Community Care Partners

01/30/2026

From Hannah’s desk: As a Managing Director of a MassHealth Community Partner, I sit inside one of the most invisible—but most essential—parts of our healthcare system.

Community Partners are the connective tissue for MassHealth members who fall through the cracks: people with complex medical, behavioral health, housing, disability, and social needs who are often too complex for traditional systems to hold. We work in living rooms, shelters, emergency departments, and community spaces—coordinating care when systems don’t talk to each other and showing up when no one else does.

And right now, we need the community to show up and witness what our members are living with.

MassHealth will be holding two public meetings to review updates to the 1115 Demonstration Waiver Extension, including initiatives being considered for the next extension period (2028–2032):

🔹 Monday, February 9, 2026 | 12:00–1:30 PM
🔹 Wednesday, February 25, 2026 | 12:00–1:30 PM

👉 Details here: https://lnkd.in/dmrfmFgN

These meetings matter. The 1115 waiver is not abstract policy—it shapes whether people can access care coordination, behavioral health support, housing-related services, and community-based interventions that actually keep them alive and stable.

As Community Partners, we see every day:
• The consequences of underfunded, fragmented systems
• The cost of delayed care and bureaucratic barriers
• The resilience of members who are navigating impossible conditions

But too often, these realities are discussed without the presence of the people most impacted—or the community organizations holding the risk alongside them.

Public participation matters. Witnessing matters. Speaking up matters.

If you care about health equity, disability justice, behavioral health access, housing stability, or the future of MassHealth, I urge you to attend, listen, and lend your voice. These decisions will shape what support looks like for our most vulnerable neighbors for years to come.

We can’t fix what remains unseen.
Please show up.

MassHealth will be holding two public meetings to review an update on the MassHealth 1115 Demonstration Waiver Extension:

🔹Monday, February 9, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
🔹Wednesday, February 25, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

We will share additional details regarding a subset of initiatives that we are considering requesting authority for in our next 1115 Demonstration extension request (2028-2032): https://www.mass.gov/info-details/masshealth-section-1115-demonstration-waiver

01/19/2026

On this day, may we honor the legacy of Dr. King with a reminder to have hope for what is right and just despite the adversities in front of us.

01/13/2026

Access to primary care is becoming increasingly fragile. From the perspective of Community Care Partners (CCP) and our fellow Massachusetts Community Partners, this is not abstract—it is what we see downstream every day.

When primary care access collapses, people do not disappear. They surface in emergency departments, inpatient units, and behavioral health crises—not because those settings are appropriate for routine care, but because they are often the only access left.

Our care coordination teams support members who:
• cannot establish primary care for months
• have lost long-standing physicians to burnout or early retirement
• rely on emergency departments for medication refills and chronic disease management

We also know that many of the members we serve—when properly supported in primary care—require more time in appointments, experience difficulty with timeliness, and face significant health-related social needs that affect access, engagement, and continuity of care. These realities are not barriers of motivation; they are reflections of complexity.

As primary care capacity erodes, system-wide stress increases. Expectations often shift—implicitly—onto care coordination teams to resolve gaps that no longer have providers, appointments, or treatment pathways behind them.

Care coordination, community health workers, nurses, social workers, and interdisciplinary teams—across CCP and our fellow Community Partners—work every day to stabilize care, build trust, and support member engagement. But these roles cannot replace primary care, especially when part of the purpose of our program is to connect vulnerable persons to primary care. We can only mitigate the impact of primary care absence for so long.

From a population health lens, the communities hit first and hardest are those already facing the greatest barriers: rural populations; publicly insured and low-income individuals; people living with chronic illness, disability, or serious mental illness; and immigrant communities. In Massachusetts, these are the very members served by Community Partner programs.

Workforce expansion and training pipelines matter. But without addressing the underlying causes, the system risks accelerating churn rather than building stability.

Care coordination can stabilize gaps—but it cannot replace primary care.

12/31/2025

12/12/2025

The MIRA: Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, Inc. (MIRA) has launched an exciting new program to provide full legal representation in Immigration Court for income eligible immigrants. The Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative, or MACI, offers a centralized intake and referral system for individuals facing Immigration Court proceedings.

Detained and non-detained individuals from Massachusetts in need of legal assistance can now call the MACI Intake Line at (508) 505-4588. Individuals that call will complete a 15-30 minute intake process. Eligible individuals will be referred to a contracted legal partner for a consultation (pending capacity). Representation is FREE under this program.

The hotline has access to a language line to assist individuals with limited English proficiency.

11/07/2025

Governor Maura Healey today announced that her administration is directing full SNAP benefits to be paid and expects recipients to start receiving their delayed benefits as early as tomorrow. See the full press release here: https://www.mass.gov/news/governor-healey-directs-full-snap-benefits-to-be-processed-today

09/19/2025

🧡 Communicating What Can’t Always Be Counted

At Community Care Partners, we work every day to bridge two worlds: the person and the payor system. We pursue creative ways to optimize care that honors both — but some of the most meaningful parts of our work are also the hardest to quantify.

Trust. Relationships. The moments where someone feels heard, respected, and connected again. These are the foundations of health equity — yet they don’t always show up neatly in utilization, cost, or outcomes reports.

That’s why we’re seeking input: what’s the best way to communicate this kind of care — the qualitative, human-centered work — alongside the metrics that systems require?

We believe both matter. And we believe the future of community care depends on finding ways to show the value of both.

09/08/2025

At Community Care Partners (CCP), we’re proud to be the community arm of our ACO partners—meeting members where they are and stitching together the supports that make healthcare work in real life.

Quick refresher: In MassHealth’s Accountable Care Organization (ACO) model, providers work together, share information, and coordinate treatment plans so people can navigate a complex system more easily—improving outcomes and reducing costs.

On the ground, that means we:
• bridge clinics and communities
• coordinate across PCPs, hospitals, BH, and LTSS
• tackle social needs (housing, food, transportation)
• advocate alongside members and families

Learn more about the ACO model: https://lnkd.in/eH_AkMnx

Full list of MassHealth ACOs: https://lnkd.in/eakH3SrG

06/27/2025

🌡️ Heat + Certain Medications = High Risk 💊☀️
Summer heat can silently increase medical risk—especially for people on medications that impair the body’s ability to cool down.
Many of these meds are prescribed for common conditions:

🧠 Mental Health
Antidepressants (e.g., SSRIs, SNRIs)
Antipsychotics (e.g., for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder)
Mood stabilizers (e.g., lithium)
→ Risk: Reduced sweat production, heat intolerance, altered thermoregulation

🫀 Heart and Blood Pressure
Beta-blockers
Diuretics (for heart failure, hypertension)
→ Risk: Dehydration, slower heart rate, impaired circulation response

🌿 ADHD & Neurological Conditions
Stimulants (e.g., Adderall, Ritalin)
Anticholinergics (used for Parkinson’s, bladder conditions)
→ Risk: Overheating, confusion, reduced thirst perception

💡 Tips for Support & Safety
Check in on clients, neighbors, and elders
Encourage hydration and shade
Know which meds increase risk
Adjust routines to avoid mid-day exposure
Coordinate with providers proactively
This is especially vital for care coordinators, community health workers, and social workers on the front lines.

☀️ Don’t underestimate how climate + medication = public health challenge.
Let’s spread awareness and protect our most vulnerable.

06/06/2025

🩺 Bay Cove Nurses: The Heartbeat of Community Care 💙
This week, our affiliate partner Bay Cove Human Services honored the incredible nurses who serve on the front lines of care—from shelters and residential programs to community outreach.

At Community Care Partners, we’re proud to work alongside these compassionate professionals who fill the gaps so many systems leave behind. Their commitment, courage, and clinical excellence make all the difference for the members we support together.

CEO Kevin Martone joined Bay Cove’s Nurses Appreciation Event to celebrate these everyday heroes—and we’re cheering right alongside them.

✨ To every Bay Cove nurse:
Your care saves lives. We see you. We thank you.

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06/06/2025

🌟 Community Impact Starts with Strong Clinical Teams 🌟
At Community Care Partners, we know how vital clinical professionals are to making behavioral health and long-term services truly work for communities. That’s why we’re proud to spotlight opportunities with our affiliate partner Vinfen, a leader in compassionate, community-based care.

📍 Now Hiring Across the Greater Lowell & Northeast MA Region

Whether you're just starting out or bringing years of experience, Vinfen is building a team that prioritizes relationship-driven care, equity, and innovation in service delivery.

🗓️ Check out Vinfen’s upcoming Job Fair on June 4 – an opportunity to connect, learn more, and find your place in this meaningful work.

🔗 Details + Registration: https://bit.ly/43aO19H

If you’re not currently job searching but know someone who is:
🔁 Share the love. Share the link. Help build the future of care.

🔘 Looking for a new clinical role?
🔘 Interested in working in the Greater Lowell/Northeast region?
🔘 Driven to make a difference in a community near you?
✅ Our job fair on June 4 the place to be!

Find more details and sign up to join us here: https://bit.ly/43aO19H

If this isn’t a fit for you, but you know a clinician looking for opportunities:
💬 spread the word! 💬

06/04/2025

🎉 Congratulations to our partners at Vinfen! 🎉

We’re thrilled to celebrate the opening of your new ACCS Supported Independent Environment on Andover Street in Lowell! This 19-unit residence is a powerful step forward for individuals transitioning from group living to greater independence—and a testament to Vinfen’s ongoing commitment to dignity, recovery, and community.

Thank you for the work you do to create safe, supportive, and empowering spaces for adults with complex needs. We’re proud to partner with you in building a more person-centered behavioral health system.

👏 Here's to more milestones—and more backyard barbecues!
Read more in The VOICE: https://bit.ly/4jCQ1fZ