The Regional Collaborative is a team of public health professionals hired with the assistance of the Public Health Excellence Grant and additional funding from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Based in the Norwood Health Department, the Regional Collaborative partners with NC-8 communities to develop regional programming, support the NC-8 Medical Reserve Corps, and provide surge capacity for the NC-8’s COVID-19 response.
Regional Programs
Coming Soon
NC-8 Welcome Family
Regional Food Truck Program
Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid is an international program designed to teach adults to help someone experiencing a mental health or addiction challenge or is in a crisis. The course introduces common mental health challenges, educates participants about the appropriate terminology, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations. The NC-8 Public Health Associate is a certified instructor and offers Adult MHFA courses for individuals in the NC-8 region. Soon she will be trained in other concentrations including Youth and Teen MHFA with programming likely being offered in the Fall of 2023. To learn more, please reach out to kmckay@norwoodma.gov.
Previous Programs
Regional COVID-19 Data Dashboards
COVID-19 Contact Tracing Best Practices
Equitable COVID-19 Test Distribution Protocol
Norfolk County 8 Regional Epidemiologists have created an interactive dashboard to look into the regional COVID-19 numbers within the NC-8 communities with the ability to single in on specific measures.
The NC-8 Regional Coalition Best Practices for COVID-19 contact tracing are pulled from the Spring 2022 Massachusetts Department of Public Health recommendations. These practices will be updated as the group progresses and are dependent on the state recommendations.
Norfolk County 8 Regional Epidemiologists have created an equity-driven protocol for the distribution of COVID-19 tests within the NC-8 region.
COVID-19 Programs
Sun Safety
With grant funding from the Massachusetts Office of Local and Regional Health, the NC-8 Regional Collaborative launched the Regional Sun Safety Initiative throughout the region in Summer 2022.
The Regional Collaborative created programs that are specifically tailored to different age groups. Some unique features of our method include the use of UV detection stickers, UV camera with a portable printer to show individual sun damage, and training for camp counselors.
The group is available to conduct sun safety educational campaigns in a variety of settings, including:
Recreational Camps
Health Fairs
Farmers Markets
After School Programs
Using a special UV Camera, we are able to capture the effects of ultraviolet rays, which are invisible to the naked human eye. Photo courtesy of Kolari.