G-2111-17282

This proposal is one of two that are a part of the Racial Justice in Health (RJH) initiative, which is a co-funding project between CareQuest Institute, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, and the Rx Foundation. The purpose of the initiative is to advance policies and practices in Massachusetts that promote racial justice and equity in health and health care delivery. To do this, the RJH initiative is focused on investing in the capacity of people of color-led community organizations to strengthen their position as leaders and influence policy and systems that advance equity.

Founded in 1990, Brookview House Inc. (Brookview) is a Black and Latinx women-led community-based agency working for justice, equity and systemic change for low-income families. Through a two-generation, culturally responsive approach, Brookview provides housing with on-site programs to improve health and wellbeing, educational achievement, and economic stability. This campaign aims to disrupt the status quo, shift culture and behavior by commingling housing, healthcare and culturally responsive practice to improve physical and mental health and health access.

Brookview works to enact systemic change by serving as a voice for low-income families in Massachusetts and advocating for policies that further their ability to achieve independence. Brookview’s approach as a change maker prioritizes Black and Indigenous People of Color’s voices and leadership at the community level based on input, feedback and participation from constituents. Brookview also organizes and hosts community-based legislative listening sessions and press briefings, legislative luncheons at the State House, conferences, youth-led Spread the Word campaigns.

The focus of this work will be to implement strategies, tools and accountability measures to disrupt status quo, shift culture and behaviors that address racial disparities so that a sustainable culturally responsive model emerges. Some of the key strategies for the project include:
-building the case, so that key stakeholders understand the problem.
-creating collaborations that elevate leadership of Black and Latinx communities, align goals and share learning.
-raising awareness, develop a shared understanding of key issues, barriers and solutions.
-creating alternatives to status quo.
-advocating for/influencing policies that facilitate systems change.

The budget for all grantee organizations associated with the RJH Initiative is $50,000. Of that, organizations are requested to set aside $7,500 specifically to support individually focused technical assistance that would strengthen the organization’s infrastructure and capacity to engage ongoingly in policy efforts. The remainder of the funding is to be committed staff time to participate in the cohort learning and organization focused community power building.

This work offers several unique opportunities for CareQuest Institute, including:
-the establishment of new relationships with philanthropic partners seeking to advance health equity
-the increased capacity of Massachusetts-based people of color-led organizations to include and speak to oral health as a key part of broader oral health efforts
-the establishment of new partnerships with community-based organizations that will advance health and health care policy

A key part of this initiative includes an organization’s framework around individual and cohort-based training, technical assistance and learning. Through this, grantees will be equipped with the capacity to understand health and oral health from a systemic standpoint, to meaningfully engage in conversations with communities around the prioritization of needs and opportunities. Through this framework, CareQuest Institute will work support the provision of oral health learning for the broader cohort and the two specific organizations being recommended for funding.