January 17, 2025
January 17, 2025
Cooley Dickinson Hospital (CDH), part of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, is proud to announce the award of $100,000 in Community Health Impact Funds (CHIF) to Safe Passage. The funds will support the community-driven priority of youth mental health through Safe Passage’s innovative “Youth Engaged and Prevention of Domestic Violence” proposal.
This Community Health Impact Fund investment has resulted from Cooley Dickinson’s planned Emergency Department expansion through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Determination of Need process. The process was overseen by Cooley Dickinson’s Community Advisory Board (CAB) and guided by the hospital’s most recent Community Health Needs Assessment.
“With this much-needed expansion of our Emergency Department space, our patients will receive the care they deserve, and this funding will greatly strengthen the well-being of our communities —especially our youth,” said Debra H. Rogers, MSM, Interim President & Chief Operating Officer at Cooley Dickinson Hospital.
The two-year project focuses on boosting youth engagement and providing vital services to prevent domestic violence. The initiative is designed to strengthen the mental health and emotional resilience of young people in the Northampton community, providing them with the necessary tools to thrive.
“This initiative not only supports the mental health of young individuals but also works to break the cycle of domestic violence, empowering youth in the communities we serve to lead healthier, more resilient lives,” said Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH, Chief Community Health and Health Equity Officer at Mass General Brigham.
The award would not have been possible without the invaluable partnership of United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region (UWFH), which played a crucial role in bringing this project to the forefront and ensuring its success. Last year, UWFH also identified youth mental health as a top regional priority. Because of their common goal, UWFH and CDH were able to collaborate on their funding processes. “It was an incredible opportunity for us to increase our impact by working together,” said Geoff Naunheim, Executive Director of UWFH. “Cross-sector collaboration is the only way to truly address this challenge.”
“This funding will enable us to further our mission to create safer, stronger communities by addressing the root causes of violence and promoting mental health and wellbeing among youth,” said Marianne Winters, Executive Director of Safe Passage. “If our ‘Say Something: Youth Initiative’ program has taught us anything it’s that youth want to be involved. They have an incredibly unique perspective on what they want out of safe relationships, and we’re honored to help facilitate those conversations and champion the change that comes from them.”
This funding reflects Mass General Brigham’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of the communities it serves. “By partnering with local organizations and the community, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of young people and their families,” said Rogers.
About Cooley Dickinson Hospital
Cooley Dickinson Hospital is a not-for-profit, acute care hospital that offers community-based programs and services in Northampton, Massachusetts. A member of the Mass General Brigham System, Cooley Dickinson has been advancing the health of people in the Pioneer Valley since 1886. The organization includes community-based primary care and specialty practices in Hampshire and Southern Franklin counties, and a VNA & Hospice program that provides home health and hospice nursing and rehabilitation visits. We are committed to serving our patients and communities with exceptional, compassionate, and personalized care.
About Mass General Brigham
Mass General Brigham is an integrated academic health care system, uniting great minds to solve the hardest problems in medicine for our communities and the world. Mass General Brigham connects a full continuum of care across a system of academic medical centers, community and specialty hospitals, a health insurance plan, physician networks, community health centers, home care, and long-term care services. Mass General Brigham is a nonprofit organization committed to patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community. In addition, Mass General Brigham is one of the nation’s leading biomedical research organizations with several Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals.
About Safe Passage
Safe Passage is the agency in Hampshire County addressing the impact and prevention of domestic violence and relationship abuse. They offer robust counseling and advocacy services, a helpline support for survivors of domestic violence. They also provide opportunities for the community to get involved in their work, including volunteer programming, their prevention initiatives, and their Survivor Anthology, an annual project led by survivors of domestic violence. All of their programs are free, confidential, and open to individuals of all genders and sexual identities.
About United Way of Franklin & Hampshire Region (UWFH)
UWFH is an independent, local nonprofit organization. In 2024, it directed over one million dollars in
funding to nonprofit organizations in Western Massachusetts via multi-year grants targeted at providing
emergency food and shelter, supporting general operations, and pushing for aligned impact around youth mental health and well-being. It also runs early childhood focused programming. UWFH was formed in 2021 with the merger of the Hampshire County and Franklin County United Ways.
