HEALTH CARE ACCESS AND QUALITY
GOAL:
Individuals in Northeastern Pennsylvania have equitable access to high-quality health care services.
Invest in organizations that create, improve, or increase access to high-quality primary care, oral health, and mental health services.
Support innovations that build and strengthen a skilled and committed health care workforce.
Seek innovative, evidence-based solutions to address current mental health needs.
From July 2023 through June 2025, the Foundation supported
Living the Work
During the strategic refresh process, the Foundation’s Board of Directors reaffirmed its commitment to the broad range of investments included within the Health Care Access and Quality Focus Area.
At the same time, the Board recognized our community’s growing mental health needs and prioritized opportunities to address this crisis. In response, the Foundation issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in late 2024 to inspire innovative, evidence-informed solutions that expand access to and increase the availability of mental and behavioral health services for adults across the Foundation’s 11-county region.
The nine projects selected for this two-year funding opportunity align with our goals to strengthen the continuum of care through cross-sector coordination and collaboration, to increase the availability of and diversity of provider types, to integrate mental health into health care and non-health care settings, and to eliminate barriers to care. To maximize the impact of the $2,130,000 investment, the Foundation also coordinated a learning community for the cohort of mental health grantee leaders who are committed to solving shared challenges, strengthening mental health outcomes, and building sustainable solutions across Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Alongside the mental health-focused RFP, the Foundation made significant investments in regional primary care, oral health, and other mental health initiatives. These grants helped establish new care facilities, expand service variety and capacity, improve care quality, and strengthen community care systems. Investments in the health care workforce included efforts to develop new provider pipelines, broaden the skills of current staff, and overcome retention barriers. Read on for highlights of these funding partnerships, or visit our website for the full list of grantees and project details.
Grantee Highlights
- MFHS: Local Success Increases Confidence in Program Expansion
- The Wright Center Receives Dental Health Grant
- BAYADA Shares Powerful Lessons in Training Early-Career Nurses
- Opening of Conyngham Primary Health Care Center at Children’s Service Center of Wyoming Valley
- Volunteers in Medicine: Clinic Provides Hope and Healing to the Uninsured
Looking Ahead
Over the next two years, the Foundation will convene the Mental Health Grantee Learning Cohort to further its work as a vibrant learning community. These collaborative gatherings provide an active platform for sharing ideas, addressing challenges, and strengthening collective capacity. The goal is to not only enhance the impact of recently funded projects, but to also foster a culture of ongoing collaboration and cohesion, driving systemic change across Northeastern Pennsylvania’s mental health care system.
We are also eager to deepen our partnerships with organizations that share our commitment to meeting critical community needs—spanning primary care, oral health, health care workforce development, and mental health access—by investing in projects that set new standards for equitable access to high-quality services.