Enhancing Mental Health Capacity for Youth-Serving Organizations

Overview of the Initiative

The goal of this initiative is to build the capacity of community-based organizations (CBOs) serving marginalized youth, particularly youth of color and/or LGBTQ+ individuals, who face significant behavioral health disparities. Health Resources in Action (HRiA), a Boston-based non-profit working to improve and reimagine public health, is partnering with the Boston Public Health Commission’s (BPHC) Center for Behavioral Health and Wellness on this initiative. HRiA will offer training and coaching to youth workers working directly with youth to enhance individual and CBO capacity to better support the immediate and long-term mental health needs of youth. Organizations will identify up to two staff members, who will serve as Behavioral Health Champions (BHCs), and will receive training and coaching that will help them better identify, understand, address, and follow up on youth mental health needs in a non-clinical setting. These BHCs will participate in a Training of Trainers (ToT) and return to their organizations to provide foundational Mental Health 101 training to their youth-serving colleagues with support from HRiA. Each BHC will receive a certificate of completion, and each organization can receive up to $5000 for their participation in this initiative.

 

Organization Eligibility Requirements

This capacity-building opportunity is available to Boston’s youth-serving CBOs that meet the following criteria:

  1. Serves 14-18 year old youth consistently (at least weekly) with dedicated programming provided on an ongoing basis (programming has been in place for at least one full year)
  2. Mission of organization is consistent with BPHC overall mission and vision
  3. Are based in Boston (Neighborhoods | Boston.gov)
  4. Serve youth who reside in Boston
  5. Serve youth of color and/or LGBTQ+ youth
  6. Staff reflect the identities of the youth served
  7. Have demonstrated histories of trust and high regard by youth and the communities in which they are situated
  8. Not clinical in nature i.e., does not provide behavioral or mental health services as its main objective or outcome
  9. The following are ineligible for this opportunity:
    1. Schools
    2. Health centers and/or hospitals
    3. For-profit organizations

If you meet these eligibility requirements, we strongly encourage you to apply. If you you’d like to learn more information, please review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Notable dates and information for our 2nd cohort:

Training of Trainers sessions: March 11th, 13th, 18th and 20th, 2025

Location in person TBD (T-accessible in downtown Boston)

Light breakfast and lunch will be provided

Once accepted, organizations can expect to receive the following:

  1. A 16-hour Training-of-Trainers (ToT) provided by HRiA over four 4-hour sessions delivered to a cohort of youth serving staff to become Behavioral Health Champions (BHCs) at their organizations. Each organization can send up to two staff to become BHCs. HRiA will coordinate a time that is most conducive to participants. The topics tentatively covered at this ToT are:
    • Building Collective Resiliency in Youth: Culturally Responsive Strategies for Supporting Mental Health
    • Trauma-Informed and Healing Centered Practices in Youth Programs and Communities
    • Substance Use and Harm Reduction and its Connection to Mental Health
    • Mental Health Support Strategies
  2. A maximum stipend of $5000 per organization, broken down as follows:
    1. $1500 stipend per staff (up to 2) who attends the 16-hour BHC ToT. We encourage sending two staff, however, one can suffice. HRiA expects a portion of this stipend to go directly to the staff, more guidance to be provided later.
    2. $1000 stipend for each six-hour Mental Health 101 training* (up to 2) that the CBO offers to their staff, volunteers and/or community partners on mental health topics sourced from the 16-hour HRiA provided training. HRiA will provide the BHCs with the training agendas and related materials.
  3. Individualized and group technical assistance and networking opportunities, including but not limited to, training preparation, networking, and co-facilitation support – all of which can take place either in-person or online.

Participating organizations are responsible for:

  1. Identifying up to two, ideally, full-time, permanent, staff to serve as Behavioral Health Champions (BHCs) to ensure consistency and continuity
  2. BHCs must commit to attending the full in-person 16-hour Training of Trainers sessions
  3. BHCs must commit to participating in technical assistance sessions to prepare to lead the 6-hour Mental Health 101 training at their organizations. These could be facilitation practice sessions in person, via Zoom, or a mix of both depending on the need and availability.
  4. Within 4 months of completing the Training of Trainers (ToT), BHCs must schedule and lead up to two, 6-hour Behavioral Health 101 trainings at their organizations for staff, volunteers and/or community partners with a goal of reaching 35 people per training.
  5. Providing HRiA with required data requested on training participants (more to be shared later), including administering pre-and post- surveys provided.

Application Deadline

This initiative will conclude in the Spring of 2026, therefore, there will be a rolling application deadline to accept 4 cohorts through this timeframe.

HRiA is currently recruiting for cohort 2, please apply now keeping in mind the dates below.

Cohort 2 Key Dates

Jan 24th, 2025: Submit applications by end of day (application technical support available Monday – Friday from 9am – 5pm)

July 2025: BHCs from Cohort 2 deliver up to two Behavioral Health 101 training sessions at their organizations

July 2025: Final data submission deadline for cohort 2

Dates will be posted soon for future cohorts. Stay tuned.

If you have any additional questions, you can reach us at: youthmh@hria.org

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