Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Health

Peer Leadership Institute

The Peer Leadership Institute (PLI) promotes healthy lifestyles for Boston's inner-city youth. PLI is a peer to peer experience. It focuses on health education. It also empowers youth to take ownership of their personal health and engage in their communities.​​

Safe and Successful Youth Initiative

The Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. SSYI utilizes a comprehensive public health approach to outreach, engagement, case management, and service delivery to increase positive outcomes for adolescents and young adults ages 17-24. 

Youth Development Network

The Youth Development Network (YDN) partners with three Boston public high schools to reduce chronic absenteeism among students.

Youth Prevention Program

The Youth Prevention Program was created in response to the Boston Youth Substance Use Prevention Strategic Plan released in 2018.

Boston Area Health Education Center

The Boston Area Health Education Center (BAHEC) is a youth pathway to health careers program. BAHEC believes in inspiring Boston high school students to pursue health careers. It provides hands-on learning and exposure through year-long and summer programming.

Cope Code Club

Cope Code Club supports Boston youth in identifying healthy ways to cope with difficult feelings. These include stress, anger, and self-esteem. 

Start Strong

Start Strong is an internationally recognized high school peer leadership program that aims to prevent teen dating violence and promote healthy relationships. 

Health Resource Center 

The Health Resource Center (HRC) is a collaboration between the Boston Public Health Commission and Boston Public Schools. It brings comprehensive sexual health education, in-school health counseling, referrals, and community health care resources to high school students.  

Early Childhood Mental Health

The ECMH FIRST Project seeks to sustain a system of care (SOC) which can meet the specific mental health needs of children birth to 48 months, who are part of the child welfare system. 

Healthy Baby Healthy Child

The Healthy Baby Healthy Child (HBHC) program provides free home visits for pregnant and parenting families in Boston.

Healthy Start Initiative

The mission of the Healthy Start Systems is to promote the health and well-being of women, children, and families in the City of Boston, particularly those living in communities that are disproportionately impacted by infant mortality and other health disparities.

Organizational Capacity Building and Collaboration

The Capacity Building and Training Initiative (CBTI) partners with City and community programs to enhance service quality and strengthen collaboration. CBTI's work builds the capacity of organizations that serve individuals and families. The goal is to develop practices, programs and policies. These will be equitable, trauma-informed and resiliency-building.

Entre Familia

Entre Familia is a 6 to 12 month residential substance use treatment program that provides bilingual/bicultural, gender-specific, substance use disorder treatment to pregnant and postpartum women and their children.

Mayor's Health Line

The Mayor’s Health Line is a free, confidential, multilingual information and referral service. ​We help all residents regardless of immigration status. If you or your family needs legal help we provide referrals to legal services.

Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Initiative 

The Division of Violence Prevention partners with Boston community organizations, service providers and residents to address and prevent multiple forms of violence and related trauma by supporting strengths and assets so all residents and neighborhoods thrive.

Neighborhood Trauma Team Network

Support is available to ALL residents who feel affected by community violence. You can access services by calling the hotline or the Neighborhood Trauma Team Network. All services are free and private.

Ryan White Services

The Ryan White Part A program provides supportive services for people living with HIV across 10 counties in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Age Strong

For us, strength comes in many forms. Strength of community. Of cultures. Of experiences. Strength to embrace new chapters and opportunities. We believe that Bostonians who are 55+ make our City strong and vibrant.

Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program

BHCHP is an integrated team of over 600 medical and behavioral health staff, social service providers, and support staff committed to ensuring and delivering equitable and dignified access to comprehensive, high-quality health care for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Boston and beyond.

At our 30+ clinic sites in shelters and hospitals, our medical respite program, and on the streets, we provide medical care, behavioral health care, youth and family services, and case management to nearly 10,000 individuals (adults and children) every year.

AHOPE 

Access, Harm Reduction, Overdose Prevention and Education (AHOPE) is a harm reduction and needle exchange site.

The South Boston Outpatient Clinic

Part of the South Boston Collaborative Center, the South Boston Outpatient Clinic is an Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment program providing substance abuse treatment to adults and adolescents.

Safe and Sound Recovery Center

​​Safe and Sound Recovery Center provides peer-led, outpatient substance use services. These services include recovery coaching & planning, access to peer-led recovery support center, substance abuse groups, and peer leadership training opportunities.

Massachusetts Behavioral Health Access 

The Massachusetts Behavioral Health Access (MABHA) website helps both providers and individuals locate openings in youth and family services, mental health, and substance use disorder services. Everyone is welcome to search for services that they can access directly from their community.

Massachusetts Association for Mental Health

The Massachusetts Association for Mental Health (MAMH) provides a list of services and resources to find behavioral health clinicians, help with different services, helplines, and legal resources.

Community Behavioral Health Centers (CBHCs) provide a wide range of mental health resources for mental health and substance use treatment programs. There are 29 CBHCs located in communities across Massachusetts. They offer immediate care in both crisis situations and for routine care. 

Boston Medical Center's Boston HealthNet Community Health Centers

Boston HealthNet is an integrated healthcare delivery system whose partners provide outreach, prevention, primary care and specialty care, behavioral health care and services, and dental services at 12 sites located throughout Boston's neighborhoods and Quincy, Taunton and Winthrop.

The Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline

The Helpline is a statewide, public resource for finding substance use treatment, recovery, and problem gambling services. Helpline services are free and confidential. Our caring, trained Specialists will help you understand the treatment system and your options.

800.327.5050

FindTreatment.gov 

FindTreatment.gov is a confidential and anonymous resource for persons seeking treatment for mental and substance use disorders in the United States and its territories.

FindTreatment.gov offers a search bar to find a treatment facility closest to you. FindTreatment.gov provides the ability to search for substance use and mental health facilities, health care centers, buprenorphine practitioners, and opioid treatment providers.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Massachusetts - Navigating a Mental Health Crisis

This is a resource providing some ideas for navigating a crisis that you or someone you support is experiencing. It can be frightening when you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, but there are many resources to help you feel prepared and knowledgeable about how to act and feel.

 Network of Care Massachusetts

The Network of Care MA Service Directory has a comprehensive list of behavioral health services and supports across Massachusetts. The  service directory is searchable by keyword and zip code, and you can narrow your results by the distance from your zip code and the languages spoken by the providers.

The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ+ young people, 24/7, all year round.

Call, text, or chat with a trained counselor anytime for support. The Trevor Project also offers TrevorSpace, an affirming, online community for LGBTQ young people between the ages of 13-24 years old. There is over 400,000 members across the globe who can help you explore your identity, get advice, find support, and make friends in a moderated community intentionally designed for you.

Visit the resource center to learn and explore many topics including mental health, gender identity, and community. 

The Network/la Red

The Network/La Red is a survivor-led, social justice organization that works to end partner abuse in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, kink, polyamorous, and queer communities.

There is a 24-hour hotline, resources for support groups, resources for individual support, and housing pathways program. All services are free and confidential.

Fenway Health

Fenway Health can help you deal with a range of personal issues and life events. Whether you are coming out, coping with self-esteem issues, seeking more satisfying relationships, living with HIV, trying to stop drinking, or grieving the death of a partner, we provide high-quality care that is sensitive to LGBT concerns.

Compass

Compass is for anyone who was assigned female at birth and feels that that is not a complete or accurate description of their gender. We’re not the gender police; if you feel that you belong here, you belong here.

Boston Area Trans Support

Boston Area Trans Support are a peer-run support group for trans and non-binary adults in the Boston area. Working together for over twelve years, we strive to create an inclusive community, provide peer support, and ensure a safe space for trans and non-binary people. Meeting location and time will be provided to those who join.

Beats By Girlz - Boston Chapter

BBG Boston is working on gender equity for girls, women, and gender-expansive people in the music industry through education, networking, opportunities, and community. Beats By Girlz is the promise of a future - one where traditionally marginalized gender identities are able to visualize and realize their full potential.

Check out the Events tab on the website or BBG Boston social media for upcoming events.

The Meeting Point

The Meeting Point is a collective of independent body workers and mental health practitioners who believe that the support and celebration of intricate identities, complex bodies and creative minds is a social justice issue.

As such we are committed to creating greater access to care for populations including LGBTQI identified individuals, POC, people who have experienced trauma, and those with physical and/or emotional disabilities.

Office of LGBTQ+ Advancement

The Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Advancement develops policies, community-oriented programming, and provides resources for the City’s diverse LGBTQ+ community.We empower, protect, and promote the rights, dignity, and advancement of Boston’s LGBTQ+ residents.

National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network

The National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN) is a healing justice organization committed to transforming mental health for queer and trans people of color (QTPoC). We work at the intersection of movements for social justice and the field of mental health to integrate healing justice into both of these spaces. Our overall goal is to increase access to healing justice resources for QTPoC.

Inclusive Therapists

People with marginalized identities deserve equitable access to radically affirming, culturally responsive mental health care.

We aim to make this process simpler and safer. We center the needs of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and 2SLGBTQIA+ intersections (QTBIPOC). We amplify the voices and expressions of Neurodivergent and Disabled Communities of Color.

Mental Health America

Being LGBTQ+ isn’t a mental illness. However, many LGBTQ+ people experience mental health struggles linked to societal stigma, discrimination, and denial of their civil and human rights.

LGBTQ+ Mental Health Resource Center

Marsha P. Johnson Institute 

MPJI seeks to eradicate systemic, community, and physical violence that silences our community from actualizing freedom, joy, and safety. In part, this mission is addressed through locating culturally competent resources for basic necessities like housing, food security, legal and financial support, COVID-19 relief, health/wellness, employment, social support, and more. The Organizations and individual providers included in our resource map reflect the mission and vision of MPJI by actively having BLACK TGNC leadership and/or specifically highlighting and catering to BLACK TGNC folks.

Dee Dee's Cry

DeeDee’s Cry provides resources on suicide prevention and loss and mental health education. DeeDee’s Cry supports families impacted by suicide. DeeDee’s Cry aims to create a space where conversations begin to lift the stigma on suicide and mental health within Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) communities. 

Inclusive Therapists

People with marginalized identities deserve equitable access to radically affirming, culturally responsive mental health care.

We aim to make this process simpler and safer. We center the needs of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and 2SLGBTQIA+ intersections (QTBIPOC). We amplify the voices and expressions of Neurodivergent and Disabled Communities of Color.

Innopysch

nnoPsych’s mission is to bring healing to communities of color by changing the face and feel of therapy! We strive to make therapists of color more visible in the community by creating a path to wellness-themed business ownership; to make it faster (and easier) for people of color to match with a therapist of color; and to create a major shift in how communities of color (or POCs) view therapy.

InnoPsych provides a directory to Find a Therapist of color, support for therapists of color to launch their own private practice, and a Group Coaching Program for "The Thriving Therapreneur"

PureSpark 

PureSpark seeks to cultivate the kind of mental wellness culture and uses social media and our web interface to provide resources and daily coping mechanisms that would otherwise be out of reach for someone who is unfamiliar with the mental wellness system. While open to providing information for everyone, the organization’s focus is on Black women.

PureSpark shares a list of Crisis Helplines and a Provider Directory.

We Are Better Together Warren Daniel Hairston Project (WAB2G)

WAB2G connects and heals women and girls affected by homicide and incarceration to prevent the cycles of violence and victimization. WAB2G serves families on all sides of homicide, incarceration, and violence. We aim to create a world where the cycles of trauma and violence are broken within families, and communities are actively engaged in healing. We are a community of sisters dedicated to improving the physical, mental, and emotional health of mothers.

Roxbury Presbyterian Church: Social Impact Center

The Social Impact Center (SIC) was founded in 2000 with a mission to create and implement educational and economic development programs to strengthen the Roxbury community. Since 2014, the Cory Johnson Program offers a peer-centered approach to addressing post-traumatic stress in urban neighborhoods. We foster connection and empower individuals to take active roles in helping themselves and others heal. We bridge multiple systems of care and offer: a safe sacred space of the sharing of painful stories, increased awareness and understanding of trauma, relief from traumatic stress, and mental health support. Click here to learn about different programs.

The LoveLand Foundation

The Loveland Foundation is committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. Through partnerships, the Therapy Fund seeks to support Black women and girls in accessing support for healing.

If you are a Black woman or girl who would like financial assistance seeking therapy please click here to fill out the Therapy Fund signup form.

Therapy for Black Girls

Therapy for Black Girls is an online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls. 

Click here to find trusted, culturally responsive therapists and/or providers in your area.

Therapy for Black Men

TherapyforBlackMen.org aims to break the stigma that asking for help is a sign of weakness. With a rapidly growing directory of 427 therapists and 45 coaches throughout the fifty states thus far, we are here to provide judgment-free, multiculturally-competent care to Black men.

"You don’t have to man up. Let’s talk it through together."

The Triggered Project

Shattering the silence of Black and Brown men and boys who have been sexually abused. Nurturing the healing with the use of the arts. The Triggered Project Believes Self-care for the Black community is a political act, which is the first step for social change. The Triggered Project utilizes art programs as a method to express, and liberate the trauma stories of many men, and boys whose stories have not been told and deserve to be discovered and appreciated. The Triggered Project works to nurture healing for black and brown men which we hope provide options to redefine masculinity and end the use to toxic ways of defining manhood.  

The MGH Center for Cross-Cultural Student Emotional Wellness

A team of clinicians, educators, researchers who aim to support, understand, and promote emotional health and psychological resilience of students and scholars from diverse cultural backgrounds, with a primary focus on Asian cultural backgrounds.

They provide education & prevention resources, research & publications resources, and clinical consultation & referrals.

Japanese Bostonians Support Line (JB Line, Inc.)

JB Line helps support Japanese immigrants and their families who currently reside in Boston and New England.

JB Line helps to provide support in problems that may arise in daily lives. JB Line provides support with consultations, providing information and resources, offering direct support services, and connection with other social support resources.

Japanese/English Support Line: 781- 296-1800 (10am-4pm on weekdays)

National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA) 

The mission of NAAPIMHA is to promote mental health and well being of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. 

NAAPIMHA provides a wealth of resources including mental health programming (such as heART's hope that highlights the healing power of art in all its forms), training and technical assistance, partnerships, policy and advocacy efforts, and a list of service providers in all fifty states.

Saheli Boston 

Saheli's trained staff is available to provide personalized, culturally-sensitive, trauma-informed support to South Asian and Arab survivors of domestic violence and their families. 

Saheli offers services for safety planning, counseling, prevention, legal advocacy, benefits advocacy, and support groups in Burlington, Quincy, and Shrewsbury. Saheli also offers legal support including translation, accompanying survivors to court and police stations, and offers free family law legal clinics.

Bilingual Helpline: 866-472-4354

Saheli's trained advocates speak several South Asian languages including Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Nepali, and Arabic.

Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center (RIAC) 

RIAC Community Counseling Services is a community-based mental health and social program to serve the unique needs of refugees and immigrants of Boston.

A multi-cultural and multi-lingual staff has expertise in cultural needs and mental health issues, and offers services in English, Farsi, Ibo, Hausa, Swahili, Spanish, French, and Somali, utilizing medical interpreters as needed. 

For appointments, call RIAC at 617-238-2430.

For after hour clinical emergencies, call 617-261-2034.

Somali Parents Advocacy Center for Education (SPACE)

SPACE aims to support, educate, empower and inspire parents to be better advocates for their children, more specifically, their children with special needs in schools, in health care, and in the community.

SPACE provides resources for Somali parents of children with disabilities in the Boston area for wellness and mental health. 

Contact +1 (781) 266-8882 to learn more.

Native American Lifelines, Inc.

Native American Lifelines promotes health and social resiliency within Urban American Indian communities. Native American Lifelines applies principles of trauma-informed care to provide culturally centered behavioral health, dental, outreach, and referral services.

Click here for the Boston Resource Guide.

We R Native 

We R Native is a resource by Native youth for Native youth.

We R Native provides content and stories about topics that matter most to them to promote holistic health and positive growth.

We R Native provides resources for "My Mind" to support building mental resilience, mental health challenges, and getting help.

If you are a Native youth and have a 'mind, body or spirit' question on your heart that a Relative can assist with, reach out here.

StrongHearts Native Helpline

StrongHearts is a lifeline to Native American and Alaska Natives impacted by domestic and sexual violence.

StrongHearts offers culturally-appropriate, anonymous and confidential service available 24/7 nationwide. 

Call or text: 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483)

Chat online at strongheartshelpline.org: survivors, family, friends and partners questioning their own behavior can connect with StrongHeart advocates.

StrongHearts advocates provide support and advocacy including:

• Crisis intervention

• Assistance with safety planning

• Domestic violence education and information

• Referrals to Native-centered domestic violence and sexual violence service providers

• Basic information about health options

• Support finding a local health facility or crisis center trained in the care of sexual assault survivors and forensic exams

• General information about jurisdiction and legal advocacy referrals

Casa Esperanza 

Casa Esperanza is a bilingual/bicultural behavioral health facility that serves the Latino community. Casa Esperanza provides support for the Latino community who have been impacted by addiction and mental illness.

Casa Esperanza helps motivates client to get help, help them to stay engaged in care long enough to meet treatment goals, and support in building a life in recovery that works for the individual and their family.

Sociedad Latina

Sociedad Latina serves young people and adults. Sociedad Latina's mission is to create the next generation of Latinx leaders who are confident, competent, self-sustaining, and proud of their cultural heritage.

Sociedad Latina's programming promotes long-term participation, positive interactions with adults, and cultural identity building in four key areas that meet the needs and interests of the community: Education, Workforce Development, Civic Engagement, and Arts and Culture. To get involved in any of Sociedad Latina programs, click here to learn more.

If you are a youth interested in becoming a youth leader, click here to learn more.

MA SAVE Program - (Statewide Advocacy for Veterans' Empowerment (SAVE))

SAVE is a peer outreach program that connects veterans with peers to help them access benefits, services, and supports, and support their overall mental health.

The SAVE program aims to advocate for veterans who are not able to obtain the benefits they have earned due to institutional or personal barriers. The program's primary mission is prevention of suicide and mental health distress through the identification of issues facing veterans when they return from service and result in positive transitions back to civilian life.

Home Base - Veteran and Family Care

Home Base is a national nonprofit founded by Massachusetts General Hospital and the Boston Red Sox. Home Base is dedicated to healing the invisible wounds of war for Veterans of all eras, Service Members, Military Families and Families of the Fallen through world-class, direct clinical care, wellness, education and research – all at no cost – regardless of era of service, discharge status or geographical location.

New England Programs:

• Home Base Outpatient Clinic treats Veterans, Service Members and Family Members affected by invisible wounds, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, mild cognitive impairment due to traumatic brain injury, substance use disorders and related conditions. Use the "Get Care" button on this webpage or call 617-724-5202. 
• Home Base Family Care and Support supports many programs and provides highly skilled, culturally competent clinicians and mental health care to military family members. They are knowledgeable and experienced in addressing the unique impact Military service places on the Family unit, as well as the challenges of living with service-related mental health issues. Click here to learn about the many programs that are offered.
• The SOAR Program is an intensive outpatient recovery program for substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression. Currently, operates fully virtual at no cost to the participant. Click here to learn more.

Project Bread

Project Bread is free & confidential for all Massachusetts residents. Expert counselors are ready to assist callers in 180 languages. Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline provides free, expert assistance in understanding what programs are out there to help go beyond just making ends meet, stretch your food budget, and reliably feed yourself or your family. Project Bread can help you access local food resources and federal nutrition programs.

Contact 1-800-645-8333 to learn more.

The Food Project 

Want to grow your own food—right in your yard? The Food Project believes that everyone who wants to grow their own food should have access to adequate, toxin-free growing space. The Food Project’s Build-a-Garden initiative supports low- to moderate-income households in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan and organizations who want to grow their own food. Click here to learn more.

The Food Project’s mission is to create a thoughtful and productive community of youth and adults from diverse backgrounds who work together to build a sustainable food system.

Listening, Reflecting, Healing - Moving Forward After Pregnancy Loss

If you are having a difficult time following pregnancy loss, and think you would benefit from professional support, and the opportunity to share your experience with others in similar situations, then this group counseling experience may be for you. This group is available to you whether you have experienced a first, second, or third trimester loss. We will focus on the stages of grief, coming to terms with the loss, communicating with others, and finally moving forward. 

Learn to Cope

Learn to Cope is a peer-led support network that offers education, resources, and hope for family members and friends who have loved ones affected by substance use disorder.

Good Grief Program

The Good Grief Program at Boston Medical Center provides therapeutic support to pediatric patients of BMC who have experienced an important loss such as the death of a significant person, divorce, or separation from a primary caregiver. After a loss, children need the support of caring adults to help them make sense of their loss, to support their grief, and to strengthen their strategies to cope. The Good Grief Program offers a steadying and supportive force for children who are grieving as they respond to their loss or losses.

Support After a Death by Overdose

SADOD provides resources, information, and assistance to people throughout Massachusetts who have been affected by the death of someone they care about from a substance-use-related cause. Our focus is on increasing the capacity and effectiveness of peer grief support for bereaved people, frontline care providers, and people in recovery or struggling with drug use. We hope you find useful tools here that meet your needs, and we welcome your feedback about how this website can be improved.