CHNA 20 is well known as a connecting agency in the Blue Hills Region. Recently, we’ve been recognized widely for our efforts to direct the Blue Hills Regional Coordinating Council, as well as our work to support local partner agencies in their COVID response protocols. But many of our daily engagements in the community are less visible -- yet they’re a critical part of our mission. In our new blog series, we’ll be sharing more about how CHNA 20’s presence on local and regional task forces, committees and planning councils helps shape public health improvements in the Blue Hills.
What’s the community project?
The Greater South Shore Behavioral Health Collaborative (GSSBHC) is a program dedicated to creating a network of collaborative care across 11 dedicated service providers in the South Shore Area. It’s funded through a grant from South Shore Health and administered by Bay State Community Services, with additional partners including Father Bill’s and Mainspring, Brockton Area Multiservices Inc., Quincy Asian Resources, Quincy Community Action Program, South Shore Community Action Council, the Weymouth Health Department, Aspire Health Alliance, CHNA 20, Manet Community Health Center and South Cove Community Health Center.
The vision for the project is to provide a more substantial safety net that links behavioral health service providers across the region, so that the most vulnerable residents who are most likely to slip through the cracks can receive needed support and services. Vulnerability is defined as experiencing instability in any of the following areas: financial, housing, access to utility services, social support systems, mental or physical health care, self-care, substance misuse, or undue levels of stress.
Using a three-pronged approach to creating the collaborative, GSSBHC began with a Governance Committee to design and implement information gathering efforts. The second phase saw the development of a new Pathway tool, helping the collaborative to both identify the most vulnerable residents and create resources to assist those residents in accessing needed services and information. In the third phase, the GSSBHC began utilizing a coordinated care approach for identified users, including case management, coordinated information-sharing among partners, access to networked care options, and the ability to track service utilization.
Importantly, the case management provided by GSSBHC is free, so residents in need of coordinated care can access the collaborative’s services without financial barriers. Case management through GSSBHC helps clients identify their personal goals, refers them to appropriate services, and supports them in accessing those services and assessing their own progress towards their identified goals. Clients who “disappear” during their interactions with GSSBHC are able to come back at any time without penalty, due to the collaborative’s understanding that vulnerability is a key risk factor for client disappearance.
What is the CHNA’s role in this project?
At the inception of the project, CHNA 20 helped to secure funding for the GSSBHC through technical assistance in the grant-writing process, SMART goal setting and evaluation methods.
Currently, CHNA 20 serves on the GSSBHC Governance Committee, acting as the “neutral party” amongst the other service providers. Our existence as a community hub with no direct service role allows us to provide an unbiased, wide-angle perspective of the project and make recommendations about different ways to build collaborative efforts with collective impact in mind. Representatives from the CHNA attend Governance meetings and work to connect the GSSBHC with other community resources to expand the network of support.
How can I, or my organization, get involved with this community effort?
To get more information about GSSBHC, please contact Patricia Zio, Program Director.