The Kraft Center launches CareZONE
On January 9, 2018, The Kraft Center announced the launch of our new mobile health program, Care ZONE, at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Boston City Hall Plaza. There were over 150 attendees at the event, including Robert K. Kraft and his sons, Jonathan, Josh, and Daniel. The Krafts were joined by our Executive Director Dr. Elsie Taveras, Mass General Hospital President Dr. Peter Slavin, Joan Quinlan, VP of Community Health at Mass General Hospital, Governor Charlie Baker, Attorney General Maura Healey, Mayor Marty Walsh, Ann R. Klee of the GE Foundation, Executive Director Monica Valdes Lupi of the Boston Public Health Commission, and Dr. Jessie Gaeta of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. 

Guests enjoyed speeches from program leaders and supporters and also had the opportunity to tour the CareZONE mobile unit. Thanks to all who were able to attend the event for helping to make the launch a success!
 Innovative Approach Garners Cross-Sector Support
CareZONE brings together collaborators from private and public sectors including the GE Foundation, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program, and the Boston Public Health Commission and its AHOPE harm reduction team. The program has received support from  the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, The Hearst Foundation, Partners HealthCare, and Ford Motor Company.

We thank the Office of Neighborhood Services at Boston City Hall; the Department of Neighborhood Development; the Boston Police Department; Bay Cove Human Services; The Dimock Center; North End Waterfront Health; Whittier Street Health Center; Downtown North Association; Mount Pleasant Avenue, Vine and Forest Streets Neighborhood Association; Roxbury Path Forward Neighborhood Association; the West End Civic Center; and the many community partners whose guidance helped to inform the program and has made  Care ZONE possible! 
FAQ about CareZONE
Nearly every Boston neighborhood has been affected by the national opioid epidemic, and fatal overdoses have nearly tripled in the past five years.  Care ZONE assembles a team of partners in preventive care, addiction services, and harm reduction to serve individuals not well-connected to health care, experiencing homelessness and/or battling addiction. Below are some FAQ about the program.

What services are offered by CareZONE?
  • Addiction Services: Referrals to opioid treatment programs, in-patient detox, and medications for addiction treatment
  • Harm Reduction: Naloxone, overdose prevention education, risk reduction counseling, and syringe exchange
  • Preventive Care: Screenings, immunizations, chronic disease management (including hypertension, diabetes, HIV treatment), and referrals to behavioral health, hepatitis C treatment, specialty medical care, and other services based on patient needs and preferences.
Who will operate the CareZONE van?
Staff from Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program will partner with the Boston Public Health Commission's AHOPE harm reduction team to provide services from the van. The Kraft Center will provide project leadership.

What will your schedule be for the CareZONE van?
The van will conduct at least four 4-hour clinics per week; two in the Dudley Square area, and two in the West End area. Exact hours will vary depending on need, and the CareZONE van may relocate if local data demonstrate emerging needs in other areas of the city.

Where will you be parking the CareZONE van?
Our intent is to park in places that will not disturb neighbors or disrupt communities or traffic. We will be parking mostly on side streets or in public lots.

How long will you offer these services?
This is a 6-8 month pilot. After the pilot, we may choose to expand or relocate the program. Decisions around the future of the program will be based on the results of the pilot.

Who is your target population?
We plan to work with people who are not otherwise receiving medical care. We will be focusing on neighborhoods where we see significant unmet health care, mental health, or addiction services needs.

How are you working with existing health care providers?
Rather than provide services that a client may already be receiving, our goal is to support and stabilize people who are not currently receiving care and to connect them to existing services at local community health centers and with other community-based providers.
Keeping Up with CareZONE
For the latest news and updates on  CareZONE, be sure to check back at our website frequently at www.kraftcommunityhealth.org/CareZONE.

If you are interested in joining the CareZONE listserv to get updates emailed directly to you, please email Craig Regis at [email protected].
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