Over 50% of Americans with mental health issues do not receive treatment for their conditions, and one key component of this statistic is bad access to healthcare. We are tasked with assessing the feasibility of improving and expanding an existing tool created to combat this issue in the Worcester area so that it reaches a significantly larger population in Massachusetts.
Created in 2018 by another team of WPI students, Stigma Free Worcester is a mobile application that houses information on housing, food, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and emergency resources in the Worcester area to give its users an idea of their available treatment and support options. Within the app, users can see how far away each location is, and tap the resource to be brought to their website for further information.
By completing our project, we hope to provide a way forward for the Worcester Department of Health and Human Services in the expansion of Stigma Free.
Project Sponsor
Sponsoring our project and providing guidance throughout its duration is the Worcester Department of Health and Human Services, represented by Dr. Eniya K. Lufumpa and Dr. Matilde Castiel.
Dr. Castiel is the commissioner of the Worcester DHHS and has started or assisted countless public healthcare projects in Massachusetts
Dr. Lufumpa is the Homeless Outreach Strategist at Worcester DHHS and spends much of her time helping the needs of the homeless population in Worcester, as well as organizing collaborative efforts to combat homelessness.
Student Researchers
Thomas Strow is a Mathematical Sciences major who enjoys skateboarding, nature, watching movies and TV series, and video games.
Cristian Nunez is a double major in Biology and Biotechnology and Professional Writing, a part time EMT for the cities of Lawrence and Hudson, and enjoys hiking, watching sports, binge watching tv shows and playing video games.
Donald Buglino is a Mechanical Engineering Major, a member of the swimming and diving team at WPI, and enjoys many outdoor activities such as snowboarding, surfing and fishing.
Vincent Mitala is an Aerospace Engineering Major, enjoys riding his bike, especially during the summer, as well as listening to music and watching sports.
Project Goals & Objectives
The goal of our project is to determine the feasibility of expanding Stigma Free to reach 14 cities across Massachusetts.
Objectives:
- Analyze Stigma Free Worcester
- Comparatively Analyze Similar Resource Repositories
- Compile Sample Data and Develop Methodological Approach for Compilation in 14 Cities
- Propose Virtual Resource Tool to Stakeholders and Develop Recommendations
Final Report
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