Health Matters: Cape Cod Duffy Health Center

On our most recent episode of Health Matters: Cape Cod, we had the opportunity to speak with two leaders on the state and national level in the realm of higher education - one of the widely-recognized social determinants of health.
 
We had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Mary Grant, who is the Senior Administrative Fellow for Civics and Social Justice at Bridgewater State University, where she also leads the Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice. Dr. Grant was joined by her colleague and friend Dr. Dana Mohler-Faria, President Emeritus of Bridgewater State University. 
 
In our conversation with Dr. Grant and Dr. Mohler-Faria, we first discuss access to higher education, in particular, the significance of higher education beyond the individual, to the family and community. The primary focus of our discussion is the intersection of higher education and social justice, defined as "justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society."
 
Drs. Grant and Mohler-Faria emphasize the role that higher education institutions play in educating students and the broader community on issues of social justice. This conversation is especially timely given the moment of reconciliation occurring across our country as we face the legacy of social injustices and systemic racism in our communities.

In this episode we speak with Erica Waasdorp, President of A Direct Solution. Erica works with non-profit clients nationally and internationally on growing monthly giving programs.
In our conversation, Erica sets the tone by defining philanthropy, acknowledging that it looks different for everyone, but it is always comprised of some combination of time, treasure, and talent. Erica shares insights from her wide range of experience in establishing, managing, and participating in monthly giving programs. She uses the uncertainty of the past year to illustrate the value of the consistent revenue stream that successful monthly giving programs provide. She encourages donors to invest monthly in any cause they're passionate about.

In this episode, we have a honor of speaking with Dr. Corrie Vilsaint, a research fellow in psychology at Harvard Medical School and principle investigator at the Recovery Research Institute at the Center for Addiction Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Vilsaint also serves on Duffy Health Center's Board of Directors. 
In our conversation, we discuss the science of addiction and recovery; access and barriers to treatment; the instrumental impact of recovery support services for those struggling with substance use and for those on their recovery journey; and addiction & recovery in the time of COVID. We look at all of these topics through the lens of racial health equity. 

In this episode, we speak with Melissa Payne and Jeremy Wurzburg, two Duffy team members in the role of Recovery Support Navigator. Both in recovery themselves, Melissa and Jeremy share insights into the work they do and the value that their lived experiences bring to their roles. 


 
Jeremy discusses his work as part of the  RecoveryBuild Alternative Peer Group, supporting teens and young adults across Cape Cod who are seeking recovery - the only program of its kind in our region.
 
The two also talk about how the crucial support they've provided to the innovative programs that Duffy Health Center has implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
Finally, we get to hear about Perfectly Different Faces, a children's book about Duffy Health Center that Melissa wrote and Jeremy illustrated.

In this episode of Health Matters: Cape Cod, we're joined by Bobby Watts, CEO of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. Bobby provides an overview of the Council's work and strategic initiatives, including a brief lesson on the landscape of homelessness in the US. The conversation is particularly impactful given its relevance to current events - we talk about how Black Americans are disproportionately affected by homelessness in the US because of systemic racism & public policy; we also hear about how the Council is supporting homeless health care programs around the country during the COVID pandemic.
 

This special episode of Health Matters: Cape Cod brings together leaders from three local organizations who share a common mission of supporting our most vulnerable neighbors. Host Sara Grambach is from Duffy Health Center; Edye Nesmith represents the Cape Cod Council of Churches; Adam Burnett joins from Champ Homes. Edye and Adam share details on the wide array of services their organizations provide, and the care that staff and volunteers take in providing them. Their programs have adjusted in the time of COVID, yet they continue to care for our vulnerable neighbors, who need support now more than ever. Finally, we hear about upcoming collaborative fundraiser Hymns of Hope, featuring famed Irish tenor John McDermott. Learn more and buy tickets at www.HymnsofHopeCapeCod.org.