During 2004, the Recognition Awards Program, the Activation Fund and the Synergy Initiative were closed to new applications in response to three years of declining investment markets. The Foundation remained committed to continuing strategic grant support for multi-year projects addressing Oral Health, Child Abuse, and Children’s Mental Health, through the Health Care and Health Promotion Synergy Initiative.
New grants totaling more than $1.6 million were awarded in 2004 to organizations in Central Massachusetts through the Foundation’s Health Care and Health Promotion Synergy Initiative and Board Designated grantmaking programs. These new grants, together with grants made by the Foundation since December 2000, bring the philanthropy’s total grantmaking to approximately $7.8 million.
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| Title: | Central Massachusetts Oral Health Initiative - Project Implementation Grant, Year 3 | Amount: | $439,436 |
| Recipient: | UMass Medical School |
| Grant Type: | Synergy Initiative - Central Massachusetts Oral Health Initiative (CMOHI) |
The Central Massachusetts Oral Health Initiative (CMOHI) proposes a third year of Project Implementation to increase access to oral health preventive and restorative treatment services for low income or uninsured populations and reduce the incidence of dental caries among children. CMOHI will continue successful strategies such as "screen and seal", fluoride varnishes, and fluoride mouth rinse programs in Worcester and South Worcester County schools, the Care Mobile, and support for Health Care For All's oral health advocacy agenda. CMOHI also proposes: piloting preventive dental services in up-to-four school based health centers, during school hours, in Worcester Public Schools; implementing plans to develop General Practice Residency in Dental Medicine at UMass Medical School; identifying a new provider to operate the volunteer dental clinic at Quinsigamond Community College, following the withdrawal of Great Brook Valley Health Center, converting dentist-volunteers to the MassHealth Partnering Program to subcontract services through community health centers; continuing to advocate for the MassHealth TPA, pending Medicaid's cost assessment, to enable the caseload cap pilot to be implemented; establishing a CMOHI website at UMass; and initiating patient and provider education around elder's oral health.
CMOHI also hopes to partner with the CDC and Massachusetts Coalition for Oral Health to implement a statewide fluoridation advocacy campaign, based upon a pending application for CDC funding.
Partners include: Worcester District Dental Society, Family Health Center, Great Brook Valley Health Center, UMass Memorial's Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, Quinsigamond Community College, South County Oral Health Coalition, Worcester, Webster and Southbridge Public Schools, Health Care For All, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.
| Project Director: |
Dr. John Gusha |
| Project Administrator: |
Mr. Mick Huppert |
| Fiscal Agent: |
UMass Medical School |
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| Title: | Child Abuse Prevention and Protection Collaborative - Project Implementation Grant, Year 2 | Amount: | $373,153 |
| Recipient: | Community HealthLink |
| Grant Type: | Synergy Initiative - Child Abuse Prevention and Protection Collaborative (CAPPC) |
Child Abuse Prevention and Protection Collaborative (CAPPC) during the second year of Project Implementation, will continue to implement comprehensive programs to prevent child maltreatment, and advocate for a coordinated system of care for victims and their families. The CAPPC’s Family Outreach Network, a network of agencies offering coordinated support services for families at high risk for child maltreatment, will expand its partnership with MSPCC’s Connecting Families Program, and participate in the statewide program evaluation through Brandeis University. CAPPC’s Central Massachusetts Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) Prevention Campaign will fully implement the patient-education model at four local birthing hospitals, and expand the program to reach new parents at two additional birthing hospitals. CAPPC will continue to offer training in best practices for child sexual assault prevention, and expand community-based child abuse prevention education. CAPPC will continue to advocate for statewide expansion of the SBS program, funding for regional diagnostic and treatment centers in Massachusetts for child victims of maltreatment, and sustainability of the Family Outreach Network.
Partners include: Catholic Diocese of Worcester’s Office of Prevention and Healing; Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Social Services (DSS); Community Healthlink; Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA); Daybreak at
the Worcester YWCA; Office of District Attorney John J. Conte; Harrington Hospital; Heywood Hospital; Henry Lee Willis Community Center; Massachusetts Citizens for Children; Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC); Milford-Whitinsville Hospital; Pernet Family Health Service; Rape Crisis Center of Central Massachusetts; St. Vincent Hospital; United Way of Central Massachusetts; UMass Memorial Medical Center’s Child Protection Program; Worcester Community Connections Coalition; Worcester Communities of Care; Worcester Juvenile Court; Worcester Public Schools; and Youth Opportunities Upheld, Inc. (Y.O.U., Inc.).
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| Title: | Oral Health Initiative of North Central Massachusetts - Project Implementation Grant, Year 2 | Amount: | $331,827 |
| Recipient: | Montachusett Opportunity Council |
| Grant Type: | Synergy Initiative - Oral Health Initiative of North Central Massachusetts (OHINCM) |
The Oral Health Initiative of North Central Massachusetts (OHINCM) will continue its successful strategies, during the second year of implementation, to reduce the incidence of dental disease and increase access to preventive care and treatment in North Central Massachusetts. The OHINCM will expand the capacity of the reduced-fee dental clinic at the Community Health Connections (CHC) Family Health Center by adding three chairs and implement plans for a satellite clinic in Gardner; increase outreach and marketing/promotion strategies to enroll residents from Leominster and Fitchburg in GHAP; expand the school-based fluoride varnish and sealant program to include Templeton Schools, along with schools in Fitchburg, Gardner, Winchendon, and Leominster; expand community education and outreach efforts to community-based organizations; implement the dental hygiene program and curriculum developed in coordination with Mt. Wachusett Community College and Community Health Center; and continue to coordinate advocacy efforts with Central Massachusetts Oral Health Initiative (CMOHI).
Partners include: Wachusett District Dental Society, Heywood Hospital, CHC Family Health Center, Mt. Wachusett Community College, Health Alliance, and the Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner, Winchendon and Templeton Public School Districts.
| Project Co-Administrators: |
Ms. Kathleen McDermott, Montachusett Opportunity Council
Ms. Lori Martiska, Heywood Hospital |
| Fiscal Agent: |
Montachusett Opportunity Council |
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| Title: | Together For Kids - Project Implementation Grant, Year 2 | Amount: | $299,484 |
| Recipient: | Community HealthLink |
| Grant Type: | Synergy Initiative - Together For Kids (TFK) |
The Together For Kids Coalition (TFK) will continue their project implementation to improve the capacity of childcare staff, childcare agencies and families to effectively meet the emotional and mental health needs of preschool children, particularly those exhibiting challenging behaviors in childcare. Proposed Year 2 activities will include: emphasis on sustainability strategies; replace floating teachers with substitute teachers and an over-time fund; increase Child Development Advisors' consultation time at newer child care intervention sites and decrease time at established sites; create a graduate seminar on early childhood mental health consultation for clinicians; and access to lobbyist support as needed to advance public policy agenda. Long-term follow-up and evaluation with targeted families; referrals to mental health services for children with severe emotional disorders; and strategies to improve parenting-skill development and parents' involvement in early care and learning will continue.
Partners include: Becker College; ChildCare Connection; Edward Street Child Services; Great Brook Valley Health Center; Jewish Family Services; OCCS; Pernet Family Services; Rainbow Child Development Center; Quinsigamond Community College; University of Massachusetts Medical Center Early Intervention; United Way of Central Massachusetts; Webster Square Daycare Center; WAAEYC; Worcester Community Action Council; Worcester Communities of Care; Worcester Comprehensive ChildCare Services; Worcester Police Department; Worcester Public Schools; YMCA; Youth Opportunies Upheld, Inc. (Y.O.U., Inc.); YWCA and others.
Project Director:
Project Manager: |
Ms. Carolyn Droser
Ms. Lynn Hennigan |
| Fiscal Agent: |
Community HealthLink |
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