Since 1989, we have done extraordinary work together to lead the fight against HIV and other infectious diseases and to make Massachusetts a healthier and more equitable place for all its residents. Our research and the medications we’ve helped people obtain have been groundbreaking—and we’ve changed countless lives for the better.
But over the years, our areas of focus—and our story—have changed, and we needed to update how we present ourselves. To more deeply engage our clients, case manager, partners, and donors—and to connect with new ones—we embarked on a process to evolve a clearer, more accurate, and more welcoming identity.
Our updated identity, which includes changing our name from Community Research Initiative to AccessHealth MA, brings our verbal and visual communications in line with who we are today. It also helps us better connect with those we serve, elevate our value, and bring forward the ongoing relevance and urgency of our work.
As AccessHealth MA, we will continue to administer the HIV Drug Assistance Program (HDAP), TB Drug Assistance Program (TBDAP), PrEP and nPEP Drug Assistance Programs, and assist in paying for health insurance premiums for people living with HIV through our Comprehensive Health Insurance Initiative (CHII) Program, as well as continue to conduct clinical research.
Evolving our identity has been a collaborative effort. We worked with a brand-focused strategic communications consultancy, to develop a set of guiding attributes, key conceptual storylines, and more externally focused messages that define and articulate what AccessHealth MA means, and why it matters.
We also created a welcoming, modern visual system that elevates our messages and connects our communications across channels—and we are launching a new, user-friendly website that makes it much easier to navigate our offerings. This helps clients, potential clients and case workers find the assistance they need—and helps our donors better understand our impact and why they should contribute.
Taken together, our new name, re-aligned areas of focus, more easily understood offerings, user-centric messaging, our energetic system of visual expression, and new print and digital communications will better position us to fulfill our mission—to improve people’s lives.
Yours,
Julie Marston
Executive Director
