Massachusetts Rural Health Equity Program

The Massachusetts State Office of Rural Health (SORH) acknowledges that the impact of structural racism within the Commonwealth is often overlooked or unrecognized, however it is harmful to everyone.  The social marginalization and inequities that racism cultivates in housing, education, employment, the built and social environments, and healthcare are felt across generations, most acutely in communities of color.  Additionally, while these efforts must lead with racism explicitly, it is with understanding of the intersectionality of factors such as gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and ability, which also contribute as overlapping or interdependent systems of discrimination and disadvantage, that we address inequitable health outcomes. 

In partnership with the SORH, NEHRA engages organizations with experience lifting-up and addressing social justice issues related to local or regional policy, systems, and environmental changes. This work directly supports the SORH’s goals to build partnerships to increase access to health services, develop better systems of care, and improve the health status of rural communities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

One such priority is the Rural Vaccine Equity Initiative:

NEHRA supports CBOs in rural regions across the Commonwealth to respond to their individualized needs for COVID-19 mitigation. Our Rural Health Program Manager works with community-based organizations to support community led COVID 19 mitigation activities in rural regions across the state. 

The NERHA provides the following activities to meet the scope of contracted services for this initiative:

  • Fund rural community-based organizations (CBO's) through a competitive process. 

  • Provide technical assistance, training, and evaluation support to rural community-based organizations (CBO's).

  • Coordination of a peer learning network for information exchange across funded regions and work with Massachusetts Department of Health (DPH) staff to help CBOs navigate internal MDPH resources.

  • Build capacity through engagement of racial equity training.