One of Franklin County’s leading mental health and social services agencies received a funding boost from UVM Health Network – Alice Hyde Medical Center earlier this fall, with the hospital donating $10,000 to support utility assistance, food security and other social service support initiatives, as part of UVM Health Network’s broader push to improve health and wellness in the community.

Lee Rivers, CEO of Community Connections of Franklin County, said the funds from Alice Hyde would make an immediate, positive impact for individuals across Franklin County involved in the organization’s programs – which range from family support and life skills training programs to home health care management, mentoring, peer recovery and support service, and more.

“I’m so excited and thankful for this partnership with Alice Hyde – because all across Franklin County there are people in need who have to make impossible decisions. ‘Do I keep the lights on, or buy food for the table?’ ‘Do I heat the house or fill up my car so I can go to work?’,” said Rivers. “These funds represent the chance to make a positive impact on our community, and to help people with thoughtfulness, empathy and a desire to give them the power to create their own success and opportunities.”

Becca Shutts, MSN, MBA, RN, Alice Hyde’s Chief Nursing Officer, said the hospital recognizes the importance of partnering with and supporting organizations that offer critical mental health and social support services.

“The need to support health and wellness doesn’t stop at the doors to our hospital,” said Shutts. “If anything, it grows more and more urgent as we continue to see the impacts of limited access to these types of programs within our communities. We see these impacts in our Emergency Department and our hospital every single day, and we are proud to support the critical work of Community Connections, and the services they provide across Franklin County.”

Alice Hyde’s donation to Community Connections connects directly with the hospital’s Community Service Plan/Community Health Improvement Plan, which supports New York State’s Prevention Agenda. Funding was made possible through the shared commitment of Alice Hyde and UVM Health Network to Community Benefit work, including addressing local, social determinants of health which impact rural communities.