Mental health & substance use
Counseling, crisis response, addiction treatment and prevention for all ages.
Residents consistently ask for accessible, culturally responsive mental health support, youth-focused care and substance use prevention, and recovery services in their own neighborhoods, many as alternatives to policing.
Theme grouped and summary written with AI from this theme's resident ideas.
159 ideas across three cycles
| Cycle | Ideas | Share of all ideas | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 64 | 5.3% | 8 of 20 |
| 2025–26 | 60 | 5.0% | 7 of 20 |
| 2026–27 | 35 | 2.6% | 16 of 20 |
Needs that keep coming back
Youth mental health support
Residents want free, accessible mental health programs, counseling and resources for children, teens and young adults, in schools, youth programs and neighborhoods.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Youth substance use prevention
Residents want free education and prevention programs that keep young people away from drugs and vaping, and help for youth already struggling with addiction.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Treatment and recovery programs
Residents ask for more rehab, halfway housing, recovery centers and recovery-centered social spaces that support long-term recovery and reintegration.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Free, culturally and linguistically responsive counseling
Residents want free or low-cost counseling, support groups and education delivered in their own languages and communities, to overcome cost, stigma and trust barriers.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Non-police crisis response
Residents ask for a community-based mental health crisis response or helpline, staffed by trained responders rather than police.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26
2024–25
Most ideas focused on youth mental health grants and non-police crisis response, with additional asks for drug treatment, harm reduction, safe consumption sites and services for people returning from incarceration.
2025–26
Chinatown dominated, with many ideas for Cantonese and Mandarin counseling, stigma-reduction talks, peer groups and elder outreach, alongside youth drug prevention and rehab asks.
2026–27
Fewer ideas overall, centered on free multilingual counseling and resource centers, recovery and halfway housing (including Mass and Cass), and continued funding for Torchlight Recovery Cafe.
New in 2026–27
New or growing asks include halfway housing and recovery programs tied to Mass and Cass, funding for Torchlight Recovery Cafe, social events for people in recovery, support groups for widows and new fathers, and peer specialists for immigrants affected by enforcement.
Funding so far
No winning projects related to this theme were funded by resident vote, so every recurring ask, including youth mental health, prevention, recovery programs, multilingual counseling and non-police crisis response, remains unaddressed through the vote.
Projects are linked to themes by matching each project's description to the themes; this is not an official City classification.
No winning project has addressed this theme yet.
Departments that often lead this work
- Boston Public Health Commission
- BCYF
Suggested with AI; not an official assignment of responsibility.
Ideas in Mental health & substance use
159 ideas
2024–25: 64 · 2025–26: 60 · 2026–27: 35
- Community talks on endurance and seeking helpProposes community conversations, lectures and shared real stories so residents can rethink strength and asking for help, creating a safe space to express distress in a culture that values endurance.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Bilingual mental health counseling for Chinese elders and immigrantsProposes prioritizing bilingual counseling resources and outreach, because Cantonese- and Mandarin-speaking elders and newcomers struggle to find professionals who speak their language.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Mental health referral training for frontline workersProposes training caregivers and home service workers in Chinatown to recognize mental distress and refer people to help, since they are in close contact with residents.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Mental health support for Chinatown restaurant and business ownersProposes accessible support such as lunchtime groups and an anonymous hotline for high-stress Chinatown restaurant and business owners who lack time, resources or trust to seek help.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Peer support groups and crisis network in ChinatownProposes community peer support groups and an emergency support network in Chinatown to address pandemic-related loneliness, anxiety, job loss and bereavement and build resilience.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Home visits and screening for isolated Chinatown eldersProposes home visits combined with mental health screening for immigrant elders in Chinatown to identify problems early, prevent serious illness and help them access benefits.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Multilingual mental health resource platform for ChinatownProposes a multilingual platform bringing together appointments, events, lectures and self-help information, since residents miss existing mental health services because they do not know about them.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Counseling program for isolated Chinese-speaking seniorsResident says seniors alone at home are lonely and lack language-accessible entertainment, and asks for a counseling program to reconnect them with the community and improve well-being.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Chinese-language mental health group for eldersProposes a Chinese-language, culturally sensitive support group for older Chinese residents in Chinatown to reduce isolation and stigma and help them age with dignity.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Mental health workshops for Chinatown teensProposes workshops for Chinatown teens on recognizing stress, coping and family communication, offering a safe space and peer support for those facing cultural identity and school pressures.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Mental health navigation lectures in Cantonese and MandarinProposes a lecture series in Cantonese and Mandarin on recognizing depression and anxiety and available resources, to improve understanding and reduce stigma.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Art therapy workshops for traumatized immigrantsProposes community art therapy workshops giving immigrants with trauma a way to express emotions, restoring safety and identity across languages and cultures.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Bilingual volunteer listening corner in ChinatownProposes a listening corner staffed by trained bilingual volunteers offering emotional support and resource referrals for residents who find it hard to ask for help.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Mental health lectures in Cantonese and MandarinProposes a lecture series in Cantonese and Mandarin on recognizing depression and anxiety and finding resources, to reduce stigma and encourage people to seek help.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Free counseling and referrals for low-income Chinatown familiesProposes free counseling and a referral system for low-income Chinatown families, who face financial stress and are hardest to reach with services.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Chinatown mental health resource mapProposes a local map of Chinatown mental health resources, including low-cost counseling, community activities and language services, because information is scattered and people struggle to find suitable help.2025–26ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Coordinated stabilization services for intimate partner violence survivorsResident asks for coordinated services in the first year for survivors of intimate partner violence, saying fragmented navigation worsens outcomes and incidence has risen since COVID.2025–26City-wide
- Free youth mental health training for community adultsResident asks for free mental health training for coaches, parents, caregivers and neighbors who interact with youth, because culturally fitting clinical care is scarce.2025–26City-wide
- Free indoor youth substance use prevention programsResident asks for free indoor youth programs to educate about and prevent substance use.2025–26City-wide
- Free indoor youth substance use prevention programsResident asks for free indoor programs for young people to educate them about substance use and prevent it.2025–26City-wide