Mass General Brigham Launches Community Health Improvement Corps to Expand Access to Care Across Boston

New team of community-based specialists will provide health screenings, education, and care navigation in neighborhoods facing barriers to care

Mass General Brigham today announced the launch of its Community Health Improvement Corps (CHI Corps), a new initiative that will improve residents’ access to care, support earlier detection of health conditions, and provide care outside traditional clinical settings in communities across Greater Boston.

The CHI Corps consists of a workforce of community-based specialists trained in both clinical screening and community engagement. The Corps members will deliver services in locations such as libraries, housing complexes, and places of worship throughout local communities. The program will begin in Chelsea, Jamaica Plain, Hyde Park, and Mission Hill, with plans to expand to Mattapan, Revere, Charlestown, Dorchester, Roxbury, Lynn and Salem later this year. Through this phased rollout, CHI Corps will bring services directly into neighborhoods with the greatest health needs.

“Through the Community Health Improvement Corps, we are expanding access to preventive care and resources in communities where barriers to care remain significant,” said Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH, Chief Community Health and Health Equity Officer at Mass General Brigham. “This initiative reflects our deep commitment to improving health outcomes for all and making meaningful progress toward closing persistent gaps in care.”

Initial efforts will primarily focus on screenings, navigation to care management, and education for colorectal cancer and hypertension, empowering individuals to meet their health goals in those areas while also connecting individuals to primary and specialty care. The team will also conduct health-focused social risk screenings and offer referrals to resources such as housing, food access, and other essential services.

Designed to reflect the communities it serves, the CHI Corps brings together specialists with diverse professional backgrounds and multilingual capabilities in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, Portuguese, French, Mandarin, and Cantonese to strengthen meaningful community connections and engagement. Staff include community health workers with clinical training and will be supported by a registered nurse who assists with triage and care coordination.

“By building a skilled, culturally competent workforce rooted in the community, we are strengthening relationships, improving early detection, and helping more people navigate and receive the care they need,” said Priya Sarin Gupta, MD, MPH, Senior Medical Director of Clinical-Community Programs at Mass General Brigham.

The CHI Corps is part of Mass General Brigham’s broader community health strategy to improve health outcomes and address health gaps and is the latest component of the system’s specialized community health workforce. Working alongside community care vans, embedded care programs at community organizations, MGB pharmacies and partnerships with local organizations, the CHI Corps creates additional entry points for individuals to access care, resources and support services. Together these programs expand access to care for thousands of patients across Greater Boston.