abuse victims and their non-offending caretakers affected by child abuse and domestic violence in western Massachusetts.
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| Program Name : Baystate Springfield Educational Partnership |
Brief Description or Objective : Through a series of enrichment and career development programs, BSEP aims to provide a health career pipeline for disadvantaged Springfield students.
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| Program Name : Baystate Brightwood Community School Health Center |
Brief Description or Objective : The Baystate Brightwood Community School Health Center, located in Brightwood Elementary School, is a satellite for the Brightwood Community Health Center. This program is collaboration between Baystate providers and other area providers as well as community services to ensure cohesive health care for school aged children and the broader community.
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| Program Name : Safe Kids of Western Massachusetts |
Brief Description or Objective : Safe Kids of Western MA strives to prevent accidental childhood injuries and death through public awareness, safety education and distribution of safety devices. Program activities include car seat safety education and inspections, bicycle safety workshops and parent seminars.
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| Program Name : Mason Square Community Outreach and Education |
Brief Description or Objective : Identify unmet community health needs and provide outreach to underserved residents of the Mason Square community via the coordination of health education focus groups, community health forums and fairs.
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| Program Name : Transgender Support Group |
Brief Description or Objective : In parntership with UNITY of Pioneer Valley, this support group is a peer lead and psychosocial support group for Transgender individuals, their allies and all GLBTs. The confidentiality of the meeting provides a safe environment in which to address issues related to transition, such as relationships, family, spirituality and the workplace.
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| Program Name : Baystate Community Health Centers |
Brief Description or Objective : Baystate Medical Center operates three Springfield-based community health centers including Baystate Brightwood Health Center, Baystate High Street Health Center (Adult and Pediatric Medicine) and Baystate Mason Square Neighborhood Health Center. Our health centers are comprehensive primary care medical practices that offer Adult and Pediatric Ambulatory Services, staffed by physicians, nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives, and many other health care professionals.
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| Program Name : Baystate Regional Tuberculosis Program |
Brief Description or Objective : The Tuberculosis Clinic provides TB diagnosis and treatment to patients throughout Western Massachusetts. It has been providing services for over 25 years. The majority of patients served are non-English speaking immigrants who have been referred for examination and treatment after receiving a positive PPD test or with a history of TB exposure in their native country. It serves both adult and pediatric patients.
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| Program Name : Indigent Pharmacy Program |
Brief Description or Objective : Prescription drug assistance for uninsured patients. Program staff assist low-income patients access free prescription medications who might not otherwise have access to necessary medications.
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| Program Name : Financial Assistance Counseling |
Brief Description or Objective : For over ten years, Baystate Health has provided financial counseling services to inpatient and outpatient individuals who have concerns about how to pay for care. Financial Counselors are dedicated to identifying and assisting patients who are unable to pay their estimated care prior to treatments or who have large existing balances. This assistance includes linking patients to available funding sources such as Medicaid and Medicare and determining whether they are eligible for charity care or for Baystate’s Financial Assistance Program.
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| Program Name : MIGHTY (Moving, Improving and Gaining Health Together at the Y) |
Brief Description or Objective : MIGHTY is community-based multi-disciplinary pediatric obesity treatment program. It is held at the Springfield YMCA and includes 14 - 2 hour sessions which include physical activity, nutrition and behavior modification. It targets children and adolescents age 5-21. Sessions are augmented by weekly phone calls, monthly group activities, cooking classes and a gardening experience. This program enrolls approximately 250 children per year.
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| Program Name : Library Outreach to Teach How to Find Reliable Online Sources of Health |
Brief Description or Objective : Starting in March 2010, the Outreach Librarian met with several community groups to explore possibilities of teaching classes on how to find reliable online health information. The librarian offers her knowledge and skills and (in some cases) use of the library’s computer lab. The community workers are the contacts to populations facing chronic disease and racial/ethnic disparities. The teaching is a collaborative effort of the Outreach Librarian and the community workers.
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| Program Name : Consumer Health Library |
Brief Description or Objective : In 1998, the Consumer Health Library was established by Baystate Health. The location at 3300 Main Street, Springfield, MA was designed to offer library resources and services to patients and their families. The Consumer Health Library is open Monday-Friday from 12:00-5:00pm. Our Outreach Librarian is available by appointment during morning, evening and Saturday hours.
The Consumer Health Library is staffed by a librarian or trained library assistant to handle requests for information about health topics. The library has standard drug and medical reference books, current newsletters from Harvard, Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and UC Berkeley and free pamphlets on general health topics. Visitors have access to subscription databases through the use of two PCs and a wireless connection. Visitors look at anatomical models and medical images to gain greater understanding about anatomy and physiology.
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| Program Name : Trauma and Injury Prevention |
Brief Description or Objective : Trauma centers have an important role in reducing the impact of injury by participating in prevention efforts. These efforts are based on identification of specific injuries and risk factors in patients, families and the community. For many injuries, prevention is often the only, if not the best, means of dealing with this health care problem. Examples of our programs include; Brains at Risk, The Balancing Act, AARP Drivers Safety Program, And Drowsy Driving Campaign. Currently there are several programs that are in development.
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| Program Name : Physician Recruitment/Workforce Development |
Brief Description or Objective : Financial support to recruit new physicians, providing practices with communication, advertising and office start-up assistance. 21 new physicians joined staff in 2011. Provided over 300 BMC/BHS employees tuition/fees for nursing training, radiologic technologist or lab technician training, including graduation of 29 RNs from the BHS/Elms College RN to BSN program, for which BHS pays full tuition and fees for eligible participants, as well as provides local class facility so instruction is done close to home.
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| Program Name : Cardiovascular Disease Prevention |
Brief Description or Objective : Addresses identified cardiovascular risks in our community through education programs and health screenings. Heart health community education programs; over 2,000 screenings, including free blood pressure clinics; Worksite Wellness programs provided to numerous local companies and over 8,100 employees, focusing on reducing health risks; BMC recognized with American Heart Association awards for coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure care; BMC Heart Failure Clinic works directly with patients to help prevent readmission to hospital through education and clinical intervention; Berkshire Visiting Nurse Association uses unique telemedicine program for heart failure patients, in order to be able to constantly monitor their health changes in order to avoid readmission to the hospital.
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| Program Name : Enrollment and Access to Care |
Brief Description or Objective : Facilitated enrollment of over 12,000 eligible applicants into MassHealth, Commonwealth Care and other health coverage programs. Designed to eliminate or reduce the number of people who are uninsured/underinsured, to create awareness of different programs that help to pay for health services. Health Outreach program/van provided free health screenings and information on applying for health coverage.
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| Program Name : Cancer Treatment/Prevention |
Brief Description or Objective : Comprehensive cancer treatment and prevention effort, focusing on colorectal, breast, prostate and other cancers. Recognized by American College of Surgeons with national awards for outstanding achievement. Provided mammography, colonoscopy screening, public programs on cancer prevention, treatment options, treatment side effects and living with cancer. Participate in community events related to cancer education and prevention and American Cancer Society Relay for Life programs to help raise awareness of cancer prevention and treatment options locally. Colonoscopy Patient Fund to help those in our community with financial barriers to be screened for colorectal cancer through colonoscopy, including assistance in paying high co-pays or deductibles. Also initiated Open and Direct Access program for residents to directly schedule their screening colonoscopy. Breast cancer patient fund aids in providing financial assistance to those in need of annual mammography and other breast cancer prevention and treatment services. Held community prostate cancer awarewness programs with Urologists discussing prostate cancer, testing, prevention,diagnosis and treatment options both through community lectures and prostate cancer support group discussions. Patient Care Navigation program aids patients with cancer to obtain services needed and educational material and resources, helps patients navigate a complex healthcare system and addresses questions and concerns.
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| Program Name : Community Outreach Program and Van |
Brief Description or Objective : Community Outreach Program and mobile outreach van used to provide direct, on-site community access to healthcare for at-risk populations, uninsured/underinsured, and to improve the health of the community through preventive services and screenings. Provided nearly 2,500 free health screenings, including blood pressure and blood glucose screenings, and hundreds of referrals for multiple services. Conducted numerous health promotion and educational programs in the community, and promotional campaigns targeting specific health issues, such as vascular health, falls, joint issues and prostate health.
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| Program Name : Operation Better Start |
Brief Description or Objective : A unique community program providing services to pregnant women, children, adolescents, young adults and their families, with a focus on reducing risk for health conditions, particularly childhood obesity, through good nutrition and lifestyle changes. In 2011, Operation Better Start, in collaboration with the Pittsfield Public Schools and Family YMCA, received a grant to provide nutrition consultation and educational services directly to students in the school system. This program served 6,000 students in 12 schools. Operation Better Start also continued to provide free dental sealants for students in area schools through the BMC Dental Residency program, with 435 sealants applied and 188 students evaluated. In all, Operation Better Start provided nearly 1,500 clinical visits with almost 140 families in 2011.
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| Program Name : BMC Emergency Operations Program |
Brief Description or Objective : BMC emergency service providers work collaboratively with numerous organizations, municipalities and state and local agencies to maintain and enhance preparedness for potential disasters; hold communitywide drills and tabletop drills testing response to mass casualty, hazardous materials spills, evacuation, potential terrorist threat and other situations; provide EMS education programs. Also, help coordinate mass vaccinations, in coordination with city and town public health agencies, in the event of a pandemic event.
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| Program Name : Suicide Prevention |
Brief Description or Objective : BMC has partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Suicide Prevention Program on a strategy for reducing suicide within Berkshire County and identifying best practices that could be emulated by others in order to reduce the suicide rate across the Commonwealth. Part of the focus is on educating “gatekeepers” and improving screening for depression, substance abuse and suicide risk in mental health settings, primary care settings, employee wellness programs, and the medical center’s inpatient population. Depression screening among hospitalized patients is one element in the five year project. In addition, the program has trained hundreds of local police, firefighters, first responders, visiting nurses, elder outreach workers, pastors, parole officers and jail staff to better recognize people at-risk for suicide. In two pilot projects, 45% of patients who answered yes on a questionnaire about depression showed moderate to severe forms of depression, a treatable condition. 30% of those answering yes to the screening question showed evidence of suicidal thinking.
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| Program Name : Walk with Me in the Berkshires |
Brief Description or Objective : Community walking program with two parallel components - one for the general community, the other for BHS employees. Nearly 3,000 people were given free pedometers and a six-week walking period with the goal of increasing steps each week and reporting online. In all, 930 million steps were recorded in 2011, or 462,000 miles walked. Close to 1,750 people from the general community participated, while nearly 1,000 Berkshire Health Systems employees participated. BHS is the county's largest employer, and this program is a key part of its Wellness program for employees.
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| Program Name : BHS Pain Management Initiative |
Brief Description or Objective : For six years, Berkshire Health Systems has led a community Pain Management Initiative, a collaboration among local healthcare providers, social and law enforcement agencies, schools and the court system and other stakeholders. The program is designed to help prevent the misuse and/or diversion of pain medications in the community. In 2011, the program collaborated with local law enforcement and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency on medication roundups, where the community was given the opportunity to bring unused or outdated medications - prescription or over the counter - to a location for proper disposal. This program also accepted used sharps devices.
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| Program Name : Smoking Cessation Program |
Brief Description or Objective : Providing both individual and group counseling, the BMC Smoking Cessation program provides smokers with the tools needed to quit, so that they may improve their health status. Smoking has been identified as the leading risk factor in many diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and pulmonary disorders. The program offers support services and medications that can help the smoker to cope with the physical and emotional reactions to quitting. In 2011, the program provided care to 570 patients, both individually and in group sessions. The program also expanded outreach in 2011 by providing counseling for patients at the Community Health Programs' office in Pittsfield and Soldier On, a residence for Veterans.
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| Program Name : Wellness at Work |
Brief Description or Objective : A comprehensive employee wellness program developed for area businesses and Berkshire Health Systems employees (as BHS is the county's largest employer). Wellness at Work provides health risk analyses and screenings and a range of programs to support healthier lifestyles and to help reduce health coverage costs for employers. In 2011, the program provided wellness services to nearly a dozen local companies, reaching close to 8,000 employees. It also served the employees of several municipalities and school districts. Within BHS, the program serves nearly 2,800 employees.
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| Program Name : Injury Prevention |
Brief Description or Objective : With leadership from its Trauma program, BMC has identified key areas where preventive programs can help to reduce the number of injuries caused by participation in risk-associated activities. These programs include Teens at Risk, which works with local teens on the dangers of drinking and driving; and Think First, a program aimed at youth and adolescents, stressing the importance of injury prevention through the wearing of seatbelts and helmets. The BMC ImPACT program is designed to help prevent serious injury in sports as the result of concussion. Working with a local neurologist and specialist in concussion, the BMC program provided baseline concussion screenings for over 2,000 local high school students involved in contact sports in 2011 at several local schools. If one of the students sustained a concussion, he or she was tested again, and the level of concussion and time to full recovery was measured through comparison to the baseline test. In this way, students who sustained concussions would not return to the sport before they were physically ready, and they would avoid second-impact syndrome, a potentially lethal condition.
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| Program Name : BMC Dental Clinic |
Brief Description or Objective : The BMC Dental Clinic provides is one of the few providers of comprehensive general dentistry to clients enrolled in MassHealth and Commonwealth Care Dental assistance plans in the Berkshires. The majority of those treated at the Dental Clinic are uninsured or underinsured and patients typically have an advanced level of dental disease and a multiple discipline treatment plan is necessary. The clinic provides urgent care services for walk-in patients daily and BMC dental residents provide 24-hour coverage for dental care services as needed through the BMC Emergency Department. In 2011, the BMC Dental Clinic provided care for nearly 5,000 patients, including 825 new patients, and performed nearly 11,000 procedures.
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| Program Name : Berkshire VNA Senior Health/Elder Services |
Brief Description or Objective : The Berkshire Visiting Nurse Association provides senior health counseling, education and disease prevention services through senior housing projects in the county. Additionally, the VNA provides skilled nursing and physical and occupational therapy for elder citizens through a collaboration with Elder Services.
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| Program Name : BHS Diabetes Self Management and Education Program |
Brief Description or Objective : Certified by the American Diabetes Association, the BHS program uses national standards of care to provide high quality services, utilizing Certified Diabetes Educators and staff specialized in diabetes care. The program offers both individual and group counseling for those with diabetes and their family members or those diagnosed with pre-diabetes, education programs in the community and support groups and sessions. In 2011, the program provided services to just over 1,200 people, including 500 new patients.
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| Program Name : Get Cuffed Berkshires |
Brief Description or Objective : In 2011, Berkshire Health Systems received a significant grant from the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office to undertake a two year initiative promoting the dangers of hypertension and how to prevent it or control it. Get Cuffed Berkshires provides monthly blood pressure screenings in the community at various locations throughout the Berkshires, educational programs and a blood pressure education class. Each participant in the class receives a free electronic blood pressure cuff to measure their blood pressure on a regular basis. In all, 1,000 free blood pressure cuffs will be distributed to people who are at risk for high blood pressure or who have hypertension. In addition, the program has a monthly television program on the community access station, Pittsfield Community Television, promoting different aspects of hypertension, includings its relationship to chronic conditions and major health risks. Approximately 17% of working people in Berkshire County have high blood pressure, which is both treatable and preventable. The program provides the tools people need to get to goal and stay there.
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| Program Name : Care Navigation Program |
Brief Description or Objective : The BMC Care Navigation program helps to simplify the patient's individual experiences by providing access for them to one-on-one support, services and resources. Originally created to aid patients diagnosed with breast and prostate cancers, the program is now available to help all patients. The program helps with questions about insurance coverage, education, coordination of care among specialties and specialists, transportation and general support. In addition, there is a toll-free Link Line, which is available for patients to call with any questions about the system and their experience in navigating through it. The program is staffed by nurses who respond directly to all inquiries.
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| Program Name : Stroke Education |
Brief Description or Objective : Awareness campaign to educate the community about the signs of a stroke and the importance of getting a stroke patient to an emergency department as quickly as possible.
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| Program Name : Cancer Awareness |
Brief Description or Objective : BID-Needham held three public forums with physicians to address the prevention and treatment of breast, prostrate and colon cancers. We also conducted a skin cancer screening in conjunction with the Needham Department of Public Health.
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| Program Name : Diabetes Education |
Brief Description or Objective : Diabetes is a known health risk and illness among our patients and our community at large. To serve this population more readily and consistently we added a second endocrinologist and expanded our days of service from three to five days a week. The staff of the center also includes a licensed dietitian/nutritionist.
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| Program Name : Health Screenings |
Brief Description or Objective : BID-Needham provides blood pressure, glucose, vein and cholesterol screenings throughout the year both at the hospital and a variety of off-site locations.
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| Program Name : First Responders |
Brief Description or Objective : Hospital personnel provide basic life and CPR training to EMTs, local law enforcement officials, medical personnel, and residents of the communities we serve.
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| Program Name : Patient and Family Advisory Council |
Brief Description or Objective : Patients, families, and community members serve on the council with the focus being on finding ways to ensure all of our patients receive the highest quality of care in a safe and caring environment. The committee is looking at re-admission rates and the initial findings from the CHNA 18 Community Health Needs Assessment.
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| Program Name : Mental Health |
Brief Description or Objective : Recent suicides among young people in Needham and surrounding communities sounded the alarm for help. BID-Needham joined other community groups in working on prevention programs and donated $1,200 to the Needham Coalition for Suicide Prevention. In addition, the hospital provided funds for youth activities designed to keep students in a safe, substance-free environment following Friday night football games in town.
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| Program Name : Financial Counseling |
Brief Description or Objective : Provide financial counseling, benefit enrollment assistance, and payment planning to the underserved and uninsured in our community.
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| Program Name : Diabetes Chronic Disease Management Programs |
Brief Description or Objective : With more than 50% of disease attributable to health behaviors, BIDMC and our CHC providers collaborate on interventions to promote positive behavior change and eliminate barriers to adopting healthier lifestyles. The Bowdoin Street Health Center’s (BSHC) Diabetes Initiative is a comprehensive care management program, caring for more than 600 adults diagnosed with diabetes through individual appointments, group medical visits, self-care management visits, exercise and behavioral health programs. Bowdoin was Boston’s first health center to earn recognition by the American Diabetes Association. BIDMC also supports Joseph M. Smith CHC’s (JMSCHC) Live and Learn Diabetes Program, including a collaboration with The Joslin Clinic for both JMSCHC and BSHC patients.
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| Program Name : Latino Mental Health Service |
Brief Description or Objective : In response to the Latino Health Needs Assessment and Planning Process, BIDMC established the Latino Mental Health Service. In addition to providing individual and group psychotherapy, and psychopharmalogic services, the Latino Mental Health Service also sponsors Sobremesa, the City's only networking and educational forum for Spanish-speaking mental health professionals.
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| Program Name : Violence Intervention Program in Bowdoin/Geneva Neighborhood |
Brief Description or Objective : After years of unchecked violence and gang-related activity in the Bowdoin/Geneva neighborhood, FY 12 saw fewer incidents and a growing sense of hope. Over the past three years, Bowdoin Street Health Center has joined with St. Peter’s Teen Center to lead the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) program of the Boston Public Health Commission. VIP’s goals are to organize and engage residents in building a sense of community, knowing your neighbor, and identifying environmental issues (the “broken window theory”). The VIP outreach team includes five resident Block Captains, engaged in a door-to-door campaign in these community-organizing activities. A particular focus of VIP are middle school-aged youth (of which there are 600 in the B/G neighborhood) to ensure that they have access to after-school and summer programs as well as health services.
In FY 2012, the Bowdoin Geneva Alliance (BGA) was convened to bring together local service providers to identify unmet needs and to learn new ways of working together. The BGA has also sponsored a Resource Fair and developed a Resource Guide to help local residents with jobs and housing, both key factors in creating a safer neighborhood. To aid in these kinds of efforts, Mayor Menino designated departmental representatives to form a Neighborhood Response Team (NRT) that meets bi-weekly with residents and community groups. Together, they conduct neighborhood “walk-arounds” to address problems. Additionally, the Boston Globe embedded reporters for several months resulting in a five part series entitled 68 Blocks, which highlights the violence that plagues the neighborhood and the activities (i.e., community garden, block parties, etc.) to build cohesion.
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| Program Name : Healthy Food Equity Project |
Brief Description or Objective : Obesity has reached epidemic levels and disproportionately affects low-income African-American, Caribbean Islanders and Latino communities. The Boston Public Health Commission found that 64% of adults living in Dorchester are overweight or obese, increasing the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heath disease, stroke, asthma, arthritis and certain cancers. Bowdoin Street’s assessment of healthy, affordable food options revealed no full-service supermarkets in the neighborhood but rather small corner stores not equipped to store and sell fresh fruits and vegetables. Bowdoin’s Health Food Equity plan articulated three strategies to provide access to healthier food choices: sustaining a weekly Farmer’s Market during the spring-autumn months; launching a Healthy Corner Store Initiative to work with local vendors on profitably supporting different food choices; and implementing a community education campaign. Key to the Healthy Food Equity Project are the Healthy Champions—a cadre of youth who created a community garden, sold their produce at the Farmer’s Market, and who educated their peers and families about healthier eating habits. This year, staff from BIDMC continued to support Bowdoin Street’s Farm to Family Program, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) project. CSA shares were purchased, resulting in a subsidy to underwrite a weekly carton of fresh fruits and vegetables for a local family. FY 2012 demonstrated an 18% growth in overall participation, with 87% volunteering to subsidize shares for low income families.
In addition to increasing the volume of shares and subsidies, in FY 2012, the Farmers market began offering certified organic produce and eggs, selling seafood including whole and filleted fish, as well as shellfish, and was able to accept debit and credit cards to ease payment. Seven special events held at the market targeting community sub-groups (WIC and neighborhood kids, seniors, families with school-aged children) increased visibility and healthy lifestyle education opportunities.
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| Program Name : Community Based Primary and Specialty Care |
Brief Description or Objective : BIDMC believes that community health centers (CHC) are in a unique position to provide accessible primary care and specialty services to medically underserved diverse inner city and rural communities. These health centers understand the needs and cultural sensitivities of their communities and know best how to translate them into effective programs. BIDMC is committed to strengthening the capacity of its seven affiliated CHCs including: Bowdoin Street, Dimock, Fenway, Joseph M. Smith, Outer Cape, Sidney Borum and South Cove. The partnership takes many forms: recruitment, retention, financial support and credentialing of physicians and mid-level providers; BIDMC admitting privileges and access to managed care contracts; Harvard Medical School appointments and teaching opportunities; and BIDMC-sponsored educational programs and access to Up-to-Date. BIDMC’s commitment to community-based care translates into a growing number of specialists providing care at CHCs, and a range of procedures (e.g. high-resolution anoscopy) and ancillary services (radiology) performed on-site. In addition to clinical expertise, BIDMC also makes available to health centers a wide array of administrative support services which include marketing, public relations, information systems, legal, purchasing, human relations and program development assistance.
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| Program Name : Community Care Alliance Network |
Brief Description or Objective : In 1997, BIDMC was instrumental in helping its seven-affiliated health centers form a new network called Community Care Alliance (CCA). By collaborating together on clinical and administrative issues, CCA helps its members continue to provide high-quality, cost-effective healthcare services by collectively contracting for services and funds, as well as sharing resources and expertise for the benefit of their patients and communities. With formal recognition by the federal government through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Health Center Controlled Network Initiative (HCCN), CCA has received financial and technical assistance support for system-wide infrastructure enhancements as well as integrated clinical programming. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s Community Benefits staff are actively engaged in managing and participating in these network activities.
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| Program Name : Patient-Centered Medical Home |
Brief Description or Objective : The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model is touted as key to ensuring quality, effective and cost-efficient care, organized around patients’ needs, learning styles, and preferences. As we strive to provide “the right care at the right time in the right setting by the right provider,” both our CHC and BIDMC’s ambulatory primary care (HCA) sites are actively engaged in comprehensive and intense practice transformation activities. BIDMC has partnered with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and the Massachusetts League of CHCs in two initiatives to support implementation of the PCMH within our CHC and HCA practices. The first pilot involved 14 CHC sites in collaboration with the Commonwealth Fund, providing the foundation for EOHHS’ spread of the PCMH to an additional 30+ primary care practices. In 2011, Bowdoin Street Health Center earned recognition by the National Committee on Quality Assurance as a Level 3 PCMH, the highest accreditation level. In 2012, South Cove Community Health Center applied for a Level 3 PCMH at its Washington Street location (received in CY 2013). Additionally, BIDMC’s Bowdoin Street Health Center, HCA, and The Dimock Center are partnering with Harvard Medical School on PCMH training for medical students and residents.
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| Program Name : Parkinson Support Network of Cape Cod |
Brief Description or Objective : The Parkinson Support Network of Cape Cod (PSN) is an alliance of individuals/families living with Parkinson disease (PD), health care providers, and senior serving institutions to bring much-needed services and programs to Cape Cod residents. Based on a needs assessment and resource inventory, the PSN is committed to building a Cape-wide coordinated and comprehensive network that stimulates educational programs, access to up-to-date information about PD, psychosocial support services, and specialized exercise and wellness programs.
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| Program Name : Reducing disproportionate burden of cancer in communities of color |
Brief Description or Objective : As a Cancer Center of Excellence recognized by the American College of Surgeon’s Commission on Cancer, BIDMC is a leader in translating bench science into clinical care and community practice—“bench to trench.” Community-based prevention and screening programs include events such as skin-cancer screenings and mobile mammography as well as support of community health fairs. In FY 12, BIDMC again participated in a Department of Public Health/American GI Association free screening event in which four uninsured patients received free colonoscopies. BIDMC participates in the Faith-Based Cancer Disparities Network, facilitating the educational and outreach programs within 10 churches and the Black Ministerial Alliance. In FY 12, over 150 church members participated in a three session health education program which addressed many of the risk factors associated with obesity. In an eight month span, the following results were noted: an overall decrease in the participants BMI, inclusion of health related topics during worship and other church related events and policy changes to eliminate the use of sugar sweetened beverages at church related meetings.
When cancer specialty care or inpatient hospitalizations are necessary, BIDMC offers the services of Patient Navigators (Chinese and Latina albeit serve other ethnicities also) who bridge the gulf between community providers and the medical center. To provide support for our Patient Navigators, BIDMC sponsors a city-wide Patient Navigator Network that meets quarterly for education and support. Often times hearing from others “in the same boat” can be very therapeutic and BIDMC offers numerous groups on-site as well as Tea Time (for Chinese women with breast cancer) and Latinas with Cancer. BIDMC also supports the Mayor’s Cancer Crusade that provides transportation for Boston residents for treatment sessions and support groups.
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| Program Name : Access to care for the uninsured and underinsured |
Brief Description or Objective : Massachusetts’ landmark health care reform law has proven to be a boon to the estimated 475,000 uninsured in the Commonwealth with more than 98% of residents now participating in insurance products. Despite health care reform, roughly one in five (21.3%) patients seen at a Massachusetts health center is uninsured according to the CY 2011 UDS data. For many who continue to be without coverage, they may qualify for assistance from the Health Safety Net Program, a fund to which BIDMC makes a significant annual contribution. A team of financial benefits counselors work with uninsured and underinsured patients to facilitate access to entitlement programs through the Virtual Gateway, while Medication Assistance Councilors aid patients with obtaining no-cost pharmaceutical prescriptions. BIDMC also maintains a free-care pharmacy to help needy patients until other resources are available.
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| Program Name : Seamless Continuity of Care |
Brief Description or Objective : As patients move between community-based and hospital-based care (ambulatory specialty care, emergency department or inpatient hospitalization), it is imperative that providers in both settings have accurate, real-time clinical information. BIDMC has harnessed technology to ensure this communication through Health Information Exchange (HIE) enhancements and we remain an important part of the Governor’s launch of the state healthcare information exchange.
Four years ago, the health centers and BIDMC collaborated on a HRSA-funded project to “push” emergency department and inpatient discharge summaries to primary care providers. This HIE project was the foundation of subsequent IT solutions that now provide timely communication and enhance continuity of care across settings and providers. With rising concern about unnecessary emergency department visits and re-admissions, information technology provides data to community-based providers that make possible immediate follow-up care in the community, decreasing errors, unnecessary re-admissions, and duplicate tests and procedures. BIDMC implemented the interfaces for the downloading of lab and radiologic reports as well as notes from specialists directly into the electronic health records of community practitioners.
In FY 12, a multi-disciplinary BIDMC team continued its collaboration with the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) through the NeighborCare Initiative to encourage adoption of communication strategies (including those piloted at BIDMC) by all Boston hospitals and to publicize the capabilities of community health centers.
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| Program Name : Primary Care Access Project |
Brief Description or Objective : For more than seven years, BIDMC has dedicated resources to helping patients connect with community-based primary care physicians. This initiative began in the Emergency Department, concerned initially with efforts to ensure that patients received the necessary follow-up care after an ED visit. The ED visit is also the opportunity to help those without insurance or without a primary care provider find the care to which they are entitled and in need. BIDMC maintains the Find-A-Doc Call Center where detailed information about our CHCs, their services and availability of appointments is updated monthly to facilitate timely appointments for patients. Our outreach efforts expanded beyond the Emergency Department to help local residents learn about neighborhood-based primary care options and to help enroll residents and employees of local businesses in insurance products and other entitlement programs.
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| Program Name : Access to care for geographically isolated communities |
Brief Description or Objective : Although many assume that Cape Cod is a well-resourced, wealthy community, in fact, it is one of the Commonwealth’s most medically underserved areas, challenged by geography and economics. Almost 40% of the Outer Cape’s year-round residents are unemployed in the winter months. The nearest hospital is 50 miles away on a two-lane highway, frequently referred to as “suicide alley.” BIDMC continues to offer on-site infectious disease (including high resolution anoscopies) and pulmonary services, and has offered support for Outer Cape’s installation of new digital radiology service. BIDMC also continued it significant support of the Med-Flight helicopter program that transports geographically distant patients for quaternary care at the medical center. For those patients and families long distances from home, BIDMC provides housing assistance through programs like Hospitality Homes or specially adapted apartments for those undergoing bone marrow transplantation.
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| Program Name : Nutrition and Wellness Programs |
Brief Description or Objective : Obesity has reached epidemic levels and disproportionately affects low-income African American, Caribbean Islander and Latino communities. With 38% of children, ages 6-18, found to be overweight or obese, BIDMC’s Bowdoin Street Health Center (BSHC) developed a bevy of coordinated approaches to address this most significant health concern. The Fitness in the City includes activities and measurements for all children who are obese or at-risk for obesity. Complementing this effort is The Optimal Weight for Life Programs (OWL on the Road) that offer a multidisciplinary team of pediatrician, nutritionist and wellness coach for those who are significantly overweight. Roughly 16 new OWL patients have been enrolled each year since 2009. In FY 2012, the BSHC piloted a group visit model with 13 families (17 OWL patients). Through the Healthy Champions program, youth are both educated and in turn, teach the community about the benefits of incorporating healthy and affordable foods into their daily lives. Bowdoin Street’s Campaign for Wellness continues (originally launched in FY 2011) to expand capacity by increasing the number of exam rooms but as importantly, to create a demonstration kitchen for healthy cooking classes; a large exercise room to accommodate dance and group programming, and a gym with work-out equipment.
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| Program Name : MY CHILD: serving families with children with severe emotional disturbance |
Brief Description or Objective : In understanding the root of the epidemic of violence in the Bowdoin/Geneva neighborhood, much attention has been devoted to supporting families with children birth to five years, and creating a nurturing holding environment for parents and these youngsters. Supported by a federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration in partnership with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the City of Boston, Bowdoin joined with other community organizations to plan implementation of this important new initiative. In FY 12, MY CHILD outreach and behavioral health staff enrolled 24 families who could benefit from intensive intervention and case management.
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| Program Name : Center for Violence Prevention and Recovery |
Brief Description or Objective : Domestic violence, sexual assault and community violence are addressed through Beth Israel Deaconess’ Center for Violence Prevention and Recovery (CVPR). As one of the founders of the Domestic Violence Council of the Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals, BIDMC has lead the way in developing a continuum of education, outreach and treatment interventions to respond to victims of violence.
The Rape Crisis service and Post HIV Exposure Prophylaxis program provides follow-up care at no cost to sexual assault victims. BIDMC also offers a free overnight stay for domestic violence and/or sexually assaulted patients without a safe shelter or home. The Center’s community violence initiatives include neighborhood-based support groups as well as the Advocacy Education & Support Project (AESP) which offers targeted programs for the advocates and supervisors who work with victims of crime and violence who develop Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and strategies to prevent those exposed to secondary violence from developing STS.
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| Program Name : Healing the Community |
Brief Description or Objective : Responding to traumatic incidents on a community level requires skilled mental health clinicians who support children and families who are coping with the after-effects of violence. Bowdoin Street Health Center expanded its team of counselors who offer individual and group sessions at the health center as well as a series of Healing Services at St. Peter’s Teen Center. BIDMC’s Center for Violence Prevention and Recovery (CVPR) applies its expertise in offering neighborhood-based support groups in many of Boston’s most troubled areas. But it is not only community residents who are affected by violence—those advocates and supervisors who work with victims of crime and violence may develop Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). The Advocate Education and Support Project is a series and support group created specifically for staff from different settings—district attorney’s offices, health centers, shelters—to come together to discuss the challenges of this work, to identify sources of STS, and to create a network of support.
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| Program Name : Boston Alliance for Community Health |
Brief Description or Objective : Through the Department of Public Health’s Community Health Network Alliance (CHNA) program, Beth Israel Deaconess participates in the planning and support of CHNA 19’s (Boston) activities as well as the programs of the Roxbury Community Alliance for Health. In FY 10, BIDMC participated in a year-long strategic planning process that resulted in a significant reorganization of the CHNA with implementation undertaken in FY 11. BIDMC remains an active participant in Roxbury Community Alliance for Health (RCAH), supporting its two signature programs—the Roxbury Weigh-In and Jazz in the Park.
The RCAH developed a Roxbury Community Resource Guide for residents. The RCAH is exploring potential synergies and collaborative opportunities with the Greater Boston Aligning Forces for Quality (GB AF4Q). GB AF4Q is focused on improving the health of children with asthma and adults with diabetes in Roxbury.
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| Program Name : Office of Multicultural Affairs |
Brief Description or Objective : Knowing the importance of provider/patient cultural concordance in providing quality care, in FY 2010 BIDMC inaugurated The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), naming Dr. Rafael Campo as its Director. The OMA was created to reaffirm the institution’s ongoing commitment to diversity and specifically charged the OMA recruitment of diverse residents and fellows, retention of junior faculty of color and education of house staff and faculty. Evidence of this successful organizational change and strategy was seen in the FY 2011 residency recruitment efforts where we experienced a 25% increase in the number of underrepresented (URM) applications interviewed and a 47% increase in the number of URM applicants ranked to match at BIDMC. The number of URM applications has held steady in FY 2012. The BIDMC CEO has established a Diversity Task Force to address issues of URM recruitment and retention.
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| Program Name : Ensuring Equitable Care Through Evidence-Based Strategies and Research |
Brief Description or Objective : The Institute of Medicine’s report, Unequal Treatment, focused the nation’s attention on disparate care and health outcomes among the US populace. BIDMC’s clinical and research community embraced the challenges of advancing knowledge about the root-causes of racial and ethnic health disparities, and developing evidence-based strategies to improve health status of affected groups. For example, Eileen McCarthy, PhD, MPH leads a study to better understand the factors influencing Asian Americans with cancer and their choice(s) for end of life care; Christina Wee, MD, MPH leads a study to understand the interplay of race and obesity on four outcomes including mortality, cardiovascular risk, delays in diagnosis and control of cardiovascular risk factors and health care expenditures. In a separate study, Dr. Wee is also examining our understanding of how patients value bariatric surgery and its different outcomes specifically around decision making for African American and Hispanic/Latino patients. James Rodrique, PhD, continues his five-year study to identify the most effective approach for increasing African-American patients’ willingness to consider living donor kidney transplants. The research enterprise frequently extends beyond BIDMC’s campus, involving collaboration with other Harvard Medical School (HMS)-affiliates. The Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) illustrates the synergies reaped from collaborative ventures as this is the nation’s largest comprehensive center funded by the National Cancer Institute. The DF/HCC’s Initiative to Eliminate Cancer Disparities is one example where seven institutions are working together on community education and outreach campaigns as well as efforts to make state-of-the-art cancer care accessible to communities of color through clinical trial enrollment and enhanced culturally competent care in our hospitals. The Harvard Catalyst is the latest collaboration, bringing together the expertise of Harvard University’s ten schools and 18 academic healthcare centers and other partners to aid the translation of scientific advances into clinical practice and public health policy.
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| Program Name : Access to Culturally-Responsive Care |
Brief Description or Objective : A growing body of literature emphasizes the importance of cultural factors in providing appropriate care to patients. Cultural influences determine cognitive constructs including how patients’ define health, illness, and well-being, even dictating when and if an individual seeks medical care. Certainly understanding one’s cultural background provides guidance for developing health promotion strategies as well as influencing the design of treatment interventions and patients’ adherence to medical protocols. With an intentional focus on these issues for more than 15 years, BIDMC has developed a set of tools and approaches to ensure delivery of culturally-responsive care. From intake assessment forms to multilingual patient satisfaction questionnaires, we have tried to apply “culture eyeglasses” to facilitate communication with, and understanding of, the patients’ orientation and experience. Among the most underserved are those for whom English is not the first language. As one of the first hospitals with an Interpreter Services Department, BIDMC has a proven track record in helping patients overcome linguistic barriers to care, expanding interpreter services capacity and resources every year, reflecting the growing non-English speaking patient population. BIDMC was the first hospital to employ an American Sign Language interpreter and installed a Sorenson videophone to increase communication access by the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing. By developing and translating patient information and educational materials, we have also facilitated access to care, helped patients understand their course of treatment, and adhere to discharge instructions and other medical regimens.
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| Program Name : Educational and Workforce Development |
Brief Description or Objective : As an academic medical center, BIDMC’s mission includes a strong commitment to workforce development programs that enhance the skills of our diverse employees and provide career advancement opportunities. In FY11, BIDMC offered incumbent employees four “pipeline” programs to train for the following professions: Nurse, Nurse RN to BSN, Research Administrator, and Medical Laboratory Technician to Medical Technologist. BIDMC’s Employee Career Initiative (ECI) provides career and academic counseling, on-site academic assessment, on-site pre-college and college-level science courses to employees at no charge. Tuition reimbursement and competitive scholarships as well as ESOL, GED prep, basic computer skills and citizenship classes are additional offerings.
BIDMC is committed to making employment opportunities available to qualified community residents through training internships conducted in partnership with community agencies such as St. Mary’s Center for Women and Children and YMCA Training, Inc. We also provide feedback to community organizations such as The Work Place and Crittenden Women’s Union on adults applying to jobs at BIDMC. Recognizing our commitment to the Boston area’s student population, the medical center provides summer jobs and mid-year internships to introduce high school students and out-of-school youth to careers in the medical field. In partnership with the Boston Private Industry Council, we host Boston Public High School students in the annual Job Shadow Day with additional student groups touring our skills lab.
Senior leaders are active in advocating on behalf of educational and job opportunities. Lisa Zankman, Senior VP of Human Resources, is a member of the Commonwealth’s Workforce Investment Board. Joanne Pokaski, Director of Workforce Development, is a member of the Boston Private Industry Council and chairs the PIC’s Boston Health Care Careers Consortium.
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| Program Name : Albert Schweitzer Fellowship |
Brief Description or Objective : The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship (ASF) is a nonprofit organization, hosted at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable people by developing Leaders in Service: individuals who are dedicated and skilled in meeting the health needs of underserved communities, and whose example influences and inspires others. The Boston Schweitzer Fellows Program, founded in 1992 by BIDMC’s Dr. Lachlan Forrow, is the oldest of thirteen program sites across the US with 2,754 fellows nationwide, roughly 500 of who served in Massachusetts over the two decades. This year, the Boston program sponsored 15 Massachusetts fellows who are addressing a wide range of health disparities including childhood obesity, food allergies in low income families, and working to diversify the next generation of healthcare leaders. BIDMC’s affiliated community partners are frequent sites for Schweitzer Fellows including a fatherhood engagement program at The Dimock Center.
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| Program Name : Trauma, Emergency Management and Public Health Surveillance |
Brief Description or Objective : BIDMC has a robust trauma and emergency management program that is integrated into the City of Boston and the Commonwealth’s emergency preparedness system. Crises for which we routinely plan range from natural disasters and terrorist scenarios to outbreaks of widespread illness like last year’s H1N1 epidemic. BIDMC is a regular participant in citywide drills, also including our health center partners in the simulations. The Trauma team provides numerous in-service trainings throughout the year, including semi-annual Advanced Trauma Support classes for New England-wide hospital personnel. The emergency management team supports planned major events in Boston including the July 4th celebration, First Night, Hub on Wheels and the Boston Marathon. This year, BIDMC continued its pilot of new software with the Boston Public Health Commission to submit syndromic surveillance, reportable lab results and immunization data to public health registries there and at the Department of Public Health.
BIDMC collaborated in 16 exercises or events which included city, state and/ or federal partners. BIDMC Emergency Management sits and participates in the following city and state committees
o MASCO Emergency Preparedness Committee
o Boston Healthcare Preparedness Coalition- co-chair
o COBTH Emergency Management Committee
o Urban Shield Planning Committee
o BPHC Training and Exercise workgroup
o State regional 4C project workgroup
o State region 4 workplace violence workgroup
o BPHC Patient Tracking workgroup
o Milton LEPC Committee
o Needham LEPC Committee
BIDMC also participates in the ASPR hospital preparedness program.
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| Program Name : Healthier Neighborhoods and Environmental Sustainability |
Brief Description or Objective : Like any good neighbor, BIDMC is actively engaged in creating a vibrant, sustainable community that fosters healthy lifestyles, enhanced quality of life, and improved environmental conditions—be it lead-free homes; improved air quality; green spaces; and parks and recreational facilities. BIDMC joins with colleagues at both the grass-roots level and city and state government to reduce detriments to public health and address social determinants that impact health status. As part of our commitment to enhancing the physical environment BIDMC maintains pocket parks and open, green spaces while also partnering in the Bowdoin/Geneva neighborhood to create the Geneva Urban Wild.
Public safety is of concern within our local neighborhoods as well as the Bowdoin area, and BIDMC’s police and public safety presence contribute to a sense of well-being. The medical center has an excellent, cooperative working relationship with the Boston Police Department (BPD) and essentially serves as their “eyes and ears” in the Longwood Medical Area and on Bowdoin Street. BIDMC security technology and apparatus, including cameras and a BPD shot-spotter at Bowdoin, have been used to identify perpetrators and assist BPD investigators. Within the hospital itself, BIDMC is implementing its Environmental Strategic Plan, spearheaded by our Environmental Sustainability Coordinator and multi-departmental committee. Significant improvements were made in reducing energy and water consumption and increased recycling efforts. Most impressively, BIDMC reduced its fuel consumption within BIDMC-owned vehicles by 19% and reduced CO2 emissions by almost 200,000 pounds annually, a result of shuttle consolidation undertaken collaboratively with our Longwood Avenue medical colleagues.
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| Program Name : Wellnss Program: The Walking Club |
Brief Description or Objective : Not only does BIDMC’s CardioVascular Institute have expertise in heart disease, but also they are in the vanguard with prevention programs to promote heart healthy behaviors. The Walking Club provides free kits that include workout logs, information sheets, eCards and even a smartphone app. The Walking Kits have been adapted for corporate entities, patients with special needs, and middle school students. Adopted by fourteen schools, the curriculum contains information on the benefits of walking, a look at which parts of the anatomy are used during this exercise, and some basic science and math work—calculating heart rate and steps into miles. While the kit is used by science/health and gym teachers, one of the primary goals of the program is to encourage students to walk during non-school hours with a parent/guardian in an effort to combat childhood obesity and inculcate healthy lifestyle behaviors. Each child is given two pedometers—one for him/herself and one for a parent or guardian.
In FY 2012, BIDMC produced a video to inspire people to walk (http://www.bidmc.org/YourHealth/BIDMCInteractive/TheWalkingClub.aspx). The video used the original BIDMC Walkin’ in Boston song, was taped on the Esplanade, and included local celebrities (i.e., Keith Lockhart, Loren and Wally, and Red Sox players) and a crowd of BIDMC employees and walking club members doing a “flash mob”. The video received more than 6,000 views in its first six weeks on YouTube. The video called attention to the walking effort and to Walking Kit materials that were on the page with the video. This marketing of the Walking Club resulted in more downloads of the Walking Kit materials than in any other year since the Walking Club began.
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| Program Name : Access to Health Care |
Brief Description or Objective : Expand access to quality, affordable health care.
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| Program Name : Healthcare Dispartities |
Brief Description or Objective : Eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health care
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| Program Name : Education and Volunteer Support |
Brief Description or Objective : Providing education support to targeted students and demonstrating an unwavering commitment to employee volunteer efforts that support vulnerable populations across the Commonwealth.
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BMC HealthNet Plan
No community benefits programs identified.
Boston Medical Center
No community benefits programs identified.
| Program Name : Student Success Jobs Program (SSJP) |
Brief Description or Objective : SSJP is an intensive year-round employment and mentoring program for students of Boston public high schools. With the goal of addressing the underrepresentation of young people of color in health and science careers, SSJP targets 10th through 12th grade students providing the opportunity to build skills and a career pathway in the health and science field. Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) employees provide intensive mentoring to students in a dynamic and professional hospital environment. Tutoring support is also provided to ensure the academic success of students in their science and mathematics subjects. Individualized assistance enables students to identify their options for higher education and prepare college and financial aid applications. In FY2011, SSJP grew by 50%, growing the program’s capacity to 75 students served that year. Since inception in FY2001, SSJP has served 304 students.
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| Program Name : The Passageway Domestic Violence Program |
Brief Description or Objective : Passageway provides free, voluntary, and confidential services to patients, employees and community members who are experiencing domestic violence (DV). This intervention is based on a multidisciplinary and tailored response model that includes domestic violence advocates, nurses, physicians, social workers, mental health providers, security, and other health care providers. The team provides tailored interventions based on the needs of the individual. Passageway advocates come from diverse backgrounds reflecting the populations served. Advocates offer services in English and Spanish and use hospital interpreters for all other languages. Advocates are on-site at the BWH campus, Faulkner Hospital (FH), Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center (SJPHC), Brookside Community Health Center, Whittier Street Health Center and the Mission Hill community. In FY2011, Passageway provided services to 1,391 clients and since inception, 10,218 people have been served.
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| Program Name : The Prevention and Access to Care and Treatment (PACT) Project |
Brief Description or Objective : The PACT Project offers home HIV health promotion, and directly observed therapy (DOT) services to poor and marginalized residents of Boston’s inner city. Based on the “accompagnateur” model developed by Paul Farmer’s team in Haiti, PACT health promoters are trained to educate, counsel, and accompany individuals who are HIV-positive or at risk for HIV as they negotiate life and seek to improve their health. PACT is a complementary community-based health care delivery model that assists high-risk individuals in managing their disease and risks for disease more effectively. Dr. Heidi Behforouz heads a staff of 25 employees and is spearheading new initiatives to expand the application of community health worker interventions to new settings and to more generally address chronic diseases which disproportionately affect the poor. In FY2011, 118 patients were served, and since inception, 375 patients have been served.
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| Program Name : Connecting Hope, Assistance, and Treatment Program (CHAT) |
Brief Description or Objective : The Connecting Hope, Assistance, and Treatment (CHAT) program provides financial assistance to low income, uninsured and underinsured women with breast cancer to pay for necessary services related to their breast cancer diagnosis. In the absence of the CHAT program, many women are forced to forego the items related to their breast cancer treatment in order to pay for rent, utilities, food, and other basic necessities. In the face of many competing survival priorities, the CHAT program is able to assist in providing the resources necessary to ensure the emotional and physical well-being of breast cancer patients. In FY2011 there were 114 women served by the CHAT program with over 50% of participating women requesting more than one resource. The majority of resources provided to women were breast prostheses/bras and transportation to treatment appointments. The CHAT program provided grocery cards to 20% of participating clients in an effort to address the issues of food insecurity. Since Inception in 2002, the CHAT program has provided services to approximately 600 women.
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| Program Name : Open Doors to Health Colorectal Cancer Screening Initiative |
Brief Description or Objective : The Dana Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center (DF/BWCC) Open Doors to Health (ODH) Cancer Screening Initiative is designed to bring together community based peer leaders/health educators and a patient navigator to: increase awareness of the need for colorectal cancer screening among patients who receive care at two community health centers; increase physician recommendations for screening among patients aged 50 and older seeking care at BWH licensed and affiliated community health centers; decrease no-show rates for screening colonoscopy; increase adequate test preparation; and address barriers to screening through patient navigators and peer leaders. In FY2011: 423 patients were referred to patient navigator. Since inception of the program in 2009, 905 patients have been referred to the patient navigator.
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| Program Name : Boston Asthma Initiative (BAI) |
Brief Description or Objective : With support from BWH, the Ecumenical Social Acton Committee (ESAC) based in Jamaica Plain provides the services of the Boston Asthma Initiative (BAI) which addresses asthma management and education in schools and in homes, while examining access to and quality of health care for children and adults living with asthma. In FY2011: 148 home visits conducted with the support of BWH program funds and 17 children participated in the asthma swim program.
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| Program Name : Birth Equity Initiative (BEI) |
Brief Description or Objective : The Birth Equity Initiative (BEI) is a comprehensive effort to address persistent disparities in infant mortality and low birthweight, particularly among infants born to Black women, through the engagement and empowerment of women, their families, and their communities. The BEI includes prevention and intervention efforts spanning the spectrum from research to community-based application. The concept of birth equity is grounded in the belief that a lifetime of health equity begins at birth. The guiding framework for the BEI is the lifecourse approach, which extends across the preconception, postnatal, and inter-conception periods and is essential in order to help women achieve health before, during, and between pregnancies. This model links to and supports primary and pediatric care, safety in the home and community, nutritional assistance, and later risks to health such as teen pregnancy, interpersonal violence, and school drop-out in a dynamic and full-circle intervention. In FY2011 the Birth Equity Initiative continued community outreach efforts, developed a new Interconception Care (ICC) Model within the BWH Adolescent Reproductive Health clinic and expanded efforts related to Centering Pregnancy ® - a multifaceted group model of care that integrates health assessment, education, and support, into a unified program within a group setting. In addition, in FY2011, the BEI served 191 participants, with a total of 307 since program inception.
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| Program Name : Brigham and Women’s Hospital - Maurice J. Tobin School Partnership |
Brief Description or Objective : For 20 years, BWH and the Maurice J. Tobin K-8 School in Mission Hill have partnered to support the school’s academic mission by increasing parent, family, community, and hospital involvement in students’ learning. With the established link between educational attainment and health status, this partnership was created to support the hospital’s mission of improving the health status of the Mission Hill community. Family involvement has been shown to be a critical element in student achievement, therefore, the joint programming aims to reach out to families and assist them in becoming active participants in their children’s education. Other elements of the program are designed to engage hospital employees in students’ education. Further, in FY2011, new efforts were made to support students and teachers directly in the classroom in order to improve educational outcomes and achievement. In FY2011: 460 children and their families participated. Since inception in 1991, approximately 8,000 students and their families have had access to services provided by the Brigham and Women’s Hospital-Maurice J. Tobin K-8 Partnership.
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| Program Name : BWH - Mission Hill Community Activities |
Brief Description or Objective : Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) has a long-standing commitment to improving the health status of Boston residents, with a focus on Boston neighborhoods surrounding the hospital with disproportionately poor health and social outcomes, and documented need for comprehensive health and social services. BWH makes a unique commitment to the neighboring residents of Mission Hill. We take a broad approach to community health which includes supporting neighborhood schools, youth serving organizations, anti-poverty programs, housing and public health initiatives, and employment and business development throughout Mission Hill. In FY11 over 2,000 people received support from the resources that were provided to Mission Hill organizations.
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| Program Name : Cardiovascular Wellness Service |
Brief Description or Objective : Cardiovascular Wellness Service is a multidisciplinary effort of Brigham and Women's Hospital, dedicated to preventing heart disease and promoting heart health. We accomplish this in a number of ways through the following programs: •Community Outreach Program, providing free screenings and educational presentations throughout local Boston communities. •Linda Joy Pollin Cardiovascular Wellness Program, dedicated to preventing heart disease in women. •Online Cardiovascular Wellness Program, a comprehensive internet-based program that guides users in building a healthy heart. •Employee Wellness Program, providing screenings, classes, and activities to help promote heart health among BWH employees. •Heart Disease Prevention Research Program, conducting research studies to further knowledge of heart disease prevention and intervention. •Clinical Cardiology Program at the Watkins Cardiovascular Clinic, focusing on the primary and secondary prevention of heart disease. In FY2011, approximately 6,000 people were served. A total of 14,000 patients have been served since program inception.
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| Program Name : Brigham and Women’s Hospital – Elementary School Literacy Initiative |
Brief Description or Objective : The Elementary School Literacy Initiative is designed to help strengthen reading, comprehension, listening and writing skills in kindergarten to fifth grade students in select Mission Hill schools. Literacy skills are vital for the healthy development of children and a crucial building block for future academic success. Educational attainment is a key determinant of health. The program provides an opportunity for BWH employees to volunteer directly in the schools as pen pals or Brigham Book Buddies. Pen pals develop a relationship with a child through the exchange of letters. Students are able to practice their literacy skills by receiving and responding to letters and increase their exposure to health care careers and BWH. Book Buddies read aloud to an entire classroom once a month for the school year, and then the book is donated to the classroom. In FY2011: 104 Pen Pal students were served and 80 Brigham Book Buddy students were served. Since inception of the Book Buddy program in 1994, numerous students have been served, with 788 students served since 2006. Since inception of the Pen Pal program in 2006, 459 students have been served.
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| Program Name : BWH Health and Science Club Program |
Brief Description or Objective : The Health and Science Club provides an informal learning environment in which elementary school students work together on science experiments in small groups led by hospital employees and listen to presentations by BWH staff guest speakers. The relaxed yet structured atmosphere of the Health and Science Club promotes teamwork and produces cooperative learning experiences that increase science knowledge. The Health and Science Club curriculum is aligned to the Massachusetts state science curriculum frameworks and standards. The Health and Science Club also exposes students to new health careers and introduces them to the types of education and training that are necessary to pursue specific health career paths. In FY2011, 98 students from five classrooms were served by the program. Since inception in 2006, 493 students have been served.
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| Program Name : Health Careers Ambassadors Program (HCAP) |
Brief Description or Objective : HCAP is a (partnership between the Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF) and Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center (SJPHC) that supports youth to develop community health leadership skills. This is done through engagement in peer-led community health improvement initiatives providing interactive, youth-led health education workshops, while also engaging in youth-led health equity organizing. The HCAP peer leaders are between the ages of 14 and 18 and attend Boston Public Schools. They receive extensive training on a number of topics such as sexual health, emotional wellness, nutrition, asthma, violence prevention techniques, environmental justice, and community organizing. The youth are trained using the lens of health equity and social justice to understand the social determinants of health in urban communities. In FY2011: a total of 111 young people participated in training sessions provided by the 13 trained HCAP peer leaders Since inception in December 2003, 32 youth have been in the initial peer leadership program, Team Mita and since combining this program with HCAP in 2010, that number has increased to 58. The peers have conducted over 95 workshops and trained over 667 youth since 2003.
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| Program Name : Health Equity Research and Intervention (HERI) |
| Brief Description or Objective : The Health Equity Research and Intervention team performs social determinants of health research and collaborates with individuals, institutions and communities to contribute the best science, evidence, and resources toward eliminating inequities in health status for diverse groups. We participate in dissemination of research findings to ensure that individuals, institutions, and communities have information resources that support their work in promoting health equity. We provide support and assistance to build the capacity of colleagues and collaborators in health equity research and practi |