Mayor Michelle Wu, along with the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) and Boston Public Schools (BPS), has unveiled a significant initiative aimed at enhancing mental health services for the youth and families of Boston.
This initiative includes a commitment to invest $21 million over the next five years, targeting transformative funding for mental and behavioral health programs while focusing on cultivating a larger and more diverse behavioral health workforce.
In the initial year of this plan, a total of 318 mental health practitioners and clinicians received training and licensure support, or were placed in careers within the city.
Additionally, over 1,090 staff members from City departments, BPS schools, and community organizations participated in behavioral health training, while programming directly supported more than 2,000 youth.
Mayor Michelle Wu emphasized the importance of mental health on par with physical health, stating, “It’s essential that every young person and family in Boston has access to the care and support they need because mental health is just as important as physical health.”
She expressed gratitude towards the Boston Public Health Commission and Boston Public Schools for their efforts in expanding access to mental health resources, creating safe spaces for today’s youth and future generations.
Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Boston, noted the response to the ongoing mental health crisis faced by the youth.
“Over the course of the last year, we have responded to the mental health crisis among our youth by training hundreds of culturally and linguistically diverse health care providers and establishing new pathways to careers in behavioral health,” she said.
Dr. Ojikutu emphasized the goal of building capacity to treat mental illness so that no child or adolescent in the City lacks the support they need.
Superintendent Mary Skipper echoed this sentiment, stating, “We recognize that a student’s ability to thrive academically is deeply connected to their social and emotional health.”
She highlighted the importance of fostering open conversations about mental health, making the community aware of the available support.
“This dedicated funding will allow us to continue to strengthen crucial supports, increase access to mental health professionals, and implement innovative initiatives that foster a culture of care and understanding across our district and city,” she added.
BPHC’s Center for Behavioral Health and Wellness has joined forces with UMass Boston and Franciscan Children’s to augment the number of mental health clinicians from diverse backgrounds.
A new fellowship program titled “Transforming Boston Access to Mental Health” has been established, allowing UMass students pursuing clinical and non-clinical careers in behavioral health to receive financial support, mentorship, and internship opportunities.
Students enrolled in the Mental Health Counseling track are required to commit to working in Boston for three years post-graduation, ensuring the long-term impact of these investments.
As of May 2025, this program has supported 175 students and directly served 446 youth and adult clients.
Furthermore, the program aims to address the effects of structural racism and trauma on students, working to refine school policies and procedures collaboratively with Flourish Agenda.
Flourish Agenda has been providing training for BPS staff to create safe environments for youth to share their experiences while also focusing on maintaining the wellness of the staff.
In March 2025, a Healing Day event was hosted by Flourish Agenda, bringing together students and staff from 10 schools to foster community and empower participants to prioritize well-being within their cultural contexts.
Another integral aspect of the initiative is the focus on providing behavioral health training to community-based organizations that serve youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth, both groups facing significant behavioral health disparities.
Over the past year, BPHC’s Center for Behavioral Health and Wellness has collaborated with Health Resources in Action to train staff from 36 organizations to better support the immediate and long-term mental health needs of local youth.
Dr. Kevin Simon, Chief Behavioral Health Officer for the Boston Public Health Commission, remarked, “Our investments reflect what young people and families have told us—mental health care must be accessible, culturally responsive, and grounded in trust.
This work isn’t just about expanding services; it’s about reimagining systems.”
Through the integration of behavioral health into schools and community infrastructures, the initiative is committed to enduring, equity-centered change, ensuring that no youth in Boston is without support.
Director of BPHC’s Center for Behavioral Health and Wellness, Samara Grossman, commented on the timeliness of these investments.
“As mental health challenges among youth continue to rise, we are grateful we can respond with comprehensive, equity-based programming that is shaped by young people, tailored for those who need it most, and supported by holistic wraparound services.”
With this initiative, the City aims to utilize federal funds and grants from sources such as the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the U.S. Department of Education, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The ambitious plan is projected to reach over 50,000 students, significantly impact 21 BPS schools, support more than 600 individuals training for behavioral health careers in Boston, and provide behavioral health training to over 1,000 youth-facing staff.
Jakira Rogers, Project Manager for Flourish Agenda, highlighted the collaborative spirit motivating this work.
“One of the most inspiring aspects of our work at Flourish Agenda is how deeply our shared commitment to healing communities resonates,” she stated.
Rogers noted that partners such as BPHC and BPS are vital for facilitating Boston’s journey toward healing and flourishing.
Gina San Inocencio, Associate Director for Health Resources in Action, shared her personal connection to the initiative.
“Through this collaboration, we’ve trained over 60 youth workers in neighborhoods like the ones I grew up in, working with programs I myself attended as a youth.
These efforts are now reaching hundreds, if not thousands, of our city’s most marginalized young people.”
She emphasized the importance of these initiatives in supporting youth mental health needs and empowering them to become thriving adults.
The comprehensive investment breakdown highlights various funding allocations aimed at addressing youth mental health across the city.
A grant to UMass Boston for the “Transforming Boston Access to Mental Health” program aims to prepare culturally diverse youth-facing practitioners to serve local communities.
Fellows in this program will undergo education and training while committing to practice in Boston post-education.
Over three years, at least 185 students are expected to be trained to serve approximately 1,750 clients, a majority being youth.
As of now, this initiative has enrolled 53 Mental Health Counselors, 116 Therapeutic Mentors, and 6 School Psychologists, positively impacting 446 clients, 200 of whom are youth.
Furthermore, a grant to Franciscan Children’s has been allocated to expand the “Children’s Wellness Initiative” across BPS schools.
This expansion will include 10 additional BPS sites, increasing total coverage to 22 sites over three years.
The funding will also enhance recruitment efforts and provide advanced training for at least 180 individuals in behavioral health.
Currently, 12 clinicians are working across eight schools, effectively serving at least 166 BPS students.
In a separate initiative, BPHC and BPS are piloting a “Trauma-informed School System Transformation” program in 10 schools, aimed at servicing up to 3,500 students and 750 staff.
Flourish Agenda began employing trauma-informed methodologies in April 2024 to assess and enhance BPS policies and systems of care during the first year, conducting 29 training sessions to benefit 817 BPS staff.
Funding has also supported public awareness campaigns aimed at breaking the stigma around mental health in disproportionately impacted BIPOC youth.
These campaigns include the Cope Code Club, a creative arts initiative with The Family Van, and the youth-led campaign titled “Heads Up Boston,” promoting conversations among youths regarding mental health support.
So far, these campaigns have engaged 430 youth, achieving over 21 million views across various social media platforms.
Additionally, Health Resources in Action has started providing behavioral health training to community organizations in Boston.
To date, staff members from 36 organizations have completed the training, identifying 60 youth workers as “Behavioral Health Champions.”
BPHC’s Boston Area Health Education Center focuses on preparing youth for careers in health education, particularly from BIPOC communities.
Funding from this initiative will support afterschool and summer programs centered on behavioral health careers, aiming to train 400 students over the next three years.
At present, 122 students have enrolled in behavioral health career programs, including 40 who are participating in teen Mental Health First Aid training.
BPHC’s “Capacity Building and Training Initiative” will deliver trauma and equity training for City employees serving youth and families, covering roughly 600 staff over three years.
Since its inception, 15 staff members from 5 City departments have participated in train-the-trainer sessions, reporting enhanced skills and knowledge.
The “Boston Children’s Mental Health Initiative” will collaborate with Children’s Services of Roxbury to assist Black and Latinx children under four years old connected to state welfare or BPHC family support services.
The initiative includes training for at least 37 family partners, nurses, social workers, and case workers, alongside services for 275 children, screenings for 1,800 families, and outreach education.
To date, 13 individuals have completed training, with 224 children and families receiving important services and screenings, alongside engagement of 155 individuals through outreach efforts.
Boston Public Schools has also launched the “Project PROVIDE” initiative in partnership with Boston University to bolster the workforce development of diverse school mental health professionals.
This program aims to equip school psychologists, social workers, and counselors through mentorship, stipends, and reliable professional development.
Since its launch, Project PROVIDE has provided over 200 hours of free professional development to Boston-based mental health practitioners and community partners, training over 80 interns and mentoring more than 70 beginning staff members.
Through this work, BPS has been better positioned to convert trainees into full-time employees, effectively filling workforce vacancies and supporting provider retention.
For those seeking additional information on behavioral health resources in Boston, the community is encouraged to call the BPS Helpline at 617-635-8873 or visit the BPHC website.
image source from：https://www.boston.gov/news/updates-transformative-investments-mental-health-services-and-programs-youth-and-families
