With the generous support of twelve central MA human service provider agencies, the Central Massachusetts Caring Force Rally made the voices of our staff and supported people heard. Clark University's Tilton Hall was over capacity with yellow Caring Force shirts in a show of unity among the human services providers. Many Seven Hills staff members, people we support, and family gathered to advocate for a livable wage that will help to attract and retain good people who want to make a meaningful impact on people's lives, the continuation of the Chapter 257 Rate Reserve, and a student loan repayment program. State Senator Michael Moore served as the keynote speaker. Senator Moore and the other members of the Central MA legislative delegation were thanked for their efforts over the past few years to increase staff pay and increase appropriations for programs and pay rates. Although much progress has been made, further investments are needed to reach the goal of providing all workers in the human services sector with a livable wage.
The Central Massachusetts Rally was the last of the six Regional Caring Force Rallies. The Caring Force held rallies across six Massachusetts regions, bringing advocacy directly into communities for the first time. The other five regional rallies were North of Boston Rally (March 22, 2024), which was held in Peabody; South of Boston Rally (April 12, 2024) was held in Taunton; MetroWest Rally (May 10, 2024) was held at Nevins Hall in Framingham; Western MA Rally (September 17, 2024), this event was hosted by Westfield State University; and the 12th Annual Caring Force Rally was held at the State House (May 22, 2024).
Seven Hills isn't just the largest human services agency in Central Massachusetts; it operates 235 sites across Massachusetts as well as Rhode Island and New Hampshire, and even in other parts of the world through its Global Outreach affiliate. Dr. Jordan oversees a range of complex initiatives at Seven Hills and its 15 affiliate companies, including quality assurance and program improvement, risk management, Medicaid initiatives, research, and regulatory oversight. With a $500-million operating budget, the foundation has 4,500 employees serving 60,000 children and adults. Additionally, Dr. Jordan serves as adjunct faculty at Central Michigan University, where she earned her doctorate.
The Outstanding Women in Business awards have long been one of WBJ's hardest honors to win. Typically, more than 50 women are nominated for the award, and yet only 10-20% of those nominees are selected as winners. Many, many worthy professionals don't make the cut, and each year brings another round of truly excellent nominees. Now in its 16th year, the Outstanding Women in Business Awards have evolved over time. It started a bit as a lifetime achievement award for women at a time when the majority of those types of honors went to men. As that shifted, Outstanding Women in Business focused more on women doing great things at any point in their careers.
Open Sky Community Services and Seven Hills Foundation, along with partners African Community Education, Southeast Asian Coalition, UMass Chan Medical School, and Mass Hire, have collaborated to create an innovative pathway model in the Worcester region. This model encompasses multiple levels of access to a rewarding career in Human Services/Behavioral Health while offering opportunities for BIPOC and immigrant populations and addressing acute workforce shortages. The pathway begins with Dynamic Futures, which exposes BIPOC youth in Worcester Public Schools to behavioral health as a career option.
Next, immigrants and other underserved and unemployed adults can enter the Human Services Career Support program that provides 5 months of training, paid internship rotations, access to cultural facilitators and mentors, and wrap supports to expose participants to potential employment opportunities in the field and then hire them as staff upon completion of the program (which has achieved retention rates of 87%). A third pathway offers BIPOC incumbent staff the opportunity to explore clinical and leadership careers and connections to in-house mentors through the Clinical and Leadership pathway, and lastly, the Higher Ed Career Pathway program provides incumbent staff with a no-cost Masters degree leading to licensure as a Mental Health Clinician (LMHC).
Additionally, the Seven Hills Career Support Program recently graduated 24 students from its inaugural class on Friday, August 23. The 24 students, all from Haiti, were immersed in learning English while completing their certification of completion for direct care in the human services field. The students were welcomed to their work by Sarah Joseph, Director of Community Engagement, Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. She spoke on the importance of their upcoming work caring for others in their communities. Representing the class, student Jesomene Francois asked her class to, "Value the new friendships and remember the importance of hard work. Let's celebrate our victories as we grow strong with each challenge. Today about embracing the future. Let's approach the future with optimism. Always remember where we come from and who we are."
Seven Hills Behavioral Health employs an integrated team of specialists to work at its Community Wellness Centers located in New Bedford, Fall River, and Taunton. Community Health Workers and peer leaders provide culturally competent community and street outreach & education, prevention workshops and social community-building groups, and comprehensive health promotion services for men, women and youth. Individual counseling on substance abuse, domestic violence, HIV, Hepatitis C, STIs, and sexual decision-making is available, along with SA, HIV and STI screening, testing, referral for treatment, and free supplies. Seven Hills Behavioral Health works closely with local community partners in Southeastern Massachusetts, including local law enforcement, faith-based groups, local correctional systems, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to implement health promotion and disease prevention initiatives.
The Open Door Gallery exhibits and celebrates the work of artists with a disability. Created as a collaborative project between Open Door Arts, an affiliate of Seven Hills Foundation, and the Worcester Art Museum, it is the only permanent gallery solely dedicated to promoting the work of artists with a disability within a museum setting in Massachusetts. "One exhibit at a time, Open Door Gallery at the Worcester Art Museum seeks to expand our collective understanding of disability and to create a model for equitable and accessible cultural spaces," says Open Door Arts Managing Director Nicole Agois.
Open Door Arts, an affiliate of Seven Hills Foundation, works annually with more than 3,000 students, teaching artists, educators and leaders of cultural organizations through innovative and inclusive programming, training, events, and exhibits designed to improve access, expand participation, challenge the status quo and share practices to ensure equitable representation by people with disabilities in the arts. ODA has galleries in Worcester (Worcester Art Museum) and Boston (Nonprofit Center) that showcase the work of emerging and established artists with disabilities to advance career opportunities, increase visibility and representation, and serve as platforms for the community to have important conversations about disability, identity, and culture.