Community Engagement

Our Mission and Values

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Care New England’s mission is to provide exceptional care with kindness and compassion, and our vision is to be your trusted choice for care whenever and wherever you need us. Care New England’s values center around accountability, caring, and teamwork, and that transcends into the organization’s community engagement throughout the region. Our commitment to good stewardship within our community means you can rely on our efforts to identify, mitigate and address our community’s health needs inside and outside our facilities, as well as among our partners and in situations beyond the traditional medical model.

Care New England, and its affiliate hospital and health care facilities, strive to partner with organizations and agencies within Rhode Island and within local communities, particularly where our facilities are located. Involvement encompasses community giving and sponsorships, interactive and community programs to provide direct care to patients, education and awareness, and workforce and skills development for youth and adults.

At Care New England, we are committed to:

  • Impactful, data-driven community partnerships
  • Leading in women’s and behavioral health and as a cancer care destination
  • Culture, approach and continued amplified focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Workforce and economic development
  • Innovative and timely access to leading experts and services
  • Cost control and transparency
  • Quality health outcomes and robust research hubs
  • Clear strategies to combat chronic disease and disparities in social determinants of health

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Focus Areas of Community Engagement

Care New England is involved in programs that include medical education to build workforce talent, research to serve patients and residents, population health and direct care, and clinical integration for coordinated care throughout the state. These programs support local communities, including those of underserved populations, and promote health education, and social improving social determinants of wellness.

Priority areas of involvement include:

  • Behavioral Health
  • Chronic Disease Management
  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Community Wellness
  • Workforce Development
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Corporate Social Responsibility

Care New England supports organizations working to impact the health of our community. We are proud to play a significant role to improve health throughout our region through sponsorships of various programs and events.

To request that Care New England sponsor an event or activity or to be involved in a program, use this Request Form.

Some beneficiaries include:

Mental Health Awareness Week Brain Week with the Cure Alliance
American Heart Association Walk Bloom with Providence Mom
Making Strides for Breast Cancer Rhode Island Pride Fest
Walk to End Alzheimer’s  Juneteenth
American Parkinson’s Association Walk World Refugee Day
Tour de Cure The Global Big Latch On
American Cancer Society Research Breakfast National Night Out
Swim Across America  Moonlight at the Dunes for Thundermist
March of Dimes Dine for Day One
Alzheimer’s Caregivers Conference RISE Women’s Leadership Conference
Alzheimer’s Advocacy Day PBN Health Summit
Bryant Women’s Summit Hidden Treasure Gala for Brain Injury Assoc.
One for Me, Love for You Clothing Drive  Ronald McDonald House Adopt-a-Room
Community Health Improvement Activities
Within the Community

Care New England aims to support everyone through every step along their health journey, including with the many ways we make sound investments in our community through services and programs that reach far beyond the doors of our facilities.

Community Clinics – Care New England cares about our communities. We have patient-focused community clinics providing services for all, with a special focus on those with limited access to health care and who suffer from health disparities.

Some of these include:

  • Clinica Esperanza Women’s Clinic and behavioral health
  • The Doc Is In clinics with Progreso Latino
  • Community Wellness Programs and Classes and Civic Improvement

Some programs include:

  • Addiction Education
  • Cancer Education
  • College Bound Baby Program
  • College Student Prenatal Class Observation
  • Community Health Fairs
  • Alzheimer’s Disease Education
  • Prenatal Health Education
  • DEI Education for the Business Community
  • Thundermist Health Baby Shower
  • Peer Recovery Specialist training programs
  • Provision of NARCAN and NALOBOXES to local communities
  • Community clean up events and tree planting
  • Community health worker programs and patient navigators
To help guide the community health efforts across the system, Care New England participates in a statewide comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment, which helps guide areas of need the organization works to address that include social determinants of health, comorbidities, aging, health disparities, adverse childhood experiences, and neonatal abstinence syndrome.
Within our Hospitals

Groups and Classes - Care New England provides a myriad of public programs and educational classes within the hospitals and facilities, which include support groups for stroke survivors and those living with Crohn’s Disease, education and groups for new mothers and breastfeeding, anxiety and depression, cardiac health maintenance education programs, and much more.

Learn More >>

Special Events – Many special events are held on the grounds of our facilities or through our hospitals to benefit the community by providing wellness education, resources for our neighbors in the community, recognizing those individuals providing essential care every day, and raising funds for community organizations serving the community.

Some of these events include:

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Summit
  • Doctor’s Day
  • Nurses Week
  • Hospital Week
  • Spaulding Rehabilitation at Kent Hospital
  • Inclusive Easter Egg Hunt
  • Women’s Health Week
  • Suicide Prevention Day
  • Rally 4 Recovery
  • Kent Auxiliary Golf Tournament
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council
  • Recognition Awards
  • Strollin’ Colon
  • Butler Hospital Health Fair
  • International Women’s Day Panels

Organized Action Committees and Boards – There are several committees within the hospitals, including a Patient Advisory Board for Service and a Community Action Board that act to improve patient experience and outcomes as well as find outlets to partner with area and community associations, agencies, and businesses.

CNE Cares – The CNE Cares health and wellness program is for Care New England employees and their families to gain access to wellness programs and to make it easier to gain access. Some on-sight programs include yoga and meditation as well as behavioral health.

Within our Partnerships

It takes partners coming together to make the biggest impact. We work with any organizations and business partnerships across our community that allow us to improve the health and the lives of those in our neighborhoods.

Some include:

  • Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
  • University of New England College of Medicine
  • Spaulding Rehabilitation
  • Clinica Esperanza
  • Progreso Latino
  • Integra
  • Ronald McDonald House
  • Alzheimer’s Association Rhode Island Chapter
  • Age-Friendly Rhode Island
  • Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce
  • Mental Health Association of Rhode Island
    Clothes to Kids

Workforce and Youth Development – Care New England helps facilitate and provide opportunities for youth and adults interested in various health career fields practical work experience, training, education, and hands-on engagement.

Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College High School Nursing Connections - Experiential opportunities for students, which include internships, apprenticeships, shadowing, and mentoring. RINI Middle College students use the experience as a first step towards earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree, becoming Registered Nurses or other Health Science Degree professionals.