UMass Memorial Medical Center Community Benefits Program
At UMass Memorial Medical Center, our team is dedicated to improving the lives of everyone in our community. We partner with philanthropic organizations, government agencies and educational institutions to address the needs of our community.
Through our Community Benefits program, we offer comprehensive services, outreach, education and support to people of all ages. Our team promotes healthy oral hygiene by offering preventive dental care to children in Worcester schools. We also provide reliable health care to people in low-income neighborhoods, and we support people with substance use disorder and those experiencing homelessness.
We work to reduce health disparities and make a difference in the lives of everyone in our community. We hope to empower them to take control of their own wellness.
Our Programs
We’ve designed our Community Benefits programs specifically for the people we serve. Our programs and initiatives address issues affecting the well-being of the children and adults in our region.
Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
The Care Mobile brings preventive dental and medical services directly to children and their families. Our dedicated team members visit socioeconomically disadvantaged areas in Worcester County. We also visit Worcester public and charter schools, neighborhood and community centers, churches and apartment complexes. Learn more.
Pediatric Asthma Intervention Program
The Medical Center offers an evidence-based intervention program addressing high rates of pediatric asthma and related emergency department visits. The program provides home visits performed by culturally competent community health workers. They work with families to address triggers in the home and offer education to ensure that parents and caregivers are administering medication correctly. Learn more.
Road to Care
Road to Care is a mobile clinic helping people with substance use disorders. The Road to Care team brings the mobile unit directly to those in need, visiting food pantries, vulnerable neighborhoods and shelters. In addition to treating substance use disorders, the Road to Care team offers primary care, wound care, screenings for high blood pressure and cholesterol, vaccines and basic mental health care. They also help people manage chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.
Community Grant Programs
UMass Memorial Medical Center offers a range of community grant programs designed to improve the health and well-being of people in the Worcester region. These programs include large-scale Determination of Need (DoN)/Community Health Improvement (CHI) grants linked to hospital construction, mini-grants for grassroots initiatives and continuation of essential services grants. Collectively, these funding opportunities support a strong network of nonprofit partners and address key health priorities, such as access to care, mental health, food insecurity and housing.
DoN/CHI Grants – North Pavilion (2024)
Funded through state-required contributions tied to hospital construction, these long-term grants (one to three years through FY27) support nonprofits working to address community health needs. In 2024, UMass Memorial Medical Center awarded $5 million across 18 grants to initiatives focused on health care access, affordable housing, mental health and access to healthy food.
Mini-Grants
These small-scale grants (up to $5,000 each; $30,000 total) fund short-term projects and events within the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) service area of Grafton, Shrewsbury, West Boylston and Worcester. For FY25, seven mini-grants were awarded to support local health-focused efforts.
Continuation of Essential Services Grants
These grants provide continued funding for organizations delivering critical services funded in FY23-24. Award decisions are based on demonstrated impact and alignment with CHNA priorities. For FY25, funding continues for the City of Worcester Department of Public Health, the City of Worcester Youth Services Division, the Medical Legal Partnership and Worcester RISE.
Determination of Needs (DoN) Funding
As part of our goal to enhance the well-being of everyone in our community, UMass Memorial Medical Center contributed funds to support several local nonprofit organizations. These organizations help people of all ages by addressing a broad range of issues, including homelessness, food insecurity and access to mental health care. Read about our Determination of Needs (DoN) funding opportunities and the efforts we support. Learn more.
Community Health Needs Assessment
Creating a customized health improvement plan starts with assessing the needs of our community. To identify the most pressing concerns, we work with local organizations to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) focusing on our specific geographic area.
The CHNA evaluates many factors affecting health and wellness. These include social and economic issues, health behaviors and outcomes. It also evaluates existing resources and services available to residents of Worcester.
View the 2024 Greater Worcester Community Health Needs Assessment.
View the 2021 Greater Worcester Community Health Needs Assessment.
View the 2018 Greater Worcester Community Health Needs Assessment.
Community Health Improvement Plan
After determining the most urgent areas of need, we partner with the City of Worcester Division of Public Health, the Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester and other community stakeholders to create a robust Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). The CHIP includes measurable goals addressing specific concerns highlighted in the Community Health Needs Assessment. The CHIP has five main objectives:
- Improve health equity in the region
- Increase access to medical and dental care
- Offer behavioral health services to individuals in the community
- Prevent violence and reduce injury, especially among local youth
- Promote healthy eating habits and proper nutrition
View the 2021-2026 Greater Worcester Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) or access the interactive webpage.
Community Benefits Strategic Implementation Plan
The Community Health Needs Assessment and the Greater Worcester Community Health Improvement Plan guide us in developing the UMass Memorial Medical Center Community Benefits Strategic Implementation Plan. This plan includes actionable goals that our team works toward every day. It focuses on five main objectives:
- Increase access to food and reduce food insecurity
- Ensure that more people have access to safe, affordable housing
- Help residents navigate the health care system and access public benefits
- Improve career pathway opportunities and reduce poverty
- Deliver culturally responsible health care
View the UMass Memorial Medical Center 2025-2027 Community Benefits Strategic Implementation Plan.
The UMass Memorial Health Community Benefits Report
The UMass Memorial Health Community Benefits Report highlights the work we do every day to improve the well-being of people in our region. This report includes information about the Community Benefits programs at the Medical Center as well as all the other hospitals in the system.
As a unified team with a shared vision, we combine our efforts to have the greatest impact on the lives of people in our community. We are passionate about enhancing the wellness of everyone in our region.
View the 2023 UMass Memorial Health Community Benefits Report.
We Welcome Your Feedback
Our team wants to ensure that the services we provide are making a meaningful difference by addressing the needs of the people we serve. We welcome your input on the Community Health Needs Assessment and the Community Benefits Strategic Implementation Plan. If you have comments or questions, please email the Office of Community Benefits at cbummh@umassmemorial.org.
If you’d like to read archived Community Health Needs Assessments, Community Benefits reports and strategic implementation plans, you can find them below.
2021 Community Health Needs Assessment
2022-2024 Community Benefits Strategic Implementation Plan