19-02-2025
Partnership to improve maternal, cardiometabolic health in Chicopee, New Bedford
BOSTON (WWLP) – A new partnership has been formed to help identify needs that are related to maternal health or social drivers of cardiometabolic health in Massachusetts.
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The Executive Office of Health and Human Services states that the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced that they have partnered with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation (BCBSMA) and Atrius Health Equity Foundation as part of the administration's Advancing Health Equity in Massachusetts (AHEM) initiative. The AHEM works to eliminate racial, economic, and regional imbalances in health outcomes.
The partnerships will finance community-level initiatives in both Chicopee and New Bedford and will identify and understand the needs that are related to maternal health or social drivers of cardiometabolic health. Cardiometabolic disease refers to disease of the heart and blood vessels, diabetes, high blood pressure, and chronic kidney disease, and is a leading cause of death across Massachusetts.
They will also work to improve health outcomes in 30 communities that are identified as having the greatest health disparities for maternal health and social drivers of cardiometabolic health.
The BCBSMA Foundation approved in $100,000 in funding for the first year of a two-year Strategic Health Equity Grant to the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts. This nonprofit will lead a community engagement process in Chicopee to identify community needs related to the initiative. The work will engage communities of color and other marginalized communities to identify needs, preferred solutions, and the implementation of those solutions.
Atrius Health Equity Foundation announced that they are committing $500,000 over two years to establish Youth Creating a Healthier New Bedford, which is a youth-led initiative that empowers young people to identify the social drivers that's impacting cardiometabolic health, engages them to developing a shared agenda for promoting community health and wellness, and supports them as emerging leaders.
This is the first partnership of many that AHEM seeks to create with the private sector partners to address health inequities.
'While we recognize that disparities in these health conditions occur in these regions, we strongly believe that each community may face different challenges in addressing them, and that requires solutions at the community level,' said Secretary of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh. 'I look forward to hearing from the programs in the communities, and am grateful to the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation and Atrius Health Equity Foundation for their support and partnership that will have a real difference in the lives of people in the communities.'
'We are pleased to partner with leaders from EOHHS and DPH on a place-based community engagement model that will help advance our shared health equity goals,' said Audrey Shelto, President and CEO of BCBSMA Foundation. 'Our grant partner is well-positioned to serve as a backbone organization for the AHEM initiative in Chicopee, and to support community members as they develop solutions to the health disparities in their region.'
'Improving the health and wellbeing of Chicopee residents begins with understanding the issues and complications facing our community,' said Chicopee Mayor John Vieau. 'The work sponsored by the BCBSMA Foundation and performed by the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts will help us to determine the best way to positively affect the health of our residents.'
'Our Foundation's mission is to close the life expectancy gap across Eastern Massachusetts. We're pleased to invest in organizations working to build a stronger, healthier New Bedford by supporting a future generation of youth leaders,' said Ann Hwang, MD, president of the Atrius Health Equity Foundation.
'The SouthCoast Community Foundation is pleased to be a strategic partner to this effort,' said Dr. Melanie Edwards-Tavares, President and CEO of the SouthCoast Community Foundation. 'This investment, which is a testament to the power of collaboration and community-driven solutions, builds on the strengths of New Bedford and our dedicated and talented youth.'
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