About the Partnership
The Partnership is comprised of representatives from more than 100 organizations,
agencies, and other coalitions committed to working together to reduce risk for heart
disease, stroke, and associated risk factors through environmental and systems change.
The following are the Partnership’s vision statement (our desired future) and mission
(who we are and what we do):
Vision Statement
Massachusetts is a national model for the prevention and treatment of heart disease
and stroke and the elimination of related health disparities.
Mission Statement
- The Partnership for a Heart Healthy and Stroke Free Massachusetts is a statewide
coalition dedicated to promoting optimal health by preventing and reducing
heart disease and stroke among all residents of Massachusetts.
- We are committed to changing physical and social environments, public
policies, and healthcare systems to reduce risk for heart disease and stroke.
Goal
Our overarching goal is to reduce risk for heart disease and stroke among residents of
Massachusetts. The conditions that lead to heart disease and stroke develop over
time, and different stages require different interventions. To achieve our goal, the
Partnership must engage in broad and multifaceted strategies:
- To prevent disease, we must facilitate behaviors that protect the heart and
blood vessels.
- To save lives, we must respond rapidly when heart attack or stroke occurs.
- To control progression of heart disease and stroke, we must identify and monitor
people at high risk and improve care and access to care.
- To meet our goals, we must do all of these things.
How the Partnership Works
Organizations become members of the Partnership at one of three levels: leading
partner, supporting partner, or endorsing partner. Individuals may also participate as
non-voting members. If you would like to become a member of the Partnership, or
would like more information please see the Join page.
The Partnership utilizes an 11-person executive committee to oversee operations on
behalf of the Partnership and has four standing committees.
- Surveillance, Monitoring and Evaluation
- Policy and Systems
- Health Communications and Education
- Health Access and Health Disparities
The work of the standing committees crosses all strategic objectives in the Statewide
Plan. The standing committees unite the work of the leading and supporting partners
and provide insight, guidance, and expertise to achieve the objectives of the
statewide action plan.
History and Development
The Partnership for a Heart Healthy and Stroke Free Massachusetts has grown into a
coalition of more than 100 organizations and agencies since 2001. In that year, with
funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Massachusetts
Department of Public Health, the American Heart Association, and the Massachusetts
Peer Review Organization came together to co-sponsor the Massachusetts
Cardiovascular Health Coalition (hereafter the “Coalition”), a predecessor planning
effort to the Partnership. The Coalition came together to devise strategies to reduce
illness and death related to heart disease and stroke among Massachusetts residents.
The Coalition was comprised of organizations, agencies, and individuals with a key stake
in the success of a statewide effort to prevent and control heart disease and stroke.
The Coalition consisted of many parties, including health providers, state and local
health department officials, community-based organizations, schools, and community
members, among others. The Coalition accomplished numerous essential planning
activities from September 2001 to December 2004 that laid the groundwork for the
Partnership:
- Created short, immediate, and long-term goals.
- Galvanized support and participation of constituency groups.
- Administered and analyzed survey data from health providers, worksites, and
communities statewide. - Formed committed taskforces focused on health communications, policy
development, data and evaluation, and health disparities. - Developed a document describing the burden of cardiovascular disease in
- Massachusetts.
- Began development on a statewide action plan to reduce morbidity and
mortality from heart disease and stroke in Massachusetts. - Developed a logic model and set of objectives which represent the key
measurable outcomes for the statewide plan. - Planned the operating structure and function for the Partnership.
- Elected initial members of the Partnership Executive Committee.
In January 2005, the Coalition formally became the Partnership for a Heart Healthy and
Stroke Free Massachusetts.
