Local elected officials and representatives from BHN and Health New England pose with a $50,000 check from Health New England that will support the BHN Empowerment Project.

As one of four local nonprofit organizations selected to receive a $50,000 grant from Health New England’s inaugural “Where Health Matters” program, Behavioral Health Network (BHN) will expand its Empowerment Project (EP) services to LGBTQ+ youth in greater Springfield.

With Health New England’s grant funding, BHN will institutionalize and expand EP services in order to serve approximately 100 LGBTQ+ youth in greater Springfield, including guardians and siblings. The goal of the expansion is to improve behavioral health outcomes by increasing access to best practice behavioral health treatment for LGBTQ+ youth, increasing the number of LGBTQ+ youth receiving behavioral health treatment, and increasing the number of community partners trained to work effectively with the LGBTQ+ population.