Lahey Hospital & Medical Center (LHMC), part of Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH), has awarded nearly $1 million in grants through its Community-based Health Initiative to three area organizations, including YMCA of Metro North’s Torigian Family YMCA in Peabody, to support housing programs and mental health and substance use services throughout the region.
The funding seeks to empower local nonprofit organizations to address key areas of need and to support the health care priorities of the communities they serve. “These grants provide community organizations with critical resources to further develop and implement programs and services that bolster the health and well-being of their local residents,” Susan Moffatt-Bruce, MD, PhD, president of Lahey Hospital & Medical Center said.
Projects at the Torigian Family YMCA including the Youth Mental Health Support and Substance Use Prevention Program will be enhanced using the $260,000 grant from LMHC. “We are immensely grateful to Lahey Hospital & Medical Center for this grant, which enables us to expand our impact on young people in our care,” Executive Director of the Torigian Family YMCA Cara Green said.
The funds will allow for a youth behavioral analyst position and further substance use prevention and behavioral health services for young people. “This support allows us to continue our work as a vital community partner at the forefront of helping children and teens navigate stress and mental health issues and provide them a healthy, safe and supportive place to utilize in the community,” Green said.
Starting plans for using the funds will be to work with the city to train staff for the upcoming 2025 summer camp session.
“As someone who works closely with kids and teens every day, I see firsthand the challenges they face,” Senior Director of Youth Development at Torigian Family YMCA Chris Munnell said. “This partnership with Lahey will allow us to equip our staff with the skills to recognize and support youth struggling with mental health issues.”
