Briana Wales-Thaxton is the VP for People and Culture at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. She is responsible for all human resources functions as well as leading the collaborative implementation of the Foundation’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion action plan, and took part in developing the Race and Health Equity Glossary that is part of the toolkit. She has embedded the glossary in an updated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training that will be provided to all employees at the Foundation. | |
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Join us in Welcoming New Staff!
The research and evaluation team is excited to announce that we have added two new people to the team!
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Jen Ludwin, MS, MPH is a Senior Research Associate. Jen’s experience in public health as an evaluator and researcher focuses on health equity, turning data into action, and data visualization. She enjoys innovative, upstream work that results in sustainable changes to systems and improves the well-being of the community. Learn more about Jen. | |
Leela Ramachandran is a Research Assistant. Leela’s background is in community organizing and advancing health equity. Her passion lies at the intersection of dismantling systems of oppression, centering historically marginalized populations, and decolonizing the field of public health. Learn more about Leela. | |
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Black Men's Health: New Report and Forum Tomorrow!
Baystate Health just released a new report, Bridging the Gaps: Racial Health Inequities for Black Men in Hampden County. This report is a first step in documenting the health outcomes of Black Men in Hampden County within historical and contemporary contexts. This context serves as a foundation for creating goals that move us from restating the poor health and health disparities of Black men to action toward positive progress in health and well-being. Read the report.
William A. Darity, Sr. Black Men's Health Forum: Bridging the Gaps
The first annual William A. Darity, Sr. Black Men's Health Forum will take place on Saturday, October 22, 2022, 8:30 am – 2:00 pm at the UMass Amherst Center at Springfield, 1500 Main Street, Springfield, Massachusetts. Learn more and register
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Western MA Community Health Needs Assessments
Every three years, eight local hospitals/insurer in the region come together as a coalition to produce their Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). The CHNA describes the social conditions, barriers to healthcare, and chronic diseases that affect the health of our communities. The Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts took the lead on these reports, along with the Collaborative for Educational Services, Franklin Regional Council of Governments, and Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. More than 500 individuals participated through the Regional Advisory Council, community chats, a public health agency survey, focus groups, and interviews.
Not only do these reports inform hospital strategies, but they are a valuable source of information for community organizations. We are excited to announce that several of the reports are now available online:
The CHNAs for Cooley Dickinson Hospital and Health New England will be released later this fall. Also, we are excited that Berkshire Health System has joined the Coalition, and we will be partnering with them to produce an updated CHNA by early next year.
This year the Coalition of Western Massachusetts Hospitals/Insurer chose a regional focus area – youth mental health. Stay tuned for updates on their next steps to bring more attention to this critical issue.
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Important Ballot Questions: #1 Fair Share Amendment; #4 Access to a Driver’s License
We want to make sure you have access to accurate information from the MA Secretary of State’s Office and to share some Western MA perspectives.
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Question #1 – The Fair Share Constitutional Amendment: This ballot question is endorsed by hundreds of organizations, businesses, unions, and faith leaders. Springfield and Easthampton City Councils, the Episcopal Diocese of Western MA, and the Berkshire Central Labor Council are some of the many Western MA leaders encouraging a Yes vote on Question 1. Passing the Fair Share Amendment means that a tiny percent of people in MA (i.e., millionaires) would pay higher taxes, but that everyone will benefit from the $2 billion generated each year being dedicated to public education and transportation.
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Question #4 – Driver’s License Eligibility: This ballot question also has a very broad base of support for a Yes vote on Question 4, ranging from statewide organizations like the MA Major Cities Chief of Police Association to the MA Public Health Association. In Western MA, Communities Involved in Sustaining Agriculture urge a Yes on #4 citing the need for farm workers, regardless of immigration status, to get to work safely and legally. As CISA Executive Director Phil Korman said in the Hampshire Gazette (10/10/22), “The Work and Family Mobility act has a straightforward logic to it: If every driver is trained, tested, licensed, and insured, the roads will be safer for all of us.”
MA Voter Information – Voting through Nov. 8th
Are you registered to vote in MA? Register to vote in MA by Oct 29
Vote-by-mail application Early voting locations in your city/town
Confirm your voting location
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Youth Mental Health
The Springfield Youth Mental Health Coalition's Youth Advisory Group, Beat the Odds (BTO), has expanded! There are now two BTO youth groups- one at Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services and the other at the South End Community Center. Both groups have space for additional youth to join. Learn how to get involved!
The Springfield Youth Mental Health Coalition has been busy over the past several months developing a communications campaign, with the BTO Youth Advisory Board, to bring mental health awareness to the greater Springfield community. The campaign will be launching very soon! Stay tuned for their launch event in December.
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Beat the Odds Youth at a photo shoot for the communications campaign. From Left: Amani Robinson, Daejana Crawford, Tionne Garner, Legacy Moye. | |
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Become a Mentor!
The Hampden County Health Improvement Plan, the Springfield Youth Mental Health Coalition (YMHC), and 413Cares are working together to promote mentoring through an ad campaign on WWLP22.
With the mental wellness of mentors and mentees at the crux of our work, the YMHC’s Peer Mentoring Collaborative is strategically working to expand peer mentoring opportunities in Greater Springfield, encouraging all residents to consider mentoring a young-person in their community.
The Mentor campaign encourages people to sign up to be a mentor and to share mentoring resources. Learn more.
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Frequently Asked Questions about the Updated Boosters
Pfizer and Moderna have updated their boosters to offer better and broader protection against COVID-19 infection. They target the current Omicron subvariants that are very contagious.
Have questions about the boosters? Find answers to frequently asked questions.
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Preguntas Frecuentes Sobre los Refuerzos Actualizados
Pfizer y Moderna han actualizado sus refuerzos para ofrecer una mejor y más amplia protección contra la infección por COVID-19. Apuntan a las subvariantes actuales de Omicron que son muy contagiosas.
¿Tiene preguntas sobre los refuerzos? Encuentre respuestas a las preguntas más frecuentes.
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COVID-19 Data
Visit the Western MA COVID-19 Data Dashboard for the latest COVID-19 data for the region.
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Do You Want A Free Custom Analysis of COVID Impact Data?
The Public Health Institute of Western MA is the technical assistance provider for the COVID-19 Community Impact Survey (CCIS) for Western MA. The CCIS has a wealth of data related to housing, employment. healthcare, intimate partner violence, substance use, youth, mental health, and more. Learn more here and send us a data request.
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