Retiring Cooley Dickinson Hospital Leader Raising $34K for 34 Years of Service

Cooley Dickinson Hospital’s chief community relations and communications officer Jeff Harness has announced his retirement and is seeking to raise $34,000 in support of the hospital’s New Beginnings program.  The goal represents his 34 years of service to the organization.

New Beginnings is a program that promotes education and support for pregnant and postpartum people in, or working towards, recovery from substance use. The goal of the program is to help foster a connection between parents and their new babies – growing parental confidence and sustaining their recovery.

“It has been an incredible privilege to be part of Cooley Dickinson Hospital for more than three decades and this is a program that means a lot to me, because it’s a shining example of what our organization is all about,” said Harness. “The focus of New Beginnings is helping the newest members of our community get off to a healthy start in life, so I’m grateful for any support individuals and organizations can provide.”

New Beginnings, which began in 2018, is open to Cooley Dickinson OB/GYN & Midwifery patients who are pregnant or up to two years postpartum. Topics discussed in the program include discomforts of pregnancy and comfort measures, stress management, relapse prevention, nutrition during pregnancy, neonatal abstinence syndrome (neonatal withdrawal) – expectations, scoring system, and how to soothe a baby with withdrawal symptoms, labor and birth, postpartum planning, what to expect from social work/DCF, breastfeeding, and newborn care.

Those interesting in donating can do so at cooleydickinson.com/givenow (select “Jeff Harness – New Beginnings” from the dropdown menu), by calling 413-582-2256, or by mailing a check to PO Box 329, Northampton, MA 01061.

Since he began at Cooley Dickinson in 1989 as a part time inpatient behavioral health counselor, Harness has held numerous roles throughout the organization including as director of the Western Massachusetts Center for Healthy Communities, director of integrated care and population health, and director of community health and government relations.