After more than twelve years as a trusted partner to outreach workers across the state, we are suspending our programming at the end of December. Community Partners faces a critical funding gap that we’ve been unable to bridge. While we are out of funding, we are never out of ideas, and we remain committed to the essential role outreach workers have in the transformation of our health care system.
The outreach workers in our Health Access Network (HAN) provide unique and vital services to their communities across Massachusetts. By directly helping people secure both coverage and care, they make the many health insurance programs in our state more efficient and effective. Outreach workers at our final HAN meeting clearly told us how important our work has been to their ability to navigate public coverage on behalf of their clients (at the bottom of this page you will find contact information for 2008-2009 HAN members).
For over a decade, Community Partners offered professional support to outreach workers across the state though HAN meetings and online services. We also promoted outreach workers’ deep grassroots understanding of the workings of Massachusetts health care reform to inform state, regional and national health policy transformation. Although our email updates will end, our website archives will remain online for the foreseeable future. Outreach workers can still rely on the archives’ extensive library of information.
We regret that the rich learning environment of the HAN meetings cannot continue as it has. This is a loss for outreach workers, health care reform advocates and the state of Massachusetts. The loss may be greatest for the low- and moderate-income residents of Massachusetts who rely on outreach workers to help them understand heath care reform and enroll in the confusing array of state programs.
We want to thank everyone who has helped make our work so successful over the years. HAN wouldn’t be HAN without the astute and connected presence of Health Care for All representatives—most recently Kate Bicego, Jennifer Chow and Stacey Auger—as well as scores of other committed representatives from organizations across the state. We also thank our long term funders and the many people who donated over the summer to help keep us open as long as possible.
Last, but never least, thank you to the outreach workers who do the real work that makes Massachusetts’ health care system work as well as it does. Community Partners continues to believe that outreach workers are essential to national health care reform. Believe us when we promise you that if sufficient funds should return, we will be ready to spring back into action to support and promote your essential work in the state and nationally.
Does anybody know of any
Does anybody know of any good Masshealth dentists in the Cape Cod area? Or Boston area? Or anywhere in between? Reading through the dental reviews on website has made me wary of Masshealth dentists. I can't find enough dentist reviews online in order to pick a dentist.
MA Health Care
Is this a problem specific to MA and their health care laws? My question is will we see more of this kind of thing with the recent passing of health care reform?
hey very sad
I am feeling sad after hearing this news..... this will hurt many poor people in the society.... Lets hope this may change...
Thanks for the post.
Why don't you ask the community for funds?
I have been an active member of the wikipedia. When wikipedia needed funds, it was able to raise millions of dollars from its members. I am comparatively new here but looks like what you do makes a much larger difference to the lives of the members. Why don't you ask the members for funds.
I shall be happy to help if you need any technical help.
So disappointing...Your contribution has been significant to me
I am genuinely saddened to hear this news. I have always relied on your publications to best understand and communicate changes in the areas of coverage and eligibility. Your staff has made a tremendous difference to us in the field and I hope that that is some small solice to take away with you.
My sincerest best wishes to you all on both a professional and personal level.
Donna Ramos
Controller-Lynn Community Health Center
You will be missed.
Thank you for your contribution to the body of knowledge that has evolved over the past several years around access to affordable insurance in Massachusetts. As our work has grown increasingly complex and involved, Community Partners has kept up with all of the different programs and regulations. You have helped us to identify resources and to resolve problems at the program and policy levels with a positive, constructive approach. Please know that you will remain part of the foundation that allows us to continue providing assistance to people in our communities every day. Thank you.
a HUGe Thank YOU!
Community Partners has continually filled the void of timely updates and educational support that the state of Massachusetts would not have been able to do on its own.
Thank you to your very small staff for having a very BIG impact on the outreach and education staffs across Massachusetts. Not only were your communication tools innovative, but the information shared and networks were always one step ahead of all other efforts.
Thank you - and we hope to see all of you doing similar heart-filled work in the near future.
-The Mayor's Health Line Staff
Boston, MA
I'm VERKLEMPT (sp?)
I cannot imagine a world without the monthly HAN meetings...when I first went to Citizens' Health in 2001 I thought "Oh good! Now I have a reason to go to HAN every month." When I lost that job, I worked to maneuver myself into a position where I could go again.
Your team has been an invaluable part of my professional education and personal support network. I am going to get the prayer chain actively engaged to create a world in which the world beats a path to your door once more.
PEACE and THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING
Margie Ware
Elder Services of Berkshire County
A Sad Day
The accessability of individuals at ComPartners to help problem-solve, the HAN-Discuss list-serve, and the intimacy and availability of open dialogue with the 'Pooh-Bahs' at the HAN meetings are going to be sorely missed! You have all provided an invaluable service to us in the field and it is regretable that your funding sources don't appreciate your value. Thank you for helping us, and through us, our clients and patients. You have made a difference!
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