Mass General Brigham, La Colaborativa Launch Community Health Initiative

“Bridge to Health/Puente a la Salud” aims to address cardiometabolic diseases that disproportionately affect Chelsea and surrounding communities.

Mass General Brigham and La Colaborativa are excited to announce a new collaboration aimed at improving the health of the community through a comprehensive initiative called Mass General Brigham-La Colaborativa Community Care - Bridge to Health/Puente a la Salud. The care will be located at the La Colaborativa Survival Center at 63 Sixth Street in Chelsea. 

Through a multi-phased approach, Bridge to Health/Puente a la Salud aims to tackle key health issues, address social determinants of health, and improve access to vital services for the community. Designed by La Colaborativa and Mass General Brigham, this novel approach is guided by the principles of accessibility and trust, focusing on residents historically underserved by the health system. The first phase, launching this month, will prioritize services that promote community well-being while specifically addressing cardiometabolic disease—a major contributor to health disparities and a leading cause of premature mortality in historically underserved communities like Chelsea.

“We are thrilled to launch this new initiative with our longtime community partners at La Colaborativa,” said Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH, Mass General Brigham Chief Community Health & Health Equity Officer. “This initiative will bring preventive health services and chronic disease programming, paired with the social risk mitigation offered by La Colaborativa’s extensive team, to improve health outcomes and promote equity in Chelsea and the neighboring communities. This partnership has been made possible by the longstanding engagement and trust that has been built by both of our organizations in the Chelsea community, and we hope it will lead to lasting, positive change that improves health outcomes.”

“This collaboration signifies a new model of addressing the root causes of health disparities in our community,” said Gladys Vega, Executive Director at La Colaborativa. “By providing our residents with this new, holistic resource in an accessible, trusted location, we can bring to fruition a future where all residents, regardless of race or income, can live healthy, prosperous lives.”

Phase One of the collaboration includes:

• Hypertension Screening, Prevention & Management: Addressing cardiovascular health through regular screenings, interventions, and educational resources.

• Diabetes Screening, Prevention & Management: Employing early detection and management strategies to combat rising diabetes rates.

• Nutrition Counseling for Chronic Disease Prevention through Culinary Classes: Providing hands-on classes at La Colaborativa’s state-of-the-art teaching kitchen to improve nutritional literacy and healthy eating habits.

• Adult Vaccinations: COVID-19 and flu vaccinations to bolster community immunity, paired with accurate, multilingual information on vaccines.

• Social Risk Mitigation:

  • Prescription access assistance and information about programs like GoodRx.

  • Integration with La Colaborativa’s social risk programs to address broader social determinants of health, including innovative housing stability, economic mobility, and youth empowerment programs that lay a foundation of stability for healthy lives.

As the initiative progresses, additional services may be introduced to further support the community’s well-being, including community-based cancer screening, substance use disorder services, and maternal health services.

This initiative will concentrate on specific conditions that directly address community health challenges and improve access to important resources, rather than a full spectrum of primary care services. The effort will build upon the foundational work of the MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center, which has served the Chelsea community for more than five decades. As Dean Xerras, MD, Medical Director at MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center, noted, “This initiative represents a crucial step in addressing the unique needs of our residents and enhancing the care we provide. It’s about delivering the right care, in the right place, at the right time.'”

“Key to the success of a place-based, equitable health care initiative like Bridge to Health/Puente a la Salud is a strong collaboration,” said Priya Sarin Gupta, MD, MPH, Mass General Brigham Medical Director, Clinical Community Programs. “We are grateful for our partnership with La Colaborativa and look forward to working together to expand our service offerings in the months to come.”

“Bridge to Health/Puente a la Salud directly aligns with La Colaborativa’s mission of promoting health equity in the Latinx and immigrant community,” according to Dinanyili Paulino, Executive Vice President at La Colaborativa. “As a trusted anchor of our community, we’re thrilled to collaborate with Mass General Brigham to deliver thoughtfully designed health care services, in tandem with unique community development programs, to enable residents to thrive,” she said.

About La Colaborativa

For over 35 years, La Colaborativa has supported Latinx immigrants in Greater Boston. As the preeminent Latinx-led nonprofit organization, we deploy innovative programs, advance equitable public policy, and cultivate the next generation of leaders in the Latinx and immigrant community. Through this work, we partner with the community to provide resources to vulnerable community members, including newly arrived immigrants, undocumented families, non-English speakers, as well as low-income tenants and workers. We are committed to serving protecting, celebrating, and uplifting our people, ensuring a brighter future for all.