Office of Mental Health

Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma (ReCAST): $4 million

ReCAST includes the following program components:

• University Psychiatric Practice, in collaboration with SayYes Buffalo and the Buffalo Public Schools, provides clinical supports for students struggling with trauma and offers training for educators and other community stakeholders.
• The Black Mental Health Response Team (BMHRT) led by BestSelf Behavioral Health provides outreach and mental health supports to youth and families in East Buffalo.
• A Non-Traditional Mental Wellness Fund (NTWF) supports community, grassroots programming that focuses on respecting and integrating Black/African American traditions. NTWF providers include:
• Buffalo Federation Neighborhood Center (BFNC)
• Buffalo Perinatal Prenatal Network (BPPN)
• Community Health Center of Buffalo (CHCB)
• Cultrue, Inc.
• Erie Niagara Area Health Education Center (ENAHEC)
• Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective
• Partners in Community Development (PICD)
• Say Yes Buffalo
• Tre & Associates, Inc. dba Willie Hutch Jones Educational & Sports Program

Reimagine: I am the Change: $2.35 million

In the wake of the May 14th tragedy, OMH received a federal SAMHSA Emergency Response Grant (SERG) to support the mental health response and recovery in East Buffalo. SERG, rechristened “Reimagine: I am the Change,” catalyzed a process of community-determined wellness activities which included barbershop talks, father-son outings, healing circles and other artistic and educational programs. Additionally, an evidence-informed training was developed 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 who have endured trauma from racism and violence, healthcare and resource inequities, and mental health stigma. There have been over 200 community members who have participated in this training to date.

Drawing from the grassroots healing efforts in East Buffalo, Governor Hochul introduced a $2 million grant program in the 2025-2026 Executive Budget to support wellness initiatives statewide in marginalized communities that have faced decades of underinvestment, violence, and systemic inequities.

For more information on SERG please read the OMH Press Release

Buffalo H.O.P.E

Community Mental Health Promotion & Support Program (COMHPS): $1.68 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 $1.68 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 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