Lahey Hospital & Medical Center Announces $40,000 in Community-Based Grants

Five local organizations to receive funds to implement programs addressing community health concerns

BURLINGTON, MA – November 18, 2014 – Continuing its tradition of giving back to the communities it serves, today Lahey Hospital & Medical Center announced the distribution of $40,000 in grants to local community-based organizations. These grants will allow the organizations to develop, expand or implement cutting-edge health care programming, education and training in the Lahey Hospital & Medical Center service area. The grant recipients include:

Lexington (MA) Youth & Family Services ($10,000): LYFS will develop or expand three key programs: A youth suicide prevention education and outreach program to ensure that suicidal and depressed teens have barrier-free access to trained counselors; a continuation of the Lexington Asian Mental Health Initiative which will implement parental workshops to deepen Asian parents’ understanding of the unique needs of their children, while also working with Lexington schools to engage parents and teachers to better understand Asian culture; and the development of Parent Education Groups designed to increase the knowledge and skill of parents as they respond to the emotional and psychological needs of their children.

REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, Waltham, MA ($10,000): Funding will support REACH’s Civilian Domestic Violence Advocate (CDVA) program, which helps police understand the dynamics of abusive relationships, the lasting impact of trauma and why a victim may be ambivalent about leaving an abuser or involving law enforcement. CDVA will continue to provide stabilizing services to help victims achieve long-term safety, self-sufficiency and participation in society through support groups, legal advocacy, child and adolescent therapy and shelter.

YMCA of the Metro North, Peabody, MA ($10,000): The Y will implement free LIVESTRONG programming to cancer survivors and their families throughout the greater Peabody area. The program will empower adult cancer survivors to improve functional capacity and increase their quality of life through organized group fitness and strength classes led by specially trained YMCA instructors. The program will also implement peer-to-peer support groups, which will help build supportive relationships, reduce stress and create positive interactions among cancer survivors.

Town of Bedford (MA) Board of Public Health ($5,000): Funds allocated to train and certify a town employee as a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) instructor. This training will enable the instructor to acquire the basic skills and knowledge to respond to individuals in mental health distress. Following the training, the instructor will provide basic MHFA training to 60 town staff and community partners in the Bedford Board of Public Health, Public Schools, Youth & Family Services, Recreation, Housing Authority and local houses of worship.

Billerica (MA) Council on Aging ($5,000): BCA will use the funds to expand elder health education and wellness activities, including fitness classes like Cardio Boost, T’ai Chi, and Zumba Gold. These classes will target the underserved population of seniors, minimize recurring hospitalizations and increase the number of seniors who achieve positive health milestones.

“At Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, we take great pride in our willingness to listen, assess and act upon the demonstrated needs of the many communities we serve,” said Gerald MacKillop, director of community relations for Lahey Health. “Through our regular community health needs assessments and grants like these, we are delivering on our promise to support local organizations as they implement thoughtful, strategic programs that will improve the health and well-being of our area residents.”
For more information about Lahey Health, including lists of services and physicians as well as what separates it from other health care systems, visit www.LaheyHealth.org, follow the Lahey Health feed or become a fan on Facebook.

About Lahey Health

Lahey Health is what's next in health care, providing a full continuum of integrated health services close to where you live or work. It is comprised of nationally recognized, award-winning hospitals—including an academic hospital and medical center, and community hospitals—primary care providers, specialist physicians, behavioral health services, post-acute programs such as home health services, skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, and senior care resources located throughout northeastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire.

Lahey Health offers nearly 1,000 locally based physicians providing clinical excellence and an exceptional patient experience in adult and pediatric primary care and every medical specialty, including kidney and liver transplantation, neurosurgery, cancer, cardiovascular and orthopedic medical and surgical care; local emergency and trauma care; urological surgery; chronic disease prevention and health management; and pediatric emergency, newborn and inpatient care provided in collaboration with Boston Children's Hospital physicians.

Lahey Health includes Lahey Hospital & Medical Center—a teaching hospital of Tufts University School of Medicine—and Lahey Clinic physician group with practices in Burlington, Peabody and other locations throughout northeastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire; Beverly Hospital; Addison Gilbert Hospital in Gloucester, Mass.; Winchester Hospital; Lahey Health Senior Care and Lahey Health Behavioral Services as well as more than 30 primary care physician practices and multiple outpatient and satellite specialty care facilities.

Together, we are making innovative, integrated healthcare more personal and more accessible. For more information, visit LaheyHealth.org and its member websites Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Beverly Hospital, Addison Gilbert Hospital, Winchester Hospital, Lahey Health Senior Care and Lahey Health Behavioral Services.