Southcoast Health Awards Grant Funding to 3 Wareham Nonprofits

NEW BEDFORD – Three Wareham non-profits were recently awarded grant funding through Southcoast Health’s Community Benefits Impact Opportunity program for fiscal year 2018.

The annual competitive grant addresses unmet health needs in communities on the South Coast.

Wareham Area Committee for the Homeless, the Wareham School Department and Woods at Wareham/South Shore Advocacy Center were among the 39 non-profits to receive more than $142,000.

The program has awarded more than $409,000 to 93 organizations in its first three years.

“Southcoast Health is a not-for-profit health system, with the mission of promoting the optimal health and well-being of individuals in the communities we serve,” said Keith Hovan, president and CEO of Southcoast Health. “As part of our commitment, we collaborate with our many community partners whose missions also seek to improve health and well-being in the region, and are pleased we can support their work through this grant process.”

Grant recipients’ goals align with Southcoast Health’s community benefits priorities, which are based on a comprehensive health needs assessment. These identified priorities for our region include:

• Reduction of the high rate of chronic disease in our region, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma, cancer and other diseases.
• Reducing health disparities, including racial and ethnic disparities, income-based disparities and education-based disparities.
• 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, with improved coordination of a regional behavioral health system.
• 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.
• Maternal and children’s health, including fetal and infant health, abuse and neglect, hospitalizations, substance abuse, healthy weight and mortality.

Southcoast Health operates Tobey Hospital in Wareham.