From Krissy King, MPH, Substance Use Prevention Coordinator
Photovoice Gallery to Showcase Medfield High School Student Art and Wellness Project Public Walkthrough on January 22 at Medfield High School Library
Medfield, MA — Members of the public are invited to attend a gallery walkthrough of the Medfield Photovoice student art project on January 22 from 3:30–4:30 p.m. at the Medfield High School Library.
Through a variety of expressive media, including photo collages, triptych art, light painting, and digital art, Medfield High School students explored a series of prompts reflecting the positive and negative influences on their health and well-being. Each project is accompanied by student-written captions designed to inspire education, reflection, and community dialogue about the experiences and challenges facing Medfield youth.
Medfield Photovoice is a collaborative effort between the Medfield Cares About Prevention (MCAP) community coalition, the Bellforge Arts Center, and the Medfield High School Art Department. Originally developed in 1992 by Caroline C. Wang and Mary Ann Burris, the Photovoice model is a participatory health promotion strategy that empowers individuals to examine personal and community issues through the lens of photography. This project supports MCAP’s ongoing Action Plan to advance youth health and wellness in Medfield through education, empowerment, and community-driven change.
The reception will also feature spoken reflections from selected Medfield students, accompanied by live music from the Medfield Guitar Club.
For additional information, please contact Krissy King at kking@medfield.net.
Posted onMay 29, 2025|Comments Off on MCAP Seeking Focus Groups
From Viktorria Glissendorf at Medfield Outreach –
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Hi MCAP Members,
I’m attaching a flyer for our focus groups taking place next week, as well as a sample write-up you can use if you’d like. I’d really appreciate it if you could share this with your networks, especially those parents/guardians of high school/middle school students.
Information gathered will help influence our future coalition work, and is extremely valuable!
Posted onSeptember 13, 2024|Comments Off on MCAP Gets Second 5 Year $625K Federal Grant to Continue Town’s Prevention Coordinator
From Kathy McDonald and Viktorria Glissendorfof Medfield Outreach –
Medfield Cares About Prevention coalition announces Drug-Free Communities grant continuation
The Medfield Cares About Prevention (MCAP) coalition, a Medfield Foundation Initiative, is excited to announce that it was awarded a FY2024 Drug-Free Communities Support Program grant continuation in the amount of $625,000 over five years by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). This grant is managed through a partnership between the ONDCP and Centers Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
MCAP is a coalition of people who live and work in the Medfield community and who care about the well-being of our youth. MCAP’s mission is to reduce youth substance use, promote healthy decisions, and build a culture of safety in Medfield. This community coalition has broad representation of parents, youth, businesses, schools, healthcare professionals, private organizations, and public agencies. Our target population is Medfield youth, ages 11 to 18. MCAP works to reduce youth substance use, specifically targeting alcohol, marijuana and to promote positive alternatives to substance use through community collaboration.
In 2019, the Town of Medfield and MCAP were awarded a five-year Drug-Free Communities (DFC) grant allowing for the hiring of a full-time Substance Use Prevention Coordinator who worked to re-engage valuable members of the coalition and organizations within the community. We are very grateful that the additional five-years of funding will aid in supporting the ongoing efforts of the full-time Substance Use Prevention Coordinator, as well as providing funds for an assortment of evidence-based strategies to reduce youth substance use.
There are many whose contributions played a role in achieving continued funding. We would like to thank our leadership team, sector representatives, town leaders, school administrators, coalition members, youth and our community! We would also like to thank our grant writing consultant, Amanda Decker of Bright Solutions Consulting, who successfully guided us again on the process. A special thank you to the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund, who awarded MCAP a mini grant back in 2019 positioning MCAP to secure consulting services that proved to be vital.
We look forward to another five years of meaningful and important collaboration with the Medfield community!
The coalition is open to all community members! Learn more on our website at https://medfieldcares.org/ or email us at medfieldoutreach@medfield.net for the monthly meeting schedule. Please join us in this important work!
Comments Off on MCAP Gets Second 5 Year $625K Federal Grant to Continue Town’s Prevention Coordinator
Representative Denise Garlick, the Board of Health, and Dale Street School Principal Stephen Grenham all honored the long time Dale School Nurse, Kathy Thompson, at the Select Board meeting this week, after her recent retirement. Rep. Garlick shared a proclamation from the Legislature, Carol Read delivered the comments below from the Board of Health, as did Dale Principal Steve Grenham. –
Board of Health’s Remarks on Kathy Thompson
November 28, 2023 Medfield Select Board
As members of the Medfield Board of Health we extend our sincere thanks to Denise Garlick for giving us this opportunity to honor and thank our friend and fellow board member Kathy Thompson.
Kathy joined our BOH during the start of the COVID 19 pandemic, while working tirelessly to support school youth and families through unpresented times she said yes and joined us!
At that time, Town public health nursing services were contracted through the Visiting Nurse Association so basically Kathy stepped in to guide us all through COVID prior to Brenda joining the town full time.
Time and time again we have heard residents share how grateful they were for Kathy’s calm, compassionate conversations – dispelling fears and offering evidence-based guidance during illness. She attended each of our weekly Zoom meetings- offeringall of us guidance and hope!
Over the 40 years or so Kathy has lived in Medfield so many of us have had the opportunity and blessing to be touched by her kindness and genuine concern for our well-being – or the well-being of our family members.
Some know Kathy as a neighbor, some know her as a fellow school parent – raising our children together, standing on the sidelines in all kinds of weather- some know her as a School Nurse and, as our Public Schools School Nurse leader for over 20 years…
Others know Kathy through her extensive volunteer work with many community organizations such as the Hannah Adams Women’s Club, as Chairperson of the Medfield Home Committee and an active member and leader of the prevention and wellness coalitions under Medfield Cares About Prevention.
Although as town residents we know her through a variety of different roles- and through her work with diverse town groups – what is clear and consistent to residents she has connected with no matter which role – are the qualities that set her apart as a person: empathy, genuineness and humility- and her consistent, quiet, unwavering commitment to go above and beyond to help and to heal…
Kathy, you have gone beyond the limits of school ages and grades and beyond the walls of our school buildings – into the community- extending yourself to philanthropic, charitable efforts, as an advocate for youth and adults to enhance mental health and to prevent substance use, to participating in the traditions of strong Medfield women to build community and champion our high school students and of course, serving faithfully on our Board of Health!
You are a hero – a true gift to our town!
Kathy, you live the definition of kindness and selfless service to others – all age residents in our community have benefited from your generosity of spirit and patience and of course your experience as a nurse practitioner. We thank you so very much!
Melissa Coughlin- Holly Rand – Carol Read- Steve Resch, Jeff Kane
Principal Stephen Grenham, Dale Street School’s Remarks on Kathy Thompson
Good evening! My name is Steve Grenham and I am the proud principal of the Dale Street School.
I had the privilege of working alongside Kathy Thompson from 2015 until her retirement this past June.
Throughout our time together, Kathy consistently showed unwavering commitment to the well-being of every student and staff member at our school and in our district.
This was never more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the face of unprecedented challenges, Kathy’s extraordinary compassion and determination shined brightly.
Kathy not only visited people’s homes to ensure their health and safety, but she also made herself available at Dale Street during early mornings and late evenings for anyone who needed help.
In a remarkable effort, Kathy organized 16 COVID Vaccine Clinics for students and families. I want to give a special shout out to Kathy’s husband, Newton, who worked tirelessly at all of these clinics.
Kathy worked incredibly hard to compose numerous informative health memos for families, staff, and the administrative team to keep us all educated with the most updated information and safety protocols. I can personally attest that Kathy spent an exceptional amount of time, staying late into many evenings, to ensure we were all as prepared as possible.
As if that wasn’t enough, Kathy even opened up her home garage to assess and assist those in need, demonstrating an amazing display of selflessness.
Kathy Thompson’s tireless dedication to the health and welfare of the Medfield school community has left an unforgettable impact, making her an exemplary and forever cherished member of our team.
Calling All Medfield Parents and Guardians! We need your help!
Medfield Outreach and the Medfield Cares About Prevention (MCAP) Community Coalition are conducting an online parent/guardian survey to better understand parental/guardian views as they relate to youth substance use in our community. This information will be used to inform programming to improve the health of our community’s young people. Your input matters!
This survey is open to all Medfield parents and guardians and will take less than eight minutes to complete. The survey is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Please use this link: flowcode.com/p/qUBpwP2na?fc=0 or the QR code to access the survey. It will remain open until 11:59pm on Sunday, December 3rd. Fill it out for your chance to win a $30 gift card!
To learn more about MCAP or youth substance use prevention efforts in Medfield, please visit medfieldcares.org. If you have questions about the survey do not hesitate to contact Medfield Outreach at medfieldoutreach@medfield.net or 508-359-7121. We strongly encourage all eligible parents/caretakers to participate, as your input is integral to our work.
No personally identifying information will be collected during this survey, and your responses will remain completely anonymous. The data will only be reported on in aggregate form. We will not publish any individual responses to the survey. *Signing up to be entered to win a gift card or to be notified of survey results will not in any way risk the anonymity of your survey responses. The contact form is not connected in any way to the survey responses.
This survey was supported in part by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services(HHS) as part of a financial assistance award funded by ONDCP. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ONDCP, CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
Email today from Meri Haas –
Our Medfield Parent/Guardian Survey is ready to disseminate!
Sending it around to everyone you know. (See the press release attached for content. You can use this link or send people to our website to fill it out: medfieldcares.org
Posted onMarch 25, 2022|Comments Off on 5th New Life 5k Trail Run 5/7
From Tod Dimmick –
The 5th New Life 5k Trail Run hits the trails on May 7th
New Life is excited to host its 5th annual Trail Run on Saturday, May 7th on the Medfield State Hospital grounds (at Hospital Rd. & Service Dr., Medfield, MA). The route winds through the beautiful Charles River Reservation, and the event is open to runners, walkers and everyone in between.
To celebrate being back in person after two years of virtual runs, New Life has partnered with the Cultural Alliance of Medfield to provide live music on race day. Also, the Furniture Matters club of Medfield High School will introduce a Kids Fun Run for children 4-10 years old.
Trail Run registration is open at www.newlifefb.org/5ktrailrun. An “early bird” discount registration of $25 is available until April 23; after that registration will be $30 between April 24 to May 5; and $35 on race day. On-site Kids Fun Run registration will be $5 (cash or check). There is a $5 group discount for teams of four or more when the registrations are made at the same time. On-site registration opens at 7:30 on race day. The Kids Fun Run starts at 9:00, and the Trail Run starts at 9:30, with live music to follow. The first 300 people to register will receive a t-shirt on race day.
The Trail Run benefits New Life Furniture Bank of MA and its mission to provide essential home furnishings to those in need. “The funds we raise go directly to helping those coming out of homelessness to furnish their new homes,” said Rich Purnell, Executive Director of the New Life Furniture Bank.
New Life Furniture Bank of MA collects high-quality gently-used furniture and household essentials that are made available at no cost to individuals and families in need. The Medfield-based not-for-profit organization operates a Walpole Donation Center, and serves the MetroWest and Greater Boston area. New Life provides a meaningful option for folks who are downsizing, renovating or disposing of a loved one’s property.
Those interested in being a sponsor, volunteering, donating home furnishings, or making a financial contribution are encouraged to visit www.newlifefb.org.
Posted onNovember 1, 2021|Comments Off on MCAP interviewing MHS students
Medfield Cares About Prevention (MCAP) is currently seeking 10-12 high school-aged volunteers to participate in one-on-one interviews with the substance use prevention coordinator or another Medfield Outreach staff about substance use in Medfield. Students will not be asked about their own personal substance use or behaviors, but only to reflect upon what they see in their community. All information gathered during these interviews will be anonymized (no one will know who said what). Furthermore, the information collected will serve to help our MCAP coalition design impactful prevention strategies. These interviews will take anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour and are available both in person or via Zoom. All interviews will take place during the first three weeks of November.
If interested, please fill out this google form. If the student is under 18 years old at the time of the interview, parent/guardian consent is required. Consent forms will be emailed after they fill out the google form.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this email!
I started this blog to share the interesting and useful information that I saw while doing my job as a Medfield select board member. I thought that my fellow Medfield residents would also find that information interesting and useful as well. This blog is my effort to assist in creating a system to push the information out from the Town House to residents. Let me know if you have any thoughts on how it can be done better.
For information on my other job as an attorney (personal injury, civil litigation, estate planning and administration, and real estate), please feel free to contact me at 617-969-1500 or Osler.Peterson@OslerPeterson.com.
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