Behavioral Health Partners Of MetroWest Receives $10K Grant

MARLBOROUGH, MA — The Behavioral Health Partners of MetroWest has been awarded a $10,000 grant to support its work to improve behavioral health and social services in the region. Founded in 2017, the partnership connects residents with the services they need.

Officials said that demand for the partnership's services has soared since the beginning of the pandemic. The group now serves 5,000 people each year.

Here's more from a press release from Behavioral Health Partners of MetroWest:

The Behavioral Health Partners of MetroWest (BHPMW), a human service partnership between local agencies Advocates, South Middlesex Opportunity Council, Spectrum Health Systems, and Wayside Youth & Family Support Network, was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from The Foundation for MetroWest. The grant supports BHPMW’s work to improve access to behavioral healthcare and social services in the region.

BHPMW launched in January 2017 in response to community feedback that it was difficult for area residents to access needed services. The partnership now serves nearly 5,000 people annually. BHPMW operates MetroWest Care Connection (MWCC), a hub for community resources that links any local resident to needed health and social services via its multilingual team of telephone care navigators and an online search tool.

The online search tool is popular, racking up 5,700 anonymous searches in just its first eight months. Local residents can search for a wide range of supports and even request services through the system, as can medical providers, school personnel, and others. For those who prefer telephone support, MWCC’s Navigation Line provides an accessible option. After calling the Navigation Line, one local parent reflected, “We were really impressed with the responsiveness in immediately reaching out to us following my initial call. I really appreciated that you were able to find a resource for us so quickly. That was such an amazing help since actually making a connection to discuss availability with a provider can be so difficult. We were able to get an appointment much faster than I anticipated.”

Demand for this type of support has soared due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Foundation for MetroWest grant will allow the program to scale appropriately to match local needs. Among the partnership’s current priorities is maintaining a diverse, multilingual team that reflects the demographics of the region, particularly in those communities where BHPMW’s programs are most utilized: Framingham, Marlborough, Milford, Natick, and Ashland.

“We are grateful for The Foundation for MetroWest’s investment in our programs,” says Anne Pelletier Parker, executive director of BHPMW. “Thanks to this grant, local residents will be able to connect with the critical supports that too often exist just out of reach.”

About Behavioral Health Partners of MetroWest

A partnership comprising Advocates, SMOC, Spectrum Health Systems, and Wayside Youth & Family Support Network, BHPMW aims to improve community health through better access to and coordination of care. BHPMW operates MetroWest Care Connection, a community health hub offering a Navigation Line (844-528-6800) and a website (www.mwcareconnection.info) via which anyone can search for needed services.

About Foundation for MetroWest

The Foundation for MetroWest is a community foundation that improves the quality of life in 30+ MetroWest communities. Since 1995 the Foundation has been providing financial and educational resources to local nonprofit organizations, sharing essential data about the region to inform decisions, and partnering with donors to help guide and align their giving with the areas of greatest need in the community. The Foundation is supported by a range of businesses, individuals, and other philanthropic organizations. Currently the Foundation stewards more than $30 million in charitable assets for immediate needs and future impact.