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Health division wins MassDOT grant to fund community transportation coordinator
Summary
Lynn’s health division received a Massachusetts Department of Transportation grant to fund a community transportation coordinator position (and potentially a vehicle) to address transportation barriers identified in local health plans and the community health improvement plan (CHIP).
The Lynn Health Division announced at the March 4 board meeting that it was awarded a Massachusetts Department of Transportation grant to fund a community transportation coordinator and support services to address transportation barriers.
Norris (staff) told the board the grant will fund two key components: a coordinator position to enroll residents in ridership programs, collect participation statistics, and convene partner organizations; and a second grant stream that could fund a vehicle. The presentation tied the initiative to recommendations in the city’s Community Health Improvement Plan and other local assessments that repeatedly identified transportation as a barrier to accessing services.
Norris said the coordinator will work with existing programs, including ride-sharing partnerships, hospitals, and community-based organizations, to recommend targeted transportation solutions and improve access to health services, food, and other supports. Board members described the award as an important step to implement cross-sector solutions identified in recent health assessments.
Why it matters: Transportation access was repeatedly flagged in local planning documents as a driver of inequities; the grant-funded coordinator is intended to reduce barriers to care and services by coordinating existing offerings and piloting new solutions.
