Haitian Mental Health Network at William James College Awarded Nearly $1 Million in Funding

Grants will support the expansion of critical behavioral health services for underserved communities across the Commonwealth.

Newton, MA —The Haitian Mental Health (HMH) Network at William James College has been awarded nearly $1 million to expand culturally and linguistically responsive behavioral health initiatives for underserved populations and communities across Massachusetts.

Grants will fund youth engagement, behavioral health career exploration, maternal and infant mental health training, family engagement, community education, and access to technology-enabled services and health care advocates. Together, these investments underscore the growing recognition of the HMH Network’s leadership in advancing community-centered approaches to accessible mental health services. 

• The HMH Network will receive $450,000 over 18 months through the Massachusetts Office of Behavioral Health Promotion and Prevention grants program. HMH was one of 23 community-based organizations selected as part of a broader annual funding initiative totaling $4.5 million. This award will support a youth-led public awareness campaign and the development of peer leadership skills and behavioral health career exploration programs to promote the mental health and well-being of people across the state.
• The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Pregnancy, Infancy, and Early Childhood Division awarded the HMH Network $44,000 to strengthen perinatal and maternal behavioral health training for community health workers, doulas, and health care advocates. Initial activities include training webinars and focus groups established to help identify participants’ needs. Future programming will include webinars on infant mental health as well as hands-on training to help attendees understand newborn behaviors and foster strong bonds between young children and their caregivers.
• The HMH Network will also receive $450,000 over three years through Boston Children’s Hospital’s Metro South West Community Health Initiative. This award is part of a broader $3.8 million investment in 14 organizations serving children, youth, and families in Brockton, Framingham, Needham, Quincy, Randolph, Waltham, and Weymouth. The HMH Network’s Community Behavioral Health Peer Navigation and Family Engagement Initiative will help parents and caregivers find behavioral health support and make it easier to navigate the health care system. The initiative will also improve coordination among community-based partners, offer skill-building workshops, and establish a Family and Caregiver Partner Network to ensure long-term sustainability. 

In addition to these direct grants, the HMH Network received much-needed technology and equipment through the Massachusetts Broadband Institute’s Connected and Online Program. These tools, including laptops, desktops, and tablets, will enhance access to education, behavioral health workforce training, and culturally and linguistically affirming telehealth care. 

“These awards represent an important recognition of the critical need for behavioral health services that address the unique needs of our immigrant, refugee, and asylum-seeking communities,” said Gina D. Benjamin, Executive Director of the Haitian Mental Health Network. “We are grateful to our funders, including the Healey-Driscoll Administration and Boston Children’s Hospital, for investing in community-led approaches that advance mental health equity and well-being.”

About the Haitian Mental Health Network

The Haitian Mental Health (HMH) Network at William James College is a volunteer-led, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting greater awareness and understanding of mental illness and mental wellness in the Haitian community. The HMH Network facilitates community conversations about mental health and celebrates culturally and spiritually grounded practices that promote individual, family, and community well-being. The Behavioral Health & Wellbeing Taskforce, a growing coalition under the HMH Network umbrella, focuses on advocacy, collective fundraising, and a directory of culturally and linguistically affirming services and resources for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.

About William James College

Founded in 1974, William James College is the largest psychology educational institution in New England and a leader in the education of organizational and behavioral health professionals. The College offers degree and certificate programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels in mental health and applied psychology. Through strong partnerships with community agencies and organizations, William James College works to eliminate barriers to education, expand access to high-quality care, and create pathways to careers in behavioral health for students from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Constantly evolving to meet the needs of a rapidly changing society, the College prepares highly skilled professionals to serve individuals and communities across a wide range of settings including schools, courts, healthcare systems, and the workplace.

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