The Healey-Driscoll Administration has taken a proactive step toward supporting young children’s mental health in Massachusetts. They’ve allocated $4.1 million in Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Grants. This funding will benefit six organizations dedicated to bolstering the social-emotional development and behavioral health of children within early education programs across the state.
Additionally, the investment aims to nurture the growth of the state’s youngest learners. With the goal to decrease suspension and expulsion rates in early education settings, and foster both school success and community health.
Addressing the Mental Health Crisis
“We have a mental health crisis that has only been made worse by the pandemic, particularly for our youngest kids,” Governor Maura Healey shared. She emphasized the administration’s commitment to shattering the stigma around seeking mental health care. “These grants,” she added, “will provide early education and care programs with the tools and resources needed to help educators identify kids struggling and support families in accessing help.”
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll highlighted the essential role of early education programs. She believes these programs lay a robust foundation for children’s mental well-being, setting them up for success in life. “Early education and care programs play a vital role in supporting the foundation for infant and child mental health that will serve our students throughout their lives. With the state’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Grants, our early educators can access the resources they need to help young children learn about and manage their feelings, fostering environments to support healthy social and emotional development in their classroom and beyond,” Driscoll said.
What The Grants Entail
The selected organizations, recipients of the grants, will provide an array of services to early education and care programs. The grants focus on enhancing policies and practices to be trauma-informed and prioritize the well-being of the children. Furthermore, they will create strategies for staff self-care, build skills to pinpoint at-risk children, and support positive behavior interventions. The program will achieve this all while using evidence-backed methods.
Moreover, they’ll be instrumental in fostering stronger family relationships, helping children in both classroom settings and at home. This includes drafting individual behavior support plans for children and recommending other community-based services.
Educational System’s Path to Recovery
Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler remarked on the administration’s focus on healing and improving the education system post-pandemic. “The Healey-Driscoll Administration is focused on healing, stabilizing, and transforming our education system that is still recovering from the lasting impacts of the pandemic. With these early education mental health grants, we can support the critical infrastructure of mental health service providers that uplift our youngest children, their families, and their educators,” Tutwiler said, “The path to well-being and stability is a slow one, but with this funding we will make inroads in our pursuit to improve mental health for all of our students.” Accordingly, he acknowledges the journey to stability is gradual, but believes the funding will expedite progress.
Additionally, Amy Kershaw, the Early Education and Care Commissioner, echoed these sentiments, discussing the evident social-emotional needs of young children. “These grants,” she affirmed, “will help provide early education and care programs, and their staff, with the tools they need to meet the individual needs of children and families while also creating environments that enable children to learn and thrive.”
2023 Grant Awardees
Among the six organizations awarded, Behavioral Health Network, Inc. received $772,706, serving cities including Adams, Holyoke, and Springfield. Community Health Link, Inc. received $602,242, catering to towns such as Auburn, Worcester, and Shrewsbury. Additionally, Enable, Inc. received $457,994 to serve areas like Acton, Newton, and Framingham. You can find the full list of grantees on the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s official website.
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