MetroWest Health Foundation

10/08/2026

For nearly 20 years, MetroWest school districts have used findings from the MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey to understand and respond to the health needs of their students.

The foundation’s 2026-2031 Strategic Plan emphasizes the importance of deepening its data work by helping partners understand and take action on their findings. As such, this year the foundation launched a grant program to directly support school districts in implementing programmatic and policy shifts in response to student needs.

Nineteen school districts received funding to take action on the findings from the 2025 survey. Most districts are focusing on student mental health, with grants supporting wellness initiatives, professional development, student engagement, social work staffing, peer mentoring, and targeted programming. Other efforts address digital wellness, school connectedness, substance use, bullying, dating violence, and student gambling.

See regional findings of the Adolescent Health Survey on our website ➡️ www.mwhealth.org

The MetroWest Health Foundation is one of the largest independent health care philanthropies in the state. We provide more than $5 million in grants a…

10/05/2026

Do you have breakfast plans for Thursday? How about leveling up your career? 🥐☕🫐

Join foundation staff and alumni of the MetroWest Health Leadership Program for an information session on October 8 from 9-10am. Learn more about the program, hear from alumni about their experiences, and ask questions about the application process. It is not necessary to register in advance.

Applications are due November 6. Learn more about the program and access the application form: https://mwhealth.org/strategic-investments/leadership-development Questions can be directed to Rebecca at 508-879-7625.

The MetroWest Health Foundation is one of the largest independent health care philanthropies in the state. We provide more than $5 million in grants a…

10/02/2026

Yesterday (October 1) thousands of immigrants across the state lost MassHealth Standard and Care Plus health insurance coverage. These are the latest changes to Medicaid eligibility from the 2025 federal legislation known as 'OB3.' Not all immigrant groups are affected; resources from Health Care for All and MassHealth below help identify impacted groups and connect people to other resources.

MassHealth screener to assess eligibility: https://www.mass.gov/federal-changes-affecting-masshealth-medicaid-members

Some affected groups may qualify for MassHealth Family Assistance; others may qualify for MassHealth Limited or Health Safety Net (see here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/masshealth-limited-health-safety-net and here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/masshealth-coverage-types-for-individuals-and-families-including-people-with-disabilities-0)

Summary of Health Care for All presentation: https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2026-09-21/health-advocates-warn-of-masshealth-changes-for-immigrants-coming-oct-1

Stay informed of upcoming OB3 changes to insurance eligibility: https://hcfama.org/webinars-on-ob3-changes/

The Trump Administration is making changes to Medicaid programs across the country. Learn how they affect MassHealth members.

09/22/2026

Concept papers for the Fall 2026 Grant Cycle are due later this week. Submit early to allow the most time for feedback on your proposed project.

Learn more on our Grants page➡️ https://mwhealth.org/funding/apply-for-a-grant

09/21/2026

Have you checked out our 2025 Annual Report yet? The theme is 'Woven Together'; amidst the financial and grant reports are facts about our region that celebrate our 'uniqueness' while demonstrating our interconnectedness.

View it on our Publications page: https://mwhealth.org/knowledge-center/foundation-publications

09/15/2026

In the Fall 2026 Grant Cycle, the foundation is soliciting grant proposals focused on Equitable Access to Care; Food Security; and Housing Stability.

Concept papers and logic models are due Friday, September 25 and should be emailed to Rebecca Donham ([email protected]) on or before the due date. Questions can be directed to Rebecca or Angela at 508-879-7625.

Please visit the Grants section of our website for more information. ➡️https://mwhealth.org/funding/apply-for-a-grant

09/10/2026

This trip to Advocates is one of three site visits this summer that foundation trustees and Grants Panel members were invited to attend alongside the staff. These ‘Day in the Field’ visits provide foundation trustees and other volunteers—all of whom live in the region—with additional context about the work underway in their communities. One volunteer said, "Each visit was unique and informative and powerful. It feels so good to be supporting such important organizations and programs really making a difference in the community and for the people they serve."

Thanks so much to the hardworking teams at Advocates (some of whom are pictured below), the Natick Health Department, and SMOC for hosting us!

Access and equity in behavioral health are critically important, and we're so grateful to count MetroWest Health Foundation as a partner in this work.

Thanks to a grant from the Foundation, Advocates is focused on improving language access, bilingual service capacity, health equity, and data-informed care across its MetroWest-area counseling clinics. Last week, we were thrilled to host Foundation CEO Phillip González, along with Foundation board and staff members, for a visit to our Community Behavioral Health Center in Framingham. Our team appreciated the opportunity to answer questions, discuss successes, and address real day-to-day challenges with this committed group of community partners.

Here's to continued innovation and progress in delivering culturally-responsive care!

08/14/2026

Thanks for joining us this week as we recapped recent policy developments ( )

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08/13/2026

For the merged market, 2027 health insurance premium rate increases are over 10%, placing pressure on small businesses and hundreds of thousands of enrollees across the state

⬆️The rates: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/2027-health-insurance-rates -merged-market-rates-effective-for-2027

➡️Efforts by the state Department of Insurance: https://www.mass.gov/news/governor-healey-insurance-commissioners-actions-save-72-million-for-massachusetts-residents-businesses

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Follow along this week as we recap health policy developments affecting the region and state from our .

The MetroWest Health Foundation is one of the largest independent health care philanthropies in the state. We provide more than $5 million in grants a…

08/12/2026

The Health Policy Commission shared earlier this year that psychiatric and psychotropic prescriptions have increased among commercially-insured MA residents, especially for females aged 18-49. And, "while prescription drugs are often a cost driver for the Massachusetts commercial population, primarily due to branded and specialty drugs, 97 percent of the behavioral health drugs prescribed in 2024 were generic."

View the DataPoint (Issue 34) to learn more: https://masshpc.gov/publications/datapoints-series/issue-34-meeting-need-filling-script-increasing-behavioral-health
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As summer winds down, we're revisiting the policy issues that have shaped recent editions of our monthly . Check back each day this week for a recap.

This issue explores Massachusetts’ trends in psychotropic medication prescriptions, including medications for substance use disorder (SUD), among commercially-insured Massachusetts residents between the ages of 5 and 64 with full-year pharmacy coverage in the Massachusetts All-Payer Claims Databas...