Office of Mental Health

Reimagine: I am the Change
OMH was awarded two federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants totaling $6.35 million to respond to the mental health and emotional wellness needs of East Buffalo in the wake of the May 14, 2022 mass shooting. These two grants are known collectively as “Reimagine: I am the Change.”

SAMHSA Emergency Response Grant (SERG): $2.35 million
OMH’s SERG award focuses on the mental health and emotional wellness of Black/African American communities in East Buffalo, particularly the neighborhoods surrounding the Tops Market on Jefferson Avenue. Community-based programming includes:

• Black Mental Health Response Team (BMHRT)

Led by BestSelf Behavioral Health, the BMHRT is a dedicated team of Black/African American clinicians and other mental health staff, led by a program coordinator, to provide rapid access to professional, culturally appropriate mental health outreach, engagement, and clinical support in East Buffalo.

• “Stress, Resiliency and Psychological First Aid” Train-the-Trainer

Psychological First Aid is an evidence-informed approach that aims to reduce stress symptoms and assist in a healthy recovery following a traumatic event. The Institute of Disaster Mental Health (IDMH) at SUNY New Paltz worked with community stakeholders to develop and present a training curriculum that includes the tenets of Psychological First Aid within the context of the issues confronted by East Buffalo and similar communities including trauma from racism and violence, healthcare and resource inequities, and mental health stigma. As of January 2024, there are 142 community members who participated in the Train-the-Trainer events.

• Non-Traditional Wellness Funds (NTWF)

The NTWF is a $1 million dedicated fund to support grassroots, community-based wellness initiatives that help fill a gap in East Buffalo for culturally relevant mental wellness and healing practices that are sufficiently resourced, coordinated, and marketed. Recipients and projects include:

• Community Health Center of Buffalo, Inc.: “Art That Heals”
• Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers, Inc.: “Healing Together: A Family & Community Healing Collaborative”
• Cultrue, Inc.: “The New Masters Healing Buffalo through the Arts”
• Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective: “Celestial Jazz Wellness Series”
• The Galactic Tribe: “The Wakademy”
• Erie Niagara Area Health Education Center: “Student Health Internship Program (SHIP) – Mental Health Track”
• Buffalo Prenatal Perinatal Network, Inc.: “Mental Health and Wellness for Boys & Men Initiative”
• Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma (ReCAST): $4 million

ReCAST was awarded to OMH in Fall 2023 and is a four-year grant. ReCAST’s program focus is assisting high-risk youth and families in East Buffalo. The ReCAST program model promotes resilience and equity with evidence-based, violence prevention, and community youth engagement programs through partnership with school, mental health, and other key stakeholders in the community. ReCAST includes the following program components:

• University Psychiatric Practice, in collaboration with SayYes Buffalo and the Buffalo Public Schools, will provide clinical supports for students struggling with community trauma and will offer training for educators.
• The Black Mental Health Response Team (BMHRT) led by BestSelf Behavioral Health will continue outreach and enhancement with youth and families in East Buffalo.
• Non-Traditional Mental Wellness Fund (NTWF) will support community, grassroots programming that focus on respecting and integrating Black/African American traditions and culture to include arts-based therapies, coordination with local houses of worship, and spiritual-based healing.

Buffalo H.O.P.E
Community Mental Health Promotion & Support Program (COMHPS): $1.5 million
COMHPS is a statewide, OMH-funded program which supports New Yorkers with subclinical mental health needs and establish, maintain, and improve individual and community mental health wellness. Buffalo Urban League and Spectrum Health and Human Services collectively are receiving $1.5 million to provide COMHPS services throughout the City of Buffalo, including East Buffalo. Both providers’ programs and services are referred to locally as Buffalo H.O.P.E.

Buffalo H.O.P.E.’s outreach workers conduct workshops promoting all aspects of mental wellness. Outreach Workers can provide referrals for those who are seeking help coping with stress and seeking advice about social support and behavioral health resources. Outreach workers help facilitate activities with community-based organization partners through various mental wellness activities. Outreach workers also can attend community events to promote and support mental health wellness and engage the community in understanding the services provided.

On the One-Year Anniversary of Mass Shooting at Tops Supermarket in Buffalo, Governor Hochul Announces Nearly $10 Million to Address Vital Needs of East Buffalo – May 14, 2023