Revitalize CDC is Helping to Bridge Healthcare & Housing through a COVID-19 Emergency Response Program Will Serve 1,200 Families
Revitalize Community Development Corporation and the BeHealthy Partnership Accountable Care Organizations (BHP) made up of Health New England, Baystate Health Centers and Caring Health Center has been doing innovative work to understand patient’s social and medical needs throughout Western Massachusetts. These needs are addressed under MassHealth’s Flexible Services Program.
Since early November, our partnership as part of a COVID-19 & Nutrition emergency response has supported patients at risk of contracting COVID-19 by providing them with essential supplies and access to nutritious food at home. The program specifically serves vulnerable members of the community who may face food insecurity and homelessness to allow them to remain safe and healthy in self-isolation. The criteria for the patients enrolled in the program are those who are insured through the BeHealthy
Partnership and are identified as high-risk for contracting COVID-19 or have already contracted the virus with a risk factor of nutritional imbalance. The program will run through the end of the year and is making contactless deliveries that include COVID-19 prevention supplies: disinfectants, microfiber cleaning cloths, face masks, cleaning gloves, dish detergent, food storage containers, hand soap, disinfectant wipes, paper towels, hand sanitizers and food from local pantries.In addition, over Thanksgiving Wildwood Elementary in Amherst and CCRC Manufacturing in Springfield and an individual donor donated turkeys with all of the fixings. Revitalize CDC is also collaborating with Stone Soul to deliver turkeys, hams and chickens to families over the December holidays.
“The BeHealthy Partnership ACO jumped at the opportunity to utilize the Flexible Service funding provided to them by MassHealth to help our community in need during this pandemic. The prevalence of food insecurity has risen to unseen levels in recent months and the COVID-19 Food delivery program that the ACO has launched in partnership with Revitalize CDC aims to promote social distancing while simultaneously addressing the food crisis. Our high-risk community members will no longer need to leave their homes and risk exposure in order to buy groceries. In a very short amount of time, we have seen significant demand for this service.” – Preeti D. Nakrani, MPH, Medicaid & BeHealthy Program Manager, Health New England
“The people I’m delivering to are cooperative and appreciative despite the hard times they’re having. They inspire me and they’ve made me feel the holiday spirit – which I really haven’t felt for quite a while! Thank you for getting me involved in this. It’s doing wonders for my happiness!” – Libby Lord, Revitalize CDC COVID-19 Program Assistant
“My patient was so grateful because it has been such a huge sense of relief for them. They feel less stressed because they don’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from.” Michael Avigliano, Community Health Worker II, Baystate High Street Health Center
This is a remarkable partnership and one that exemplifies innovation in healthcare and housing!
About Revitalize CDC: Since Revitalize CDC’s (RevitalizeCDC.com) inception in 1992, the organization has completed over 1,100 homes investing $41 Million into Western Massachusetts. In the past year, Revitalize CDC completed 172 home repair, modification and rehabilitation projects on the homes of low-income families with children, elderly citizens, military veterans and people with special needs. A total of 684 individuals were directly served and positively impacted. Revitalize CDC focuses on making meaningful improvements on homes to help reduce energy use, save money, and create a safe, healthy and sustainable living environment for our residents.
We leverage the investments of donors, grantors and volunteers as high as 4 to 1, to make significant home repairs that stabilize neighborhoods and strengthen the tax base. We believe in a “Safe, Healthy, Accessible and Energy-Efficient Home for Everyone”. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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