The Dimock Community Health Center (Dimock) offers comprehensive medical and behavioral treatment on its 9-acre campus to disadvantaged individuals and families in inner-city Boston neighborhoods. With a deteriorating building last updated in the 1970s, the Dr. Lucy Sewall Acute Treatment Center, an inpatient addiction and detoxification center at Dimock, was in danger of being shuttered, leaving 3,000 individuals annually without critical addiction treatment services. One of only three such facilities in Boston, it was imperative to save the center and expand its capacity. The state provided a $5 million grant to the project and Dimock raised $5.8 million through its capital campaign. Due to existing debt, Dimock was unable to take on conventional debt to meet the remaining $4.5 million in development costs.
Without financing from the NMTC, the renovation of the historic Sewall Center would not have been possible. MassDevelopment New Markets (MDNM) contributed $11 million allocation and Capital One Community Renewal Fund (COCRF) contributed $3.5 million in allocation. NMTC equity filled Dimock’s financing gap and allowed MDNM and COCRF to make loans with flexible, below-market terms, such as substantially low interest rates, a seven-year interest only period, and below-market debt service coverage ratio, all of which allowed for the timely renovation of the building.

Re-opened in April 2018 with nine additional beds, the Sewall Center now has capacity to provide 4,000 patients annually, an increase of 1,000 patients, with the critical services they need to begin their road to recovery. Dimock’s comprehensive services are available to the detox patients during and post treatment, providing the wrap-around support essential to the success of their recovery. While the historic building retains much of its character, the internal space is now thoroughly modernized to reflect the best practices for delivery of care, with improvements such as double occupancy units, energy-efficiency, open nurses’ station and integrated case management space. The Dimock Center also provides important education to the community at multiple community events on subject of substance abuse and regarding the Center’s treatment program.