Institute for Health Equity Research, Evaluation & Policy

Community health centers are at the forefront of chronic disease management, providing essential care and support to underserved populations. Earlier this month, IHE’s Dr. Cheryl Clark asked Alejandro J. Esparza Perez of Holyoke Health Center, Inc. to discuss HHC’s approach to chronic disease management and the vital role community health centers play in improving health outcomes. Dr. Alejandro Esparza Perez has spent over two decades improving healthcare access and quality for underserved communities. With 25 years of experience supporting underprivileged populations in Mexico and the U.S., he brings deep knowledge and compassion to his role as CEO of Holyoke Health Center. Dr. Esparza Perez joined the center in 2002, originally serving as a primary care provider and Chief Medical Officer before assuming his current leadership position. Through his clinical work and strategic initiatives, Dr. Esparza Perez champions healthcare as a fundamental right, striving to make quality care accessible to all individuals, regardless of their circumstances. Their conversation delves into HHC’s innovative strategies for chronic disease management and the pivotal role CHCs play in building healthier communities. Read the full discussion below.

In case you missed it, our very own Dr. Cheryl Clark was honored as an Innovator in Healthcare by the Boston Business Journal for championing the community health center-led research model, which empowers CHCs to perform research and shape responsive care initiatives around it. The demographics that CHCs serve are largely left out of traditional research models, but by empowering CHCs to perform their own research, we can shift the ownership of data collection and use findings to inform clinical and policy innovation. IHE will continue to support community health centers as uniquely responsive care providers, champions of CHC-led science, and central pillars in our health system. Read more below! https://lnkd.in/e7wiTKmg

IHE Executive Director and Senior Vice President Dr. Cheryl Clark was honored at the Boston Business Journal's second annual Innovators in Healthcare awards ceremony! Dr. Clark was awarded in the community health category, recognized for her championship of health equity and community health center-led science, a model that empowers CHCs to drive data analysis, scientific discovery, clinical and policy innovation. IHE will continue to support CHCs as uniquely responsive care providers, champions of CHC-led science, and central pillars in the state’s health system. Dr. Clark is proud to be awarded alongside the health leaders driving innovation and equity, including CHC leader Mimi Gardner, VP & Chief Equity Officer at NeighborHealth. Read more about the awards here: https://lnkd.in/eQXUMqNH #BBJHealthcare

As we continue into the new year, IHE’s Dr. Cheryl Clark spoke with Karen Gardner of Community Health Center of Cape Cod (CHC) and Charles L. Anderson MD of The Dimock Center about the critical role of community health centers in advancing health equity. Karen Gardner, Chief Executive Officer of CHC, has been with the organization for 21 years, transforming it from a free clinic into a multi-specialty practice that now serves 25,000 residents across multiple locations. Dr. Charles Anderson, President and CEO of The Dimock Center in Roxbury, MA, brings over 25 years of experience in the Boston-area healthcare community. Under his leadership, Dimock operates the country’s most comprehensive, integrated community health, substance use disorder, emergency shelter, and early education and care program on a single campus. Each are renowned advocates for health equity who drives strategic, operational, and community-focused initiatives to improve care access and outcomes. Their conversation offers an in-depth look at how community health centers across Massachusetts are addressing social determinants of health and promoting overall wellness. Read the full discussion below.

Today, we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose dedication to justice and equality continues to inspire action. His vision reminds us that achieving health equity is not only a medical issue but also a moral imperative. At the Institute for Health Equity Research, Evaluation & Policy, we are proud to carry forward Dr. King’s mission by empowering community health centers with the tools and resources to address systemic health disparities. Through health center-led science, we work to dismantle barriers and create a more just and equitable future for underserved populations. From Dr. Cheryl Clark and the entire IHE team, we invite you to join us in reflecting on Dr. King’s enduring impact and rededicating ourselves to advancing health equity across the Commonwealth and beyond. #HealthEquity #MLKDay

Community health centers are foundational to health care in rural communities, providing high-quality, low-cost care to those who face outsized barriers to access, even in our state’s leading provider landscape. For example, our partner Outer Cape Health Services is the furthest medical facility from an emergency department in Massachusetts, providing comprehensive primary care, behavioral health, vision, telehealth, and pharmacy services to those who may otherwise not have access to it. CHCs’ services are in high demand as they continue to fill gaps left by larger providers, but they face persistent workforce shortages and insufficient resourcing. With adequate funding and intentional workforce development initiatives, CHCs can continue to deliver accessible care to the communities who are most in need of it. Thank you to Ava Berger and the Boston Business Journal for shedding light on the challenges CHCs face. Read more below. ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eW2fb7SH

SSTAR was honored to welcome a visit from Dr. Kiame Mahaniah, Undersecretary for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. The visit provided an opportunity for Dr. Mahaniah and Millie Bhatia, Health Policy Manager EOHHS to meet with program directors and senior staff to hear about the integrated system of healthcare at SSTAR. SSTAR is a Federally Qualified Health Center and Mental Health Center offering a full continuum of services including primary care in 3 locations and mobile van services; substance use disorder services including: inpatient, outpatient, intensive outpatient, OBOT, Bridge, and an Opioid Treatment Program; and mental health services including a rapid access program. Left to Right Monica David, COO SSTAR - Dr. Genie Bailey, Chief of Research SSTAR - Sherry Ellis, CEO SSTAR - Dr. Kiame Mahaniah, Undersecretary for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services - Millie Bhatia, Health Policy Manager EOHHS

Yesterday we celebrated National Pharmacists Day! Pharmacists are essential to community health centers and the services they provide, as more than half (52%) of CHCs provide pharmacy services, according to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). Pharmacists play a vital role in ensuring their communities have access to critical health services and resources. These dedicated professionals go far beyond dispensing medications—they’re trusted advisors to patients and health care teams, delivering immunization, therapy management, disease education, and preventive care services. We'd like to thank CHC pharmacists for their tireless commitment to advancing health equity. Your work ensures CHCs remain a cornerstone of care for those who need it most. Visit Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers to find a CHC near you and learn more about your center's pharmacy offerings. https://lnkd.in/dZZ6p4H #NationalPharmacistsDay #HealthEquity #CommunityHealth

This holiday season, we hope you’ll learn more about Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, an organization that works to ensure equitable access to high-quality health care for those experiencing homelessness. BHCHP offers primary, dental, behavioral and specialized care, as well as case management and family services to those most in need. Its Sober Homes Pilot Program has promoted access to sober, stable living in collaboration with Boston Medical Center (BMC) since July 2022. As we celebrate the holidays, please consider donating to BHCHP to support them in providing quality care and dignity to our unhoused neighbors. https://lnkd.in/e8bzjmSE

Congratulations to Dr. Cheryl Clark for being named to the Boston Business Journal's Innovators in Healthcare 2024-2025 list under the community health category! Her leadership in spearheading community health center-led research, scholarship projects, and advancing health equity across Massachusetts has made a profound, lasting impact on our local communities. Dr. Clark is recognized with a group of 14 distinguished healthcare professionals - especially our friend and CHC partner, Mimi Gardner from NeighborHealth - for driving innovative healthcare solutions and inspiring others across our industry. Join us in celebrating this well-deserved honor! Read more about the 14 honorees. https://lnkd.in/eQXUMqNH