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Mass General Brigham Awards $6 Million in Community Health Impact Funds for Mental & Behavioral Health and Economic Mobility & Financial Stability Initiatives

7 minute read
Artist's rendition of the Ragon Building

Mass General Brigham is proud to announce the award of $6 million to 35 organizations dedicated to improving both mental and behavioral health outcomes, as well as promoting economic mobility and financial stability in the communities we serve.

The funding for these community-driven priorities marks the latest award from the MGH Community Health Impact Funds—the largest Determination of Need (DoN) investment in Massachusetts history—triggered by the construction of the Philip and Susan Ragon Project, a new state-of-the-art clinical building located on the Massachusetts General Hospital main campus.

“The Ragon Building is a physical representation of our commitment to addressing the root causes of health disparities so we can help build healthier, more equitable communities for all,” said Anne Klibanski, MD, President and CEO of Mass General Brigham. “We look forward to the benefits this building will bring for our patients and our staff, and the broader investment in the social determinants of health that extend beyond our walls.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the communities that Mass General Brigham serves have faced more significant barriers to economic mobility, including job loss, increased housing insecurity, limited access to education and healthcare, and a widening digital divide. These challenges, exacerbated by and leading to rising mental health struggles, have made it harder for individuals to achieve financial stability and upward mobility, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions.

"Access to mental health services and greater economic mobility are essential to advancing health equity, particularly in historically marginalized communities," said Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH, Chief Community Health and Health Equity Officer at Mass General Brigham. "Mental health conditions like depression and anxiety have increased in prevalence in recent years, especially in communities in which systemic inequities persist. With community-based, culturally relevant mental health support, people can better manage their depression or anxiety and ultimately improve their health outcomes."

Taveras further emphasized that achieving financial stability and economic mobility will enable individuals to prioritize their health while building generational wealth for themselves and their communities.

Innovative Workforce Development Initiatives

Fifteen organizations were chosen to receive $3 million in funding to enhance economic mobility and financial stability in Boston and North Suffolk County. The awarded proposals focus on one or more of three equity-based strategies: training for low- and moderate-income residents and returning citizens for roles such as community health workers and childcare specialists; building a multilingual workforce by recruiting and training bilingual individuals in healthcare and education; and offering financial management training and support for entrepreneurs.

The awardees are:

Innovative Workforce Development

Training on Wealth Building and Workforce Development

“By equipping participants with the skills to become dual language educators, Primeras Maestras is not only addressing the workforce needs at the Rafael Hernández School, but also helping to build a stronger, more equitable Boston,” said Johanna Littlewood, Executive Director, Friends of the Rafael Hernández School, a funding recipient. “This funding is a significant step toward creating more employment opportunities in our community, and we are excited to see the impact it will have on both our educators and the students they will inspire.”

Community-Based Mental and Behavioral Health Initiatives

Twenty organizations proposing impactful community-based mental and behavioral health initiatives will also receive $3 million in Community Health Impact Funds. Strategies include expanding community-based behavioral health services, such as restorative justice and community-led programs, for individuals experiencing substance use disorder (SUD) and trauma. Additionally, the funding will support innovative youth well-being interventions, including health and wellness programs, exercise education, and SUD and mental health prevention and intervention efforts in schools. These initiatives are designed to expand access to vital mental health resources, support at-risk youth, and build a more resilient community through economic empowerment.

The awardees are:

Expanding Community-Based Behavioral Health Initiatives

Innovative Youth Well-Being Interventions

“By expanding our training, outreach, and community engagement efforts, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County will help reduce the stigma surrounding child abuse and its lasting effects, empowering more children and families to seek the support and behavioral health services they need,” said Annie Marcklinger, Executive Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center, a funding recipient. “This funding will strengthen our ability to unite public, private, and community partners in the fight to protect children and promote their long-term well-being.”

Community Health Impact Funds

These MGH Community Health Impact Funds awards are part of a broader $62 million community investment and community collaboration. Two other funding priorities—housing and food insecurity—were determined by the Community Advisory Board (CAB) and guided by the 2022-23 Community Health Needs Assessment. This past July, $18 million was awarded for affordable housing initiatives, and additional funding for these priorities will be released over the next eight years.

 "These historic awards reflect Mass General Brigham’s commitment to fostering healthier communities by investing in and partnering with community organizations to address the root causes of health inequities in the communities we serve," said Taveras. "We believe that by working together with these organizations, we will make a measurable and positive impact on health outcomes across our region."

Media contact

McKenzie Ridings
Senior Program Manager, External Communications
mridings@mgb.org

About Mass General Brigham

Mass General Brigham is an integrated academic health care system, uniting great minds to solve the hardest problems in medicine for our communities and the world. Mass General Brigham connects a full continuum of care across a system of academic medical centers, community and specialty hospitals, a health insurance plan, physician networks, community health centers, home care, and long-term care services. Mass General Brigham is a nonprofit organization committed to patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community. In addition, Mass General Brigham is one of the nation’s leading biomedical research organizations with several Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals. For more information, please visit massgeneralbrigham.org.