Springfield Youth Mental Health Coalition
The Springfield Youth Mental Health Coalition (YMHC) is convened by the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts and funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Problem Gambling Services. One of YMHC's main initiatives is the Beat the Odds Youth Leaders in Problem Gambling Prevention program. The Coalition consists of behavioral health and youth-serving organizations serving youth and families across Greater Springfield.
In 2019 we began a year long process with an Advisory Board to identify a health problem made worse by the presence of a casino in Springfield, MA. To help narrow from fifteen potential topics to one, we gathered diverse community voices, input from content experts, and data from existing community health needs assessments. This process identified youth behavioral health as the biggest priority.
With help from our BTO Youth Leaders, we adopted the following strategies:
- Mental Health Awareness
- Problem Gambling Prevention
- Professional Development and Community Education
Coalition Building
Youth Mental Health Coalition and Beat the Odds Youth Leadership Program Staff and Coordinators: Darren Flucker, MLK BTO Program Coordinator; Justin Spainhoward, NNCC BTO Program Coordinator; Tiffany Rufino, Senior Manager, Youth Mental Health Coalition; Eli Crespo, Youth Mental Health Coalition Program Coordinator; and Falasha Paul, SECC BTO Program Coordinator.
YMHC PREVENTATIVE STRATEGIES
Problem Gambling Prevention
Mental Health Awareness
Learn moreIn 2023, the YMHC launched a mental health campaign that exemplifies that we are more than our mood, much more than what meets the surface, and that it's okay to explore our underlying feelings of stress, anxiety and depression.
The campaign includes a website with mental health resources for youth, caregivers, and adult supporters.
Professional Development and Community Education
View Training OpportunitiesThe YMHC offers professional development to professionals working with youth to educate about youth mental health from a cultural and social justice perspective. The coalition also offers community education open to all Springfield residents and organizations to build awareness around stress, anxiety and depression and how to identify symptoms in themselves and loved ones.
YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH COALITION
- Parents and guardians
- Beat the Odds youth
- AmeriCorps: Springfield College
- AmeriCorps: DIAL/SELF Youth and Community Services
- Baystate Health
- Behavioral Health Network
- Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Western MA
- Follow my Steps
- Gándara's Impact Center
- Girls, Inc. of the Valley
- MassMentoring Partnership
- New North Citizens Council
- Springfield Public Schools
- Springfield Office of Health and Racial Equity
- Tools for Success Counseling
- Trust Transfer Project
Beat the Odds Youth Leadership Program
- Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services
- South End Community Center
- New North Citizens Council
Professional Development and Community Education
- African Diaspora Mental Health Association
- Behavioral Health Network
- Tools for Success
OUR FUNDERS
Thank you for supporting this important work in Springfield!
For the Youth Mental Health Coalition initiatives including Youth Advisors, Peer Mentoring and Professional Development:
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Office of Problem Gambling Services
For the Communications Campaign:
- The Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation
- Trinity Health of New England
- Whitcomb Foundation
- Women's Fund of Western MA
- City of Springfield
