Bridges to Health, Inc., a community-based organization founded by Lydje Lahens ’19MPH, has been selected for the American Public Health Association’s (APHA) Building Bridges Learning – Community Learning Bridge Award. The award supports collaborative, community-led initiatives that advance health equity through cross-sector partnerships.
Bridges to Health will use the award to support the Haitian ACEs Circle’s Co-Address Medical and Mental Health Education initiative. The effort is a collaboration between Bridges to Health, Inc., partnering community-based organization UDH Health Coach, Inc., and the Cambridge Public Health Department, which is serving as the State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial (STLT) health department partner.
Supporting Haitian Communities
The initiative aims to strengthen trauma-informed, culturally-grounded education for Haitian communities while building and sustaining meaningful partnerships across public health systems and community organizations.
“I’m thrilled to share that my community-based organization, Bridges to Health, Inc., has been selected for APHA’s Building Bridges Learning Community – Learning Bridge Award,” Lahens shared.
The recognition supports an important collaborative effort centered on culturally responsive education and cross-sector partnership, he said. “Together, we’re strengthening trauma-informed, culturally-grounded education for Haitian communities while building and sustaining powerful cross-sector and community partnerships.”
This award reflects the type of community-based and community-led practice that is essential to achieving health equity and a core value of Simmons’ Master of Public Health program. Lahens expressed gratitude to APHA, as well as to the partners and community members who make the work possible, noting that he is “excited to keep building bridges toward health, healing, and equity.”