MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES SERIES OF EVENTS TO CELEBRATE WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

 

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES SERIES OF EVENTS TO CELEBRATE WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

BOSTON - Monday, March 1, 2021 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Mayor’s Office of Women’s Advancement today announced a series of events celebrating Women’s History. All events will be conducted virtually, in accordance with COVID-19 public health guidance. For a full list of events, visit here. “In Boston, our values are clear: we believe in empowering all women and protecting their rights,” said Mayor Walsh. “Women’s History Month gives us the opportunity to celebrate and honor all that women do for our city. I strongly encourage all Bostonians to attend our events to learn and further recognize the contributions women have made to society. Thank you to all of our partners for your support in celebrating this important month.” “During Women’s History Month and throughout the year, we celebrate and commemorate women’s important role in our society and their achievements in history, science, culture, education and the arts,” said Alexandra Valdez, Executive Director of Women's Advancement. “The City of Boston continues to work toward achieving gender equality through economic equity and supporting the childcare sector, ending commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking and representing women’s contributions to public life.” Additionally, the Mayor’s Office of Women’s Advancement is opening a call for submissions for their Extraordinary Woman Award, which will honor women’s contribution to public life in Boston. Individuals will be selected throughout the year. The Extraordinary Woman Award was created in 2018 to highlight women from different backgrounds, who’ve made an impact in a number of sectors, including civic engagement, STEM initiatives, and gender equity. To learn more about past honorees, visit here. The award is open to all self-identifying women. To nominate someone, visit here.

March 5 - 6, 2021 BIWOC Gathering Circle Virtual Conference with Asian Women for Health and Fenway Health   The conference will consist of a keynote address, panels, affinity group sessions, opportunities to participate in facilitated afternoon wellness activities, recognizing the strengths and challenges of BIWOC women. Limited community tickets available for inquiries contact bostonwomen@boston.gov.

March 8, 2021 11:30 am - 1pm 23rd Annual Boston-Area International Women’s Day Virtual Brunch,  Resilience and Regeneration: A Racial Justice and Feminist Recovery with the Boston-Area International Women’s Day Committee Informative discussion among women leaders in government, business, and advocacy. Our panelists will discuss what a racial justice and feminist recovery from the pandemic could look like and specific strategies for achieving the future we want. Karen Holmes Ward of WCVB CityLine moderates a panel with: Nia Grace, Owner Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen Jynai McDonald, Director of Family Child Care for SEIU 509 Rep. Chynah Tyler, Chair of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Caucus

March 18, 3 pm - 4 pm Strong Girls, Strong Women with the Age Strong Commission and Girls Give Back  An intergenerational discussion showing the passion to get involved knows no age. Seniors will exchange stories with some of Boston’s youth and of how they can work together.

TBD Womxn’s History: Elevating Trans Women with the Office of Diversity Chastity Bowick, Executive Director of the Transgender Emergency Fund of Massachusetts, shares her experience as the leader of Massachusetts’ only organization dedicated to supporting low income and homeless Transgender individuals. The important contributions of Trans Women and Non-Binary individuals.

March 22, 2021 9 am - 10 am It's Her Time: Women Entrepreneur Report Release with Massachusetts Competitive Partnership and Deloitte The Massachusetts Competitive Partnership and Deloitte release their report, It’s Her Time: Women Entrepreneurship in Massachusetts with findings around current trends for women small business owners in the Boston area, followed by a panel discussion.

March 31, 2021 12 pm - 1 pm CEASE Webinar Series: Ending Sexual Exploitation in Boston with Shaplaie Brooks of Roxbury Youth Works’ BUILD Program Collaborative Efforts Against Sexual Exploitation (CEASE) is a partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Women’s Advancement, the Human Rights Commission, the Boston Police Department, local survivor leaders, and community partners. CEASE will host a 4-part webinar series hosted by members of the coalition to show the impacts of commercial sexual exploitation in Boston.

Other City of Boston departments will be hosting events throughout March.  BOSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT Throughout the month of March, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department will highlight the contributions that various women have made to the Parks system in the City of Boston, in recognition of Women’s History Month. The department will highlight parks and playgrounds named after fearless women, concert series that have brought communities together in our parks, and various landmarks throughout the city. Women have played a vital role in shaping our parks system. For a full list of featured women, visit Boston.gov/Parks, or follow along on social media @BostonParksDept.    BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY Each day this month, the Boston Public Library will be offering daily book recommendations by women authors via Twitter (@BPLBoston). Patrons can view the full list at http://bit.ly/BPLWomensHistory2021. The library is also offering several events throughout the month to honor women’s history including: The Woman's Era Club: A Story of Black Women's Activism, March 2, 6-7PM Annie McKay and the Untold Story of Boston Public School Nurses, March 3, 6-7PM Women and Wealth: How to Consider What Matters Most for Creating a Financial Plan, March 15, 12-1PM "Equal to the Occasion" — Boston's Women and the Underground Railroad, March 30, 6-7PM For a complete list of events happening throughout Women’s History Month, visit boston.gov/women or follow @BostonWomen on Twitter.  ABOUT THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF WOMEN’S ADVANCEMENT The Mayor's Office of Women's Advancement creates specific programming and opportunities that support three priority areas: economic equity, safety, and empowerment and representation. Some of the office's most recent work includes research on paid parental leave and childcare affordability; a multi-pronged approach to closing the gender pay gaps; reducing the demand for commercial sexual exploitation; and creating specific programming for women entrepreneurs. Learn more here.

Baker-Polito Administration Awards $4.9 Million for High School Substance Use and Mental Health Response Teams

 Baker-Polito Administration Awards $4.9 Million for High School Substance Use and Mental Health Response Teams

 

Six awards support creation of school-based intervention and treatment programs in ten communities across the Commonwealth

 

BOSTON (March 1, 2021) –  The Baker-Polito Administration today announced $4.9 million in grants awarded to six agencies, including hospitals and treatment and behavioral health centers, for the creation of evidence-based and data-driven co-occurring substance use disorder/mental health response teams embedded in high schools in ten communities to offer intervention and treatment services, and provide alternatives to school suspension for substance use.

 

The six agencies were selected for grant funding based on their ability to provide access to these crucial services, both in school and in the community, as well as virtually due to instances of remote and hybrid learning. The awardees are:

 

• Heywood Hospital, providing services for Athol High School, Gardner High School, Gardner Academy of Learning and Tech, Ralph C. Mahar Regional School (Orange), Narragansett Regional High School (Templeton), and Murdock High School (Winchendon)
• High Point Treatment Center, providing services for New Bedford High School
• Institute for Health and Recovery, providing services for Malden High School
• North Suffolk Mental Health, providing services for Revere High School
• River Valley Counseling Center, providing services for Holyoke High School North Campus
• The Brien Center, providing services for Monument Mountain Regional High (Great Barrington)

 

This grant award will ensure these agencies are prepared to offer services to students suffering from co-occurring substance use disorder/mental health issues. The programs will respond to students’ and their families’ needs, increase collaboration with schools, and provide support to students in crisis.

 

“Disruptions to in-school learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic have taken a social and emotional toll on many students, and especially those most at risk for substance use and mental health issues,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders, who directs the state’s COVID-19 Command Center. “This grant will allow much-needed resources to reach students remotely and offer a mental health-driven alternative to suspensions.”

 

The grant will be distributed over the course of 6 years, with each program receiving $136,864 per year, or $4.9 million over the life of the award. Funded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) State Opioid Response grant, the grant will serve to support the Commonwealth-wide adolescent addiction workforce that is specifically trained and certified to provide targeted substance use interventions and treatment to at-risk students, reducing their risk of developing an opioid or substance use disorder. These timely awards will support Massachusetts schools’ efforts to effectively respond to student substance use and mental health concerns, as access to high-potency marijuana products increases, rates of on-campus vaping surge, and the overall perception of harm associated with adolescent substance use decreases.

 

“Massachusetts is taking action to reinforce protections for children affected by substance use and mental health issues in these unprecedented times,” said Deirdre Calvert, Director of the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services at the Department of Public Health.  “This grant program will ensure that at-risk youth receive the services they need to prevent substance use, help combat the opioid epidemic, and support families during the COVID-19 state of emergency.”