Addressing mental health challenges facing young people In early 2020, they successfully shifted to meeting virtually and are growing partnerships with senior centers and housing facilities to reach more older adults in need of connection. Before 2020, the Elder Care Council offered educational programming and social gatherings for older adults. Loneliness is a proven risk factor for many health issues among older adults – and isolation became an even bigger concern for people living alone during the pandemic. For example, they provided much-needed support around: Alleviating loneliness in elderly populations It also changed the way many people accessed care, from in-person doctor visits and community events to telehealth appointments and virtual meetings.īecause the Collaborative was already established and deeply rooted in the community, the Councils were able to quickly pivot – and even expand – their programming to meet these new challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic not only created a new public health emergency – it also exacerbated existing issues that contribute to health problems, such as isolation, substance misuse, domestic violence and mental health challenges. Since the Collaborative began, the context for community healthcare has changed drastically.

“The hospital champions' role is to figure out what kinds of programs and services make sense for the hospital, but we have success because the voice of the community is involved.” Continuing Care During COVID-19 “What’s unique in this structure is how much the leaders are able to collaborate to create what we offer,” Lele said. Council members are ambassadors for the Collaborative’s programs, perform community outreach and education, help measure program impact and encourage philanthropy to fund the work of the Collaborative. Resilience Council (youth mental health)įor each focus area, a hospital champion and a community leader co-chair a leadership council, which also includes hospital staff, community members, and public health partners.The Collaborative then developed eight focus areas: These are the factors outside of biology that impact health – such as socioeconomic status, education level, immigration status, race, and gender. With the aim of addressing public health holistically, the hospital conducts tri-annual needs assessments and looks at social determinants of health in the areas in which it operates. Top photo by Newton-Wellesley Hospital How the Collaborative Works The Collaborative serves residents of six towns in the Metro-Boston area: Natick, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Wellesley, and Weston.įirst Republic spoke with Lauren Lele, Senior Director of Community Health and Volunteer Services at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, about how the Collaborative was formed, how they adapted their programs to serve families in need during COVID-19 and how the program has helped strengthen the hospital’s community ties. In 2017, the hospital started the The Newton-Wellesley Collaborative for Healthy Families and Communities (now referred to as NWH Community Collaborative), an initiative created to expand on services provided by the hospital, bring resources directly to communities in need, and lift up voices of community leaders to improve access to quality healthcare. First Republic client Newton-Wellesley Hospital, a member of Mass General Brigham Healthcare System, is a community hospital in the greater Boston area, providing its patients with the expertise of a major medical center combined with the personalized care of a community-based institution. Community hospitals are an essential part of the American healthcare system, providing access to quality care to millions of people nationwide.

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