The Community Foundation for Nantucket is proud to award an Emergency Relief grant to support a major community-wide effort to address inadequacies in the delivery and coordination of behavioral health and substance misuse services on Nantucket.
The initial investment towards this project was made possible through a Community Health grant from the McCausland Foundation to the Nantucket Fund for Emergency Relief. These funds supported the first phase of this project. CFN has created a community fund to help support future project costs.
“Convening the participants in this critical and timely study is a task for which the CFN is uniquely positioned. This initiative fits our strategic mission exactly.” Geoff Verney, Chair, CFN Board of Trustees
A New Approach to Addressing Behavioral Health on Nantucket
The evaluation will be coordinated by Government Performance Solutions, Inc. (GPS), a Denver, CO consulting firm with extensive experience in the facilitation of community-wide collaborations to address Behavioral Health systems. Beginning immediately, the evaluation will include extensive interviews, focus groups and data mining across a broad swath of service organizations, community groups, and constituents on the island.
This work will ultimately result in a detailed current-state analysis in August. The next phase of the project is envisioned to chart a course forward including the development of a strategic initiative roadmap.
“We were excited to award this grant and to see the leaders of all of these organizations move quickly to push this critical initiative forward. Despite all best efforts, the current system of care is fragmented, and people fall through the cracks.” – Margaretta Andrews
The 15-member steering committee includes:
- Margaretta Andrews, Executive Director, Community Foundation for Nantucket
- Jennifer Frazee, Executive Director, A Safe Place
- Libby Gibson, Town Manager, Town of Nantucket
- Chris Glowacki, Vice President of Strategy and Community Development, Nantucket Cottage Hospital
- Dr. Beth Hallett, Superintendent, Nantucket Public Schools
- Dawn Hill Holdgate, Chair, Nantucket Select Board
- Michael Kellerman, Executive Director (Interim), Fairwinds
- Jackie Lane, Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness Cape Cod and the Islands
- Dr. Tim Lepore, Addiction Solutions of Nantucket
- Holly McGowan, Community Member
- Jim Perelman, Sheriff, Nantucket County Sheriff’s Department
- William Pittman, Chief of Police, Nantucket Police Department
- Kevin Ralph, Chief Development and Community Relations Officer, Gosnold Inc.
- Gary Shaw, President and CEO, Nantucket Cottage Hospital
- Father Max Wolf, Rector, St. Paul’s Church