The Health Foundation of Central Mass

11 Rather than placing focus on the individu- al, e Health Foundation would support initiatives that could have far-ranging effects and benefits for both a specif- ic population or an entire community. Evaluation and advocacy would be critical components of its recipe for long-lasting change. Its successes – and sometimes fail- ures – would herald a new way of provid- ing the best possible solutions to a range of seemingly intractable health challenges. Leading such a forward-thinking or- ganization in fulfilling its mission would require the skills, expertise, and experience of a strong individual with unparalleled accomplishments. Dr. Jan Yost fit the profile perfectly. Dr. Yost carried an impressive ré- sumé. She was the first woman and the youngest individual to become Associ- ate Chancellor for University Relations at the University of South Carolina in Spartanburg. In 1988 and 1989, she led a successful statewide effort to make hospitals in South Carolina smoke- free, the first state in the country to achieve this milestone. Dr. Yost also served as executive director of the Mary Black Founda- tion, one of the largest philanthropic organizations in South Carolina. e foundation was created by the sale of a nonprofit to a for-profit organiza- tion. Her work and experience in this role would serve as a springboard to e Health Foundation. When the CMHC Board of Directors first approached Dr. Yost, she hesitated, not because of the position but rather the location. She had never heard of Worcester and was somewhat skeptical of moving north aer spending so many years in a warmer climate. However, tele- phone calls and in-person visits convinced her that the move would be worthwhile, and she accepted the role, becoming the founding president and CEO of e Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts. Dr. Yost joined the organization, bring- ing with her precise thoughts on how e Health Foundation should operate. Collaborating with the board, she estab- lished basic operating principles. "We defined health and looked at what health foundations have done," she said. "We view health with a much broader definition: physical, mental, and social well-being, not just the absence of disease." It was a crucial tenet that the initial board's philosophy of leveraging grants for maximum success be embraced. Adopting this broader definition of health opened the door to the kinds of programs the organization could fund. "at's why 'care' is not in the name," Dr. Yost said. n In 1999, the health care landscape in Worcester County was about to undergo a transformation. The sale of the managed care organization Central Massachusetts Health Care, Inc. (CMHC) and creation of The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts marked the beginning of a new era. The region now had a new tool to invest in health, including its social determinants. What was needed was a visionary leader to guide how this new tool could be used most effectively. Hiring a Visionary Leader Worcester Business Journal, September 13-26, 1999

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