Blue Cross Blue Sheild MA

Message from the President and CE0

When we consider the Foundation's impact, we think not only about what we do but also how we do it. And while there are many ways to measure these types of impact, one of the most important is by hearing from the grant partners, policymakers, health care providers, payers, researchers, and grass roots organizations that make up our stakeholders.

That was front of mind when in 2023 we asked the Center for Effective Philanthropy to conduct a stakeholder survey to measure our impact in the community and to evaluate our work to ensure equitable access to health care for all those in the Commonwealth who are economically, racially, culturally, or socially marginalized.

The words they used to describe our work in the survey—as illustrated in the intro and throughout this report—confirmed that our most important role is as a partner to other organizations and individuals in the health care system and beyond. Whether it's as a funder, a source of objective research and policy analysis, or a convener, our partners value our knowledge, advocacy, and leadership.

In this year's impact report, we share recent work in our three focus areas that we believe best reflects the qualities that our partners describe.

Audrey Shelto Audrey Shelto signature

Audrey Shelto

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Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee (Photo: Katherine Taylor Photography)
  • Trusted
  • Accessible
  • Responsive
  • Informative

Maintaining Health Insurance Coverage and Closing the Coverage Gaps

In 2023, the Foundation tracked the state's efforts to mitigate the impact of the unwinding of public health emergency measures and supported our partners to meet the challenge of a complex redetermination process.

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Katherine Taylor Photography
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We redirected our Coverage and Care grantmaking strategy to support the re-enrollment process with grants totaling $600,000 to 10 community-based organizations. These organizations serve Massachusetts residents most at risk of losing coverage, including older adults, people with disabilities, those whose primary language is not English, and those who live in remote areas of the state. With these funds, organizations assist those who are uninsured and support MassHealth members who need to renew their health coverage as the state unwinds the pandemic-era continuous coverage requirements.

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We highlighted opportunities the state is taking to expand MassHealth's impact on equity and offered policy options to inform a statewide conversation about closing the remaining coverage gaps in Massachusetts.

Behind the Data: Voices of the Uninsured

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We shared the stories of individuals directly impacted by these coverage gaps to help bring life to data about how structural barriers can affect racial and ethnic disparities in health insurance coverage.

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ACDMH PM+ Training (Photo: PIH-US, Zack DeClerk, ICH)
  • Thoughtful
  • Innovative
  • Collaborative
  • Relevant

Expanding the Behavioral Health Workforce to Increase Access to Care

Through our Behavioral Health (both mental health and substance use disorder) focus area, we have aimed to introduce innovative models of care that improve access by reimagining the behavioral health workforce.

The Foundation's approach to the behavioral health workforce
The Foundation's approach to the behavioral health workforce
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Our 7 partners in the Advancing Community-Driven Mental Health grant program concluded their first year of planning, training, and adapting the Problem Management Plus (PM+) program for their sites and populations. Twenty five non-clinical frontline staff were trained in the model in order to deliver a series of brief interventions that address mild to moderate mental health distress to community members in non-clinical settings. Throughout the next year of the funding program, they will continue to refine their programs and enroll additional participants.

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Our grantmaking and policy teams then joined forces to describe and share the PM+ model with over 160 Massachusetts clinicians and social service providers who are working to expand access in their own communities.

View the webinar recording

ACDMH PM+ Trainings

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Participants from grant partner organizations: Boston Senior Home Care, Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee, Quincy Asian Resources, Inc., Stavros Center for Independent Living, The Community Builders; and technical assistance partners, The Family Van and Partners In Health (Photos: PIH-US, Zack DeClerk, ICH
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Health Equity Compact Trends Summit 2023
  • Research
  • Equity
  • Committed
  • Convener

Partnering to Remedy Structural Racism and Racial Inequities in Health

In 2023, the Foundation leveraged multiple partnerships to highlight the impact of racial inequalities in the health care system in Massachusetts and to lay out a concrete proposal for immediate next steps.

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Together with the Health Equity Compact, we commissioned and published The Time is Now: The $5.9 Billion Case for Massachusetts Health Equity Reform. We were invited to present findings from the report at the Health Equity Compact’s first annual trends summit. Since its release, data from the study have been used repeatedly by policymakers and advocates who are working to make structural change through legislation.

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Graphic - Framework
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To guide our ongoing work in this focus area — and rooted in extensive research and stakeholder engagement — we developed a vision for a health care delivery system where all people in Massachusetts experience high-quality, accessible, and timely care from providers who understand and respect their culture.

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We invited old and new partners to respond to the resulting proposed statewide Health Equity Action Plan, released in December and discussed during a convening of 200 health care delivery system leaders and other collaborators.

Foundation Event

Ready, Set, Action! Achieving A Racially and Ethnically Equitable Health Care Delivery System in Massachusetts

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Photos: Chris Evans

2023By the Numbers

Grantmaking

Total Grant Funds
85
grants awarded to
82
organizations
7 Total Advancing Community Driven Mental Health
$1,020,161
10 Total Supporting Health Coverage Enrollment Efforts
$600,000
33 Total Catalyst Fund Grants
$212,042
11 Total Strengthening the Voice for Access Grants
$743,886
12 Total Special Initiatives Grants
$600,000
6 Total Policy and Research Grants
$40,000
6 Total Racial Justice in Health Grants
$433,500

Publications

4,775 downloads of 10 publicationsDownloads

Financials

Board of Directors

  • Andrew C. Dreyfus Chair

    Health Optimist, LLC, Managing Partner

  • Patricia A. Washington Vice Chair
  • Zamawa Arenas

    Founder & CEO, Flowetik

  • Carlos F. Cappas, PsyD

    Chief Behavioral Health Officer, Lynn Community Health Center

  • JD Chesloff

    Executive Director, Massachusetts Business Roundtable

  • Denise De Las Nueces, MD

    Chief Medical Officer, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program

  • Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH

    Dean and Robert Knox Professor, Boston University School of Public Health

  • Shelly F. Greenfield, MD, MPH

    Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Chief Academic Officer, Kristine M. Trusty Endowed Chair in Psychiatry Chief, Division of Women’s Mental Health Director, Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Clinical and Health ServicesResearch, McLean Hospital

  • Michael Hunter

    Vice President, Business Development Trinity Financial

  • Thea James, MD

    Vice President of Mission & Associate Chief Medical Officer, Boston Medical Center

  • Mary Kay Leonard

    Independent Consultant

  • Antonia "Toni" G. McGuire, RN

    Senior Consultant, John Snow Inc.

  • Michael Miller

    Strategic Policy Director, Community Catalyst

  • Sandhya Rao, MD

    Chief Medical Officer & Sr. Vice President, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

  • Henry M. Thomas III

    President, Urban League of Springfield, Inc.

Mass NonProfit News - Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA Foundation elects De Las Nueces and Cappas to its board

Learn more about our ongoing impact.

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