波士頓市撥款2100萬元資助精神及行為健康服務

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES $21 MILLION FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES  Boston Public Health Commission and Boston Public Schools’ initiatives will add more behavioral health specialists, improve BPS policies and systems, and develop a more diverse workforce to serve youth in Boston

BOSTON – Wednesday, March 20, 2024 – Mayor Michelle Wu, the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), and Boston Public Schools (BPS) today announced $21 million in transformative funding for mental and behavioral health programs and services to support the City’s youth and families. The investments are part of the City’s response to the urgent need for more mental health supports for young people and to develop a larger and more diverse behavioral health workforce. These investments over five years will serve more than 50,000 students, directly impact 21 BPS schools, support more than 600 people in pursuing behavioral health careers in Boston, grow and diversify BPS’s mental health staff, and provide more than 1,000 people with behavioral health training to better serve youth and families in Boston.  “The past several years have been difficult for all of us, and that’s especially true for our young people,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “That’s why it is so important for us to make life saving investments now, to support Boston families and make sure our youth get the high-quality care they need.” According to BPHC’s newly released Health of Boston Mental Health Report, there has been a significant increase of sadness, hopelessness and anxiety among Boston’s youth, especially youth of color. Currently, more than 40% of BPS students report feeling persistent sadness and hopelessness, while in 2015, 27% of youth reported feeling this way. An increasing number of our high school students are reporting suicidal thoughts. These data are even more severe for students that are marginalized or identify as female or LGBTQ+. Unfortunately, less than half of BPS high school students report that they received help when they experienced mental health challenges. “Our young people are in crisis, and it is clear that we need to develop more mental health services, especially those that address the unique needs of Black, Latinx, Asian, LGBTQ+ and other underserved communities,” said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health and Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission. “We created BPHC’s Center for Behavioral Health and Wellness to find meaningful and strategic ways to reduce behavioral health inequities. This partnership between Mayor Wu, BPS, and the Center demonstrates our commitment to providing culturally responsive and linguistically appropriate services to young people and their families in Boston.”  “I am hopeful and eager to uplift our youth and families by addressing the urgent mental and behavioral health challenges they face,” said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. “These investments and partnerships with educational and youth-focused institutions are vital steps toward strengthening our systems of care, and in doing so, nurturing the emotional well-being and educational development of our students.” The $21 million is from federal funding and grants, including the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the U.S. Department of Education, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This funding will add behavioral health specialists to BPS schools, provide behavioral health training to youth-facing workers and community organizations, and invest in career training in communities of color to develop a more diverse workforce to serve youth in Boston. This will increase the number of diverse, highly qualified mental health staff that work in BPS while also developing the skills of the current mental health staff, creating a better pipeline to retain providers and fill vacancies. In addition, a pilot program between BPHC and BPS will examine policies in BPS to examine trauma, disciplinary issues, racism, stress, and other factors to create safer and more positive environments for students.  “Through this collaboration between Mayor Wu, BPHC, BPS, and our communities, we are investing in a future where every child has access to the care and support they need to flourish,” said Dr. Kevin M. Simon, Chief Behavioral Health Officer of the Boston Public Health Commission. "This commitment is a testament to the power of collective action in supporting the well-being of our children and families."   "Consistent with UMass Boston’s anti-racist, health-promoting ethos, our grant will prepare cohorts of culturally, linguistically, and racially diverse Fellows to become human service and mental health providers,” said UMass Boston Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco. “We share the Mayor and Commission and BPS’s goals to advance racial justice, health equity, and more accessible behavioral health services so we can address the growing need for mental health resources among minoritized and marginalized youth.”  “As one of the largest providers of pediatric behavioral health services in Boston, we have seen the need for behavioral health services grow exponentially, especially in underserved communities,” said Joseph Mitchell, MD, President of Franciscan Children’s. “We are thrilled to receive this grant so we can continue to meet the rising needs of children and youth in Boston through our school-based and other mental health programs, train the next generation of behavioral health professionals, and create a more diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve.” In addition to these programs and services that serve youth, a BPHC program will support families with Black and Latinx children under four years old in need of early childhood mental health and care. The full breakdown of investments is detailed below: Boston Public Health Commission $2.5M (ARPA) - Grant to UMass Boston for “Transforming Boston Access to Mental Health” focuses on preparing diverse, youth-facing practitioners to serve Boston communities. Fellows will receive education, training, and fieldwork and commit to practicing in Boston. Across three years, 185 students will be trained to serve 1,750 clients, with over 850 being youth. To date, 39 students are enrolled and 34 youth and 44 non-youth have been served.   $2.5M (ARPA) - Grant to Franciscan Children’s to expand the “Children’s Wellness Initiative,” which provides mental health clinicians and psychiatry services in BPS schools. The grant will enable Franciscan to expand to an additional 10 BPS sites for a total of 22 BPS sites over three years. The grant will also grow recruitment efforts and provide at least 180 people advanced training in behavioral health. To date, nine clinicians have been placed across nine schools, serving 200 BPS students. The additional schools are: Blackstone Elementary School; Jeremiah E. Burke High School; Joseph Lee K-8 School; Rafael Hernandez School; Dr. William W. Henderson K-12 Inclusion School; Young Achievers Science and Math Pilot School; and another four schools are to be announced.  $2.3M (ARPA) - BPHC and BPS will pilot a “Trauma-informed School System Transformation” at 10 BPS schools, reaching up to 3,500 students and 750 staff. Starting in April 2024, Flourish Agenda will use trauma-informed methodologies to examine and improve BPS policies and systems of care. The 10 BPS schools are: BCLA-McCormack 7-12 Pilot School; Ellis Elementary School; Excel High School; Joseph Lee K-8 School; Madison Park Technical Vocational High School; Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School; Richard J. Murphy K-8; TechBoston Academy; Dr. William W. Henderson K-12 Inclusion School; Young Achievers Science and Math Pilot School  $1.3M (ARPA) - Funds will go towards BIPOC youth-focused, public awareness campaigns and other resources, including BPHC’s Cope Code Club and creative arts projects with The Family Van.  $1M (ARPA) - BPHC just released a RFP for vendors to provide behavioral health training for community-based organizations that serve youth of color in Boston. $1M (ARPA) - BPHC’s Boston Area Health Education Center helps train youth in careers in health education, particularly from BIPOC populations underrepresented in health. This funding will go towards after school and summer programs focused on behavioral health careers and will train 400 students over three years. To date, 25 students are enrolled in an afterschool program. $700K (ARPA) - BPHC’s “Capacity Building and Training Initiative” will provide trauma and equity training for City employees who serve youth and families. Training will reach about 600 staff over three years. $4M (SAMHSA) - BPHC’s “Boston Children’s Mental Health Initiative” will work with Children’s Services of Roxbury to support Black and Latinx children under four years old who are connected to the state child welfare system or BPHC family support services and in need of early social and emotional development. Over the next four years, this includes training at least 37 family partners, nurses, social workers and case workers; providing services for 275 children; screening 1,800 families for social and emotional wellness; providing more behavioral health services; and increasing awareness of early childhood mental health.  Boston Public Schools $5.8M (Dept. of Education) - BPS, in partnership with UMass Boston, Boston University, Brown University, and community partners will launch “Project PROVIDE,” which prepares 200 school psychology, school counseling, and social work students to serve Boston youth over five years, serving more than 46,000 students. The goal is to increase the number of diverse, highly qualified mental health staff that work in BPS while also improving technical and supervisory skills of the current mental health workforce that works in BPS or with BPS students. This grant will enable BPS to more effectively convert trainees into employees in order to fill vacancies and support the retention of mental health providers. For more information about behavioral health resources or other needs, call the BPS Helpline at 617-635-8873 or visit BPHC’s website.

City of Boston Funding Update

 

The Funding Update

FEDERAL The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program , 4/26/2024 The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program enables the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide resources toward community-based suicide prevention efforts to meet the needs of veterans and their families through outreach, suicide prevention services, and connection to VA and community resources. The program assists in further implementing a public health approach that blends community-based prevention with evidence-based clinical strategies through community efforts. Organizations can apply for grants up to $750,000 and may apply to renew awards from year to year throughout the length of the program. Capital Magnet Fund, 4/16/2024 The Fund provides competitively awarded grants to CDFIs and qualified non-profit housing organizations. These awards can be used to finance affordable housing activities, as well as related economic development activities and community service facilities. Awardees are able to utilize funds to create financing tools such as loan loss reserves, revolving loan funds, risk-sharing loans, and loan guarantees. Organizations that receive Capital Magnet Fund awards are required to produce housing and community development investments at least ten times the size of the award amount, generating a multiplier effect that means that more low-income people and low-income communities nationwide will have housing options within their financial reach. Capital Magnet Fund Applicants must be: A Certified CDFI, or A non-profit organization operating with a principal purpose of developing or managing affordable housing solutions. Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program - NEW (Year 1), 4/17/2024 The Drug-Free Communities Support Program’s purpose is to establish and strengthen collaboration to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent youth substance use. The Program has two goals. The first is to establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private nonprofit agencies, as well as federal, state, local, and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth (individuals 18 years of age and younger). The second goal is to reduce substance abuse among youth and, over time, reduce substance abuse among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance abuse and promoting the factors that minimize this risk. Total funding $62,500,000.00 OVC FY 2024 Services for Victims of Human Trafficking,  Grants.gov Deadline: 04/08/, 2024, or JustGrants Deadline: 04/22/2024                                                                                                                          The purpose of the Services for Victims of Human Trafficking program is to develop, expand, or strengthen victim service programs for victims of human trafficking, including programs that provide trauma-informed services. Applicants are invited to apply under five purpose areas: developing capacity to serve victims; comprehensive services for victims; legal services for victims; economic empowerment, education, and employment services; and behavioral and physical health services.  SYSTEM FOR AWARDS MANAGEMENT UPDATE: The federal government has transitioned from DUNS to the Unique Entity ID. A UEI is required to apply for and receive federal awards. The process is extensive; plan ahead. For more information, go to the FAQ page at SAM.gov. Federal funding opportunities are continuously updated on grants.gov STATE Car Seat Distribution Program, August 31, 2024 The Office of Grants and Research is accepting requests from eligible organizations for car seats to be distributed to low-income families in need by certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technicians. Using funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), OGR aims to reduce child passenger injuries and fatalities by ensuring low-income families are equipped with the correct car seat and caregivers are educated on proper installation and usage. Massachusetts municipal agencies, state agencies, not-for-profit hospitals, and 501 (c)(3) organizations serving children and/or families that meet all of the requirements in the FFY 2024 Car Seat Distribution Program Notice of Solicitation of Applications are eligible to apply for this opportunity.  Requests for car seats will be fulfilled on a first come, first serve basis to qualified applicants. Scroll down to "Important Links" on CommBUYS to see Newly Posted Bids CITY Mayor Office of Food Justice, 3/27/2024                                                                                                              The Mayor’s Office of Food Justice (OFJ) is accepting applications for funding to support community-led outreach and education about government nutrition assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), Boston Double Up Food Bucks (BDUFB), and the Summer Eats summer meal program. The goals of the Community Outreach Leaders are to increase SNAP enrollment and HIP and DUFB utilization by training community leaders to educate their peers about these and other food assistance programs. OFJ will likely award 3-4 grants of $20,000 - 25,000, applicants can apply for up to $30,000. We highly encourage applicants to partner and collaborate with other organizations. Applicants must be 501(c)3 tax-exempt organizations that serve Boston residents. If the organization is not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, they can apply with a fiscal sponsor.  Check out all grant opportunities from the City of Boston here! You can also view Office of Workforce Development grants, Community Preservation Act grants, and Public Health Commission grants. Bids are updated continuously on the City of Boston Supplier Portal. FOUNDATIONS MassBar Foundation, 3/22/2024 Through the IOLTA Grants Program, the MBF awards financial grants annually to nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts whose programs either provide civil legal services to low-income clients or improve the administration of justice. These grants support the delivery of critical legal assistance to individuals and families working to overcome great obstacles related to housing instability, domestic violence, immigration, education access, health care access, economic insecurity, and more. Award amounts varies on the size of the project. Youth Leaders for Mental and Behavioral Health, 3/29/2024 The Office of Community Health is seeking applications for youth-led projects that address young people’s mental and behavioral health concerns related to climate change, social media, substance use, and war/global conflict. Projects will allow youth to engage with these issues and empower them to advocate for change. Eligible organizations include community-based organizations that serve Boston youth (ages 11-22) year-round or throughout the school year. Priority will be given to the following Boston neighborhoods: Allston-Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Mission Hill, and Roxbury. NewSchools Venture Fund, 4/3/2024 Through its 2024 funding opportunity, NewSchools seeks to support early-stage organizations and new initiatives within existing organizations in the following areas: learning solutions, including content, tools, and models that accelerate reading and math growth for K-8 students, and teaching reimagined, including efforts that reimagine the role of teachers by evolving how they work and engage caregivers and community experts to support student success. Cross-cutting priorities include leveraging generative artificial intelligence to improve teaching and learning, embracing learning that happens outside of school and supporting students in achieving college and career success, and enhancing teaching and learning for students with learning differences. Grants up to $250,000.00. Frances R. Dewing Foundation, 4/1/2024 The Frances R. Dewing Foundation prefers to fund Early Education projects or programs with a broad reach and demonstrable direct benefits to children. Applications are not accepted for projects and programs that do not directly benefit children, such as parent education, staff recruitment and endowments. The foundation does not give grants for general program funds, operating expenses, capital campaigns, camperships or scholarships. Day care projects must be specific and innovative. Schools, School districts and Nonprofit are eligible to apply. Creative Capital,4/4/2024                                                                                                                                       Creative Capital provides grants to support the creation of groundbreaking art by innovative and adventurous artists across the country. The Creative Capital Awards provide unrestricted project grants to artists for innovative and original new project proposals in visual arts, performing arts, film and moving image, technology, literature, multidisciplinary, and socially engaged forms. The goal is to fund individual artists creating conceptually, aesthetically, and formally challenging, risk-taking, and never-before-seen projects. In addition to funding, Creative Capital also provides scaffolding and support services for awardees. Artists that are U.S. citizens, permanent legal residents, or O-1 visa holders and are at least 25 years old with at least five years of professional artistic practice are eligible to apply. Grants up to $50,000.00 NEXT for AUTISM, 4/5/2024                                                                                                                                    Grants will be awarded to support the transition from school to adulthood in the following three areas: home, work and social. Grants up to $25,000.00.  The Akamai Foundation, 4/6/2024  The Akamai Foundation is accepting applications to the Early Learner STEM grant program. All applicants are required to provide a comprehensive plan outlining their STEM education program goals. This should include a digital inclusion strategy to address and eliminate barriers to access and use of technology in learning, especially for the most disadvantaged. Grant awards not specified.  The Robert Schalkenbach Foundation, 4/12/2024                                                                                               The foundation invites applications on a wide array of topics related to the works, policy solutions, and political and ethical implications of Henry George, including land value taxation, economic justice, free trade, and contributing to the public good without exacerbating inequality. Grants up to $10,000.00.  Pedigree Foundation,  4/14/2024                                                                                                                           The Pedigree Foundation is accepting applications to its annual grant program to support dog shelters and rescue groups. Grants up to $100,000.  First Literacy, 5/2/2024                                                                                                                                           First Literacy Grants provide funding that stimulates and supports the development, trial, and implementation of innovative and impactful Adult Basic Education (ABE) resources and practices. Grants of up to $15,000 are open to all not-for-profit Adult Basic Education organizations in Massachusetts.  Projects are teacher-led, directly impact adult learners, and are shared with peer organizations to enrich the entire ABE and ESOL field.  Massachusetts Broadband Institute, 5/31/2024                                                                                                  The intent of the Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program is to enable municipalities who need funding to mobilize, start-up, and implement digital equity activities locally to access a one-time grant up to $100,000 per municipality to execute a project (or projects) defined in their Digital Equity Plan, Digital Equity Planning Charette, or pre-existing local digital equity plan or related document that MBI deems of sufficient standard. Project implementation will increase access and usage of the internet for the populations most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Municipalities interested in applying for this digital equity implementation opportunity must complete a two-step application process by May 31, 2024. Applications will be reviewed by MBI on a rolling basis.  Red Rover, 6/1/2024 & 9/1/2024                                                                                                                            Red Rover’s Safe Housing Grants provide support to nonprofit domestic violence and animal organizations across the United States to build pet programs that help survivors of domestic violence by allowing pets and people to escape abuse together. Funding priority is given to applications from domestic violence shelters that are starting new pet programs to house animals at the domestic violence shelter. If additional funding is available, other application types will be considered, including renovating spaces dedicated to housing survivor’s pets, foster programs to care for survivor’s pets, temporary boarding for survivor’s pets, or a combination of services that will best serve the community. Grants up to $60,000.00. Check the Funding Update Archives for back issues with open deadlines. Business Training and Other Funding Opportunities L’Oréal’s Inclusive Beauty Fund and Hispanic Federation, 3/29/2024 L’Oréal’s Inclusive Beauty Fund and Hispanic Federation are partnering to award 20 one-time grants of $10,000 each to expand economic inclusion and empower beauty entrepreneurs across the United States. In addition to one-time funding, L’Oréal is committed to providing grantees with professional mentorship and business development support. James Beard Foundation Scholarship Program, 4/5/2024 The foundation invites applications for its scholarship program. Established in 1991, the scholarship program assists aspiring and established culinary professionals who plan to further their education at a licensed or accredited culinary school, hospitality institution, college, or university. T.H.R.I.V.E., 4/28/2024 The SBA T.H.R.I.V.E. program is designed to provide participants with the knowledge, support, and networking opportunities to propel their business forward. Through a combination of an online curriculum, in-person sessions, office hours with subject matter experts (SMEs), one-on-one business coaching, surge sessions, and the development of a strategic growth plan, T.H.R.I.V.E. participants will embark on a transformative journey that will empower them to take their business to new heights.   THE RESOURCE TABLE, NEWS, AND CITY EVENTS Mayor Michelle Wu, Office of Civic Organizing Announce 2024 Love Your Block Spring Cleanup          Mayor Michelle Wu and the Office of Civic Organizing (OCO) announced the Love Your Block spring 2024 cleanups will take place on April 6, April 20, and April 27. Love Your Block is a Citywide community service event that invites community members to lead in hosting a neighborhood cleanup or joining a cleanup as an individual volunteer. Love Your Block neighborhood beautification projects include cleaning up trash on sidewalks and streets, park revitalization, and flower planting. The Love Your Block application is open for volunteers to sign up to become a host or join a neighborhood cleanup here. OCO will connect individuals with a cleanup site in their neighborhood once all sites are finalized. Research Statistics All City of Boston Newsletters        Daily Updates from the City of Boston News, Resources, Applications, Permits, Jobs, Events and more!