Local Parent Group hosts Free Mental Health Workshop

A group of Western New York mental health experts, faith leaders, parents, community leaders and stakeholders are hosting a series of free workshops to help improve the mental health of children throughout our region.

Get our free mobile app

The primary sponsors of these workshops, BIPOC Parent & Caregiver Mental Health Movement and BIPOPC PEEEEEEK (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Parents Elevating their voice to Educate and Empower Each other to Eliminate disparities and inequities in services related to the Emotional Health of our Kids), are partnering together to focus on addressing mental health in communities of color and combatting the stigmas associated with mental health throughout our communities.

The group hopes to raise awareness on the stigma, cultural provider bias, the criminalization of mental health in communities of color, in addition to the trauma and losses related to Coronavirus.

This free workshop series has been scheduled for every Saturday in February, with the sessions running from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• February 5th Mental Health in the Black Community: Historical Perspective, Cultural Values, Stigma, Suicide and Opportunities
• February 12th The Impact of the 2 pandemics: Covid-19 & Racism and Managing Chronic Health Issues, Loss, Grief and Trauma
• February 19th Diversity of Perspectives and Needs: Children, Black Males, Older Adults, Justice Involved and LGBTQ
• February 26th Social Determinants, Education, Engagement and System Change: Where do we go from here?

These workshops are also co-sponsored by Common Ground Health, CCSI, Hillside Family of Agencies, Bestself Behavioral Health, People Inc., Black Physicians Network, Families Together of New York State, and more than 20 other community and faith-based organizations from Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse.

If you're interested in attending any of these online workshops, you can sign up here for the link on zoom, or you can watch live on their Facebook page.

If you have any questions, or are interested in more information, you can contact them here on their Facebook page.