Working for Your Health: Dukes County Health Council overview

The Health Council is a sustained and collaborative effort to foster public health.

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For almost three years, the Dukes County Health Council (DCHC) has been bringing readers the latest information on important public health topics, ranging from research breakthroughs in diseases such as Alzheimer’s, stroke, and cancer, as well as on environmental concerns, like air quality and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). During this time there was sparse mention of the dedicated health and human service workers, all of them members of the Health Council, who helped to inspire our column’s content. In recognition of their vital contributions, this New Year we lend them a voice so they can celebrate recent accomplishments and share aspirations for 2025.

The Health Council is comprised of members from our community, public officials, health practitioners, and health organizations. Established by the Dukes County Commissioners, the council convenes 10 months of the year to promote community-wide health and wellness by developing a cooperative healthcare network and providing public education. It identifies gaps in services and makes recommendations on ways those gaps can be filled.

The council’s work has helped to facilitate the creation of some of our most trusted health and human service organizations, including Island Health Care, Martha’s Vineyard Health Care Access, the Youth Task Force, and others, as well as supporting the valuable work of the Rural Scholars. The Rural Scholars are a select group of students from the University of Massachusetts Graduate School of Nursing and Medicine who spend time on the Vineyard researching and analyzing critical health-related topics. Their data-supported reports assist the council in proceeding with its mission.

One of the council’s newest members is Lenore Maniaci, who became the first appointed Health and Human Services Director for Dukes County in 2024. She leads a team that provides public benefits access, healthcare access, and veterans’ services. Lenore reports being “grateful to have received a grant from the Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation to bring us Vineyard Smiles Adult Dental Clinics, and is proud to have supported so many Island residents to complete their healthcare shopping during Open Enrollment this year. We have more than doubled the number of Brazilian Portuguese–speaking staff available to assist clients in accessing health insurance, and expanded outreach for our public benefits to include street outreach to our homeless residents in partnership with Harbor Homes. It’s not too late to apply for food or fuel assistance, or to learn about the wealth of benefits you may be eligible for due to income, ability, age, or veteran status.”

Susan Sanford, president and CEO of Vineyard Complementary Medicine (VCM), is proud of VCM’s new Graduate Mentorship Program for physical therapists and acupuncturists who have completed their schooling, passed their exams, and are entering the field for the first time. Another new addition is its Physical Therapy Clinical Affiliation Program, which aligns with colleges to provide students with needed clinical rotations, or internships, to satisfy their graduation requirements. VCM’s Host Family Program provides visiting students with housing. VCM also created a program that includes Medicare coverage for acupuncture for older adults with lower back pain. Recently, it restarted a physical therapy aquatics program. “In 2025 we hope to expand our Physical Therapy Clinical Affiliation Program by adding host families to our network. We would also like to expand a travel rotation program, which shares graduates with other agencies throughout the country. It will help VCM stay fully staffed to meet the physical therapy and healthcare needs of our growing and aging community,” says Sanford.

Leslie Clapp, executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living (MVC4L), takes pride in the person-centered dementia services and caregiver support the MVC4L provides: “This year, we expanded our Supportive Day Program by one hour per day, and launched the new Respite Innovations program for in-home respite and companion services. We began a Shopping Shuttle for older adults in the community who no longer drive, and who would like an opportunity to do their own shopping and errands on a regular basis. Most importantly, the true heroes and inspiration for everything we do are the caregivers! We are committed to supporting caregivers, and are pleased to serve them directly with the Dementia Caregiver Support Group, dementia coaching, resources, and education to support them in their caregiving journey.”

County Manager Martina Thornton and our contract epidemiologist, Lea Hamner, encourage our readers to take a survey on the tick-borne illness alpha-gal, to increase our understanding of the disease. Although part of the survey is directed toward hunters, Thornton states, “We welcome ALL Islanders to take the survey. We do have several questions on the survey narrowing in on hunters so that we can scope a study with that particular group, but that’s hopefully the beginning of a lot more science to come.” The county’s tick biologist, Patrick Roden-Reynolds has partnered with Hamner to present valuable information to residents seeking to prevent tick-borne diseases and manage alpha-gal and other conditions. Readers may access the survey at the following link: surveymonkey.com/r/MValphagal2.

Cathy Wozniak, director of Hospice and Palliative Care of M.V., reflects on the past year, and the privilege of providing Island families with comfort, support, and dignity during life’s most challenging moments. “There is a deep sense of compassion at the heart of our mission which has led to remarkable strides in care and accomplishments. We were privileged to be awarded the Hospice Honor award from Healthcare First, which recognizes top performers in hospice care. Our model of care was featured in four national hospice publications, highlighting our unique ability to access patients in need, and our focus on children and youth bereavement. In 2024 we experienced a 20 percent increase in patients needing hospice services, which led to an expansion of our in-home team,” says Wozniak. “We also began a school-based grief counseling program, a family grief camp at Slough Farm, and grief outreach to Islanders experiencing a sudden and tragic loss. As we look toward the year ahead, we are reminded that there is always more to be done. We are committed to continuously improve, adapt, and expand our services to accommodate the diverse needs of our Island community.”

Kathleen Samways, chief public health officer at Island Health Care, would like us to join her in celebrating the opening of Island Health Care’s dental clinic at the Triangle in Edgartown. The clinic has been particularly anticipated by Medicaid patients who previously needed to travel off-Island for dental care. For information about the clinic, or to place your name on its waiting list, visit himv.org/dental-center.

Paddy Moore, founding board member of Navigator Homes Martha’s Vineyard (NHMV), is delighted by the progress being made toward the opening of the new skilled nursing and short-term rehabilitation center, which will be located in Edgartown on the Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road, and will replace the Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation Center currently operated by the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. The new program has been designed and built, and will be operated, as a certified Green House model. It is on track to open the first of five

buildings in December 2025, with the others following in the next two months, and will have the ability to care for up to 70 residents in an inviting, homelike environment where residents will enjoy an exceptional quality of life and care built on equality, empowerment, and respect.

NHMV is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity, and will continue to accept donations to fund final opening details, an inner garden-courtyard between the five separate structures, and provide meaningful activities for its residents. To learn more about NHMV, please visit navigatorhomesmv.org.

This writer, who is the outreach worker at the Edgartown Council on Aging, is optimistic that it, in collaboration with Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard (HAMV) and Chappaquiddick’s Point to Point Foundation, is close to offering a transportation option for older adults living on Chappaquiddick called Chappy Connect. We are also pleased to continue other collaborations with HAMV, including expanding technology support, Call the Tech Pro, to older adults in need of help with their electronic devices. If you are in need of support, please reach out to the Council on Aging in your town to complete a very simple application.

The members of the Dukes County Health Council would like to wish all of our readers a happy and healthy new year, and remind everyone that prospering in the new year is closely tied with maintaining good health. Ensure your new year is bright by getting regular medical checkups and following your doctor’s orders!