Page 38 - HealthcareNews May/June 2021

River Valley Counseling Center Wins $50,000 Technology Makeover
HOLYOKE — River Valley Counseling Center (RVCC) announced it has been awarded a $50,000 technology makeover from Insight Enterprises and Intel. RVCC is one of three winners in the Connected Workplace Makeover Contest, which was created to help businesses address
the effects of aging technology. As a winner, RVCC will receive IT consultation from Insight and $50,000 worth of new 11th Gen Intel Core Processor devices, including Intel vPro Platform PCs built for business.
“We are absolutely thrilled and incredibly appreciative to Insight Enterprises and Intel for selecting River Valley Counseling Center as a winner of this contest,” said Rose- marie Ansel, executive director of RVCC. “With the new Intel PCs, our team will be able to better service the over 9,000 children and adult clients we provide care for each year in the Pioneer Valley.”
The contest targeted small and mid-sized companies of fewer than 1,000 employees that have been particularly strapped for resources or may be struggling to adapt IT systems and processes to the shifting marketplace amid
the COVID-19 pandemic. The contest focused on three areas of critical IT needs: productivity; updating tools, particularly for remote work; security; and total cost of ownership. More than 1,200 U.S. organizations submit- ted contest entries sharing why they needed a workplace makeover. RVCC was named the winner in the productiv- ity category.
RVCC IT Support Manager Leonard Smith, who sub- mitted RVCC into the contest, looks forward to the make- over. “We are thrilled and excited to be able to receive this makeover at our largest and oldest clinic, giving it the love and care it deserves just as our staff does for our clients. These machines will vastly help support our community that means so much to us.”
Intel Evo vPro PCs will allow RVCC to service clients in a timelier manner, roll out better telehealth options, stay secure, and be HIPAA-compliant. Over the next month, Insight and Intel will be conducting on-site consultations with RVCC to help the team identify the best technology upgrades for their clinic located at 303 Beech St. in Holy-
oke. It is expected that productivity based at this location could improve by up to 25% by replacing poorly running computers, including some still running on Windows Vista.
“Business needs and demands have changed dramati- cally in the last year alone, when keeping pace with new technology already was challenging enough for indepen- dent businesses in ordinary times” said Brenda Hudson, senior vice president, Commercial Business Solutions at Insight. “Each of the winners of the Connected Workplace Makeover Contest has experienced significant disruption or financial hardship during the pandemic, from having to abruptly switch to more telehealth options and shoring up the security of patient data to bringing greater stability to a widely distributed workforce. A technology makeover will put them on the fast track to more reliable perfor- mance and stronger connections with their customers and workforce however and wherever they need to engage with them.”
Mercy Receives Grant to Help Substance-exposed Newborns
SPRINGFIELD — Mercy Medical Center is one of five Massachusetts hospitals selected to receive grant funding from the Health Policy Commission (HPC) for a program designed to improve the care provided to substance- exposed newborns and their caregivers.
The Cost-Effective, Coordinated Care for Caregivers and Substance Exposed Newborns (C4SEN) Investment Program is a new grant opportunity that aims to develop innovative care models that promote collaboration among appropriate providers to better coordinate care delivery
to ensure access to high-quality, efficient, and culturally sensitive care — including addiction treatment — for both substance-exposed newborns (SEN) and their caregivers during their period of highest risk.
“Through the C4SEN program, the HPC is targeting much-needed resources for the most at-need patients, communities, and healthcare providers,” said David
Seltz, HPC executive director. “The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the need to invest in behavioral- healthcare services, and, through this funding, we are supporting these five community hospitals as they provide
culturally competent care for substance-exposed new- borns and their caregivers. The HPC is thrilled to work with our awardees to expand access to comprehensive postpartum and newborn care across the Common- wealth.”
Mercy Medical Center will use the $300,000 grant to leverage technology to establish new clinical pathways and a care-coordination model to streamline the provi- sion of existing services for the target population. Using Mercy’s Family Life Center for Maternity as a nexus point, the grant will also support cross-disciplinary collabora- tion among providers affiliated with Mercy whose work intersects with the treatment of substance-use disorder for pregnant and postpartum women and their newborns.
Prior to applying for the C4SEN grant, Mercy convened an ad hoc working group of physicians, nurses, clinic managers, social workers, care coordinators, behavioral- health specialists, and administrators whose work involves providing care to patients with substance-use disorder. The group, while providing insight into the scope of avail- able services and the efficacy of current care-coordination
efforts, agreed about the need and commitment to find new ways to work together, share information, and better coordinate services so as to best support SEN and their caregivers.
“We are grateful to the Health Policy Commission for supporting our efforts. This grant will allow us to set up new ways devoted to tracking care for these high-risk newborns and their caregivers across the entire hospital system, resulting in a more integrated patient experience,” said Dr. Robert Roose, chief medical officer for Mercy Medical Center and its affiliates. “At the same time, it
will enable providers, regardless of setting or location, to coordinate patient care more effectively and to facilitate referrals and follow-up, which in turn will contribute
to the long-term effectiveness of substance-use disorder treatment.”
In addition to Mercy Medical Center, the HPC has also awarded grants through the C4SEN program to Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Berkshire Medical Center, Southcoast Hospitals, and South Shore Hospital.
State Grant to Support Teens in Recovery from Substance Use
BOSTON — The Executive Office of Health and Hu- man Services (EOHHS) and the Department of Public Health (DPH) announced $630,000 in grants to support alternative peer-group model programs for young people ages 13-17 who are in active recovery from opioid use, stimulant use, or other substances, or who have been iden- tified as being at risk for such use.
Duffy Health Center in Barnstable and Railroad Street Youth Project in Great Barrington will be awarded the grants over the next year and a half to operate programs that will serve at least 30 individuals annually. The alterna- tive peer-group model incorporates age-appropriate and enjoyable social activities into support services to ensure that adolescents stay engaged in long-term recovery as needed.
“Substance use among adolescents can have alarming
long-term impacts on their health and well-being, so it is imperative that those in recovery are exposed to positive peer influence as well as support services,” Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders said. “This award also ensures the continuity of these important services during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The model program encourages recovering teens to learn how to have as much fun as possible within healthy boundaries; rewards them for healthy choices, honesty, and integrity; and strongly encourages parents and guard- ians to attend their own recovery meetings and create their own program of accountability to support their teen.
“We need to work harder to support adolescents with their substance-use-disorder treatment and recovery,” said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Monica Bharel. “These funds will offer a comprehensive model that combines
positive social activities with evidence-based supports to keep teenagers with opioid and substance-use disorder engaged in their recovery.”
Each organization will receive $52,500 in FY21, $210,000 in FY22, and $52,500 in FY23. The program is funded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s State Opioid Response grant.
“DPH and the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services are continuing to innovate in order to better protect and support Massachusetts youth,” said Deirdre Calvert, director of DPH’s Bureau of Substance Addiction Services. “We must build support for young people in recovery and those at risk for substance use and show them the enjoy- ment and fulfillment that can come from maintaining their sobriety and supporting their peers.”
38 WWW.HEALTHCARENEWS.COM MAY/JUNE 2021