Related

• It's not to early to think about the 2020 US Census

  2020 is still a couple of years away, but it's not too early to begin talking about the significance the census has for local communities and the funding of critical health and social services. The funding of many programs, from Head Start to SNAP, the Mental Health Block Grant or Maternal & Child Health Services, use census data to determine how funds are distributed.

  
  

  This makes getting an accurate census count so important and why everyone in our region needs to be counted. It is also why the foundation has funded the Massachusetts Census Equity Fund to assist MetroWest organizations in educating community leaders, elected officials, media and the general public about the importance of an accurate census. 
  

  
  The Foundation will be convening community agencies and representatives of the fund in January to begin planning for the 2020 census.  If you have an interest in being part of this work, contact Rebecca Gallo at 508-879-7625.

• What are the issues and needs facing MetroWest nonprofits?

  What are the issues and needs facing MetroWest nonprofits?
  

  
  

  The MetroWest Nonprofit Network  and Framingham State University are collaborating to assess the needs and issues facing the MetroWest nonprofit community.

   

  They believe that a strong nonprofit sector in MetroWest is essential to building and sustaining vibrant communities that serve the needs of our citizens and they need your input.

   

  Please take a few minutes to respond to this brief eight-minute survey.

   

  CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY

• Join Us for a Discussion: Federal Public Charge Revisions

  Join us for a discussion on Federal Public Charge Rule Revisions: What are the facts? What does it mean for those you serve?

  Speakers:

  Katie Condon Grace, MetroWest Legal Services
  Maria Gonzalez Albuixech, Health Care for All
  Andrew Cohen, Health Law Advocates

  Monday, October 7
  12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
  MetroWest Health Foundation
  161 Worcester Road, Suite 202
  Framingham, MA  01701

  Please RSVP to Rebecca Gallo at rgallo@mwhealth.org or (508) 879-7625.

• Age-Friendly Communities: Getting Started

  One of the focus areas in the foundation's fall request for proposals is promoting Age-Friendly Communities.  The model consists of eight separate domains for communities to address, which can be overwhelming.  This meeting will take you through the basics of how to begin a community conversation, who needs to be engaged, and how to go from conversation to action.

   

  James Fuccione of the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative and Valerie Spain from AARP Massachusetts will facilitate the meeting.  They will be talking about how communities get started- from identifying a backbone agency, to finding key partners, to creating action plans.  You will also hear from representatives from local towns and cities that have started the Age-Friendly process to speak to their experiences and lessons learned.

   

  The meeting will be on Monday, October 2^nd from 9:30-11am at the foundation offices (161 Worcester Rd., Suite 202, Framingham). 

  RSVP to Rebecca Gallo. 

• Become a MetroWest Health Leader

  To prepare the next generation of health and human service leaders in MetroWest, the foundation created the MetroWest Health Leadership Program in 2005. The six-month knowledge and skill-building program is designed to change the way local health executives, managers and officials think and act as leaders.

  
  

  Here's what recent graduates had to say about the program -

  
  

  "Loved this program - great topics and very relevant to the work we do."

  "Awesome! Loved the speakers."

  "Unbelievably helpful, motivating and informative."

  
  

  Ten individuals comprise each class, which runs once a month from January through June. Topics include personal leadership styles, communication, strategic thinking, negotiation and coalition building. Classes are taught by leading experts in their respective fields of knowledge, capitalizing on the rich talents the region has to offer.

  
  

  Applications for the MetroWest Health Leadership Program are available on our website. For more information about the program, contact Rebecca Donham at 508-879-7625.
  

• Foundation Makes $50,000 Grant to Support Consumer Education on Accountable Care Organizations

  With MassHealth moving to a new payment and care delivery system that utilizes Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), the foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to Health Care for All to support their efforts at consumer engagement and education 

  about ACOs.

  The grant will help Health Care for All work in partnership with the 18 newly designated MassHealth ACOs to 1) educate consumers about ACOs; 2) encourage consumer participation in required Patient & Family Advisory Committees; and 3) provide consumers with the tools and supports needed to monitor and influence ongoing ACO operations. 
  

  
  

  Health Care for All is the state's leading health care advocacy and educational organization. Over the last 32 years, Health Care for All has developed a breadth and depth of consumer engagement expertise through outreach, education, organizing and policy leadership. The group also operates a health insurance hotline to assist those seeking help in enrolling in health coverage. More information can be found at www.hcfama.org