Worcester Hub

Strategic Program

The City of Worcester is pleased to introduce a new initiative called the Hub. The Hub is a strategic program that combines the efforts of more than 30 local and state organizations to assess and address acute risk behaviors and cases including drug and opioid abuse, chronic homelessness, mental health issues, poverty and crime. On the morning of January 22, 2018, more than 60 local leaders gathered at City Hall to formally launch the program.

The Hub is a coordinated mobilization of resources to address individuals or families facing acute levels of elevated risk. The purpose is to lower risk and connect individuals or families to services immediately.

This Hub table will be overseen by a Systems Leader Group (SLG) that will be updated by the Hub on any systemic issues the table is seeing. This SLG will look into the data and trends to try to identify opportunities for systemic change. 

Outcomes:

• Inter-Agency Collaboration
• Increased Knowledge Base
• Increased Community Safety and Wellbeing
• Community Responsibility
• Accurate Resourcing
• Client Success
• Crime – Violent Crime Rates Drop
• Reduced Calls for Service
• Lessened Emergency Room Wait Times

International Model

Originally founded in Scotland, Hub is an innovative international model adopted by Canada that brings together human service professionals from a variety of disciplines and organizations to identify risks and solve problems of individuals or families that cannot be addressed by a single agency alone.

Since originating in Canada, the Hub model spread throughout that country to more than 100 other communities. Canada has seen reductions in crime, calls for urgent services, ER visits and school absenteeism. Worcester is the 2nd U.S. city to implement the program, following the success of the Chelsea, MA Hub, which launched three years ago.

The Process

The Hub table consists of middle managers who follow a four step filtering process:

Filter one: The agencies identify individuals or families with acute level risk that fit the criteria for the Hub.

Filter two: The risk factors of the individuals or families are presented at the Hub table and the table must agree that there is an acute elevated risk.

Filter three: The agency discloses the name of the individual or family to check for recognition, and an ID case number is assigned. Only one agency takes the lead with the case.

Filter four: This step takes place after the Hub meeting and only occurs with the agencies involved in the case. The Chair never hears filter four.

1. The involved agencies plan their course of action.
2. Navigators and/or agency representatives make a home visit within 24-48 hours.
3. Consent is given and the individual or family is connected to services.
4. The lead agency is required to report progress at the Hub table the following week.

Contact

For more information or if you have questions, contact:

Leah Maroney
MaroneyL@worcesterma.gov
508-799-8486 ext. 31327