MeHAF grants support innovations in rural health systems
Photo / James McCarthy
Barbara Leonard, president and CEO of Maine Health Access Foundation, says her organization seeks to foster innovative approaches to improving health and health care systems in Maine.
The Maine Health Access Foundation awarded $240,000 to five organizations to develop collaborative approaches to improve health and health care access in Maine’s rural communities.
Three “Catalyst” grant recipients will initiate new collaborative efforts, while two “Acceleration” grants will support existing collaborations to pilot programs that test novel ways of delivering essential health services.
“We are pleased to support the collaborative planning and piloting of efforts to advance integration and strengthen health care services in the ways that will best meet rural communities’ needs.” said Barbara Leonard, MeHAF’s president and CEO. “We want people in rural Maine to be able to receive the high quality, affordable care they need close to home.”
Grant recipients are:
Catalyst grants
Health Access Network Inc.: $30,000, Rural Healthcare Integration Planning Collaborative.
Mayo Regional Hospital - Mayo Community Outreach: $30,000, Piscataquis Healthcare Collaborative.
Pines Health Services - Aroostook County Health Network: $30,000, Continuum of Care Coordination in Aroostook County.
Acceleration grants
Central Maine Healthcare Corp.: $75,000, CMH Rural Health Transformation Initiative.
Healthy Acadia: $75,000, Washington County Substance Use Response Initiative.
Following the closure of health facilities in a number of Maine’s rural communities, MeHAF engaged researchers at the University of Southern Maine to compile existing information from numerous sources into a statewide overview of rural health. County-by-county profiles provide a snapshot of the state of health and the health system to inform and promote local discussion and strategic planning.
Last November, MeHAF convened stakeholders for a statewide meeting, Advancing Rural Health System Transformation, with the goal of raising awareness of the issues and sharing innovative solutions underway in rural communities in Maine and around the nation. At the meeting, a series of rural health innovation briefs was released highlighting promising approaches and building the foundation for MeHAF’s new initiative and grant program.
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