NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Southcoast Health announced today that it is now accepting grant proposals for its 2017 Community Benefits Impact Opportunity program, which will award up to $125,000 to not-for-profit organizations across the region.

“As a not-for-profit health system, we are driven by our mission of promoting the optimal health and well-being of individuals in the communities we serve. Safeguarding and improving the health of hundreds of thousands men, women and children in the South Coast region is a passion and commitment that we take very seriously,” said Keith A. Hovan, President & CEO of Southcoast Health. “We work collaboratively with many community partners and we are happy to be able to support this work through our annual RFP process.”

Grant proposals must align with the health priority areas identified in Southcoast Health’s most recent Community Benefits Report.

“We look at optimal health from a broad definition and understand that many factors can impact health,” noted Kerry Mello, Community Benefits Manager for Southcoast Health. “These include the social determinants of health such as food security, housing, educational and work opportunities, and safe neighborhoods and outdoor spaces where there are opportunities for all to engage in healthy activities.”

Health priority areas for this year’s program include:

• The reduction of the high rate of chronic disease in the South Coast region, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma and cancer.
• The reduction of health disparities, including racial and ethnic disparities, income-based disparities, and education-based disparities. Another aspect is increasing access to healthcare for vulnerable populations through insurance enrollment and outreach.
• The development of programs and services that support the reduction of homelessness in our region including strategies for increased collaboration among agencies serving homeless residents.
• The reduction in the incidence of youth risk behaviors such as teen violence, high rates of teen pregnancy and substance abuse.
• Behavioral health issues that include substance abuse and mental health, including improved coordination of a regional behavioral health system.
• The development of healthy “System and Environment” change, including healthy food options, increased access to free and low-cost opportunities for active living, such as public parks, bike trails etc., and reduction in the high rate of smoking in our communities.
• The improvement of maternal and children’s health, including fetal and infant health, abuse and neglect, hospitalizations, substance abuse, healthy weight and mortality.

Southcoast Health launched this program in 2016 to an overwhelming response, and was able to provide funding to 22 non-profit organizations throughout the region. The selected grantees represented a variety of programs that positively impact communities across the South Coast; ranging from a program providing laundry services to homeless residents, to outreach and care coordination and support groups for residents impacted by the opioid crisis. Other projects promote wellness through programs that impact healthy eating and opportunities for physical activity. Projects that also help address high rates of chronic disease in our region by helping residents better manage conditions such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease were selected.

The annual Community Benefits Impact Opportunity program is part of a larger community benefits effort which positively impacts hundreds of thousands of residents on the South Coast. In the most recently reported fiscal year, Southcoast Health invested almost $20 million in community benefits initiatives, including charity care, hospital-based programs, collaboration with federally qualified community health centers, regional health and human service partnerships and support of community health programs.

The deadline for submission of a grant proposal is Dec. 31, 2016. To obtain a copy of the application, contact Kerry Mello at mellok@southcoast.org or visit www.southcoast.org/communitybenefits.