BRPC Awarded Grant to Launch Mental Health Program at PHS

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) announced it has been awarded a $10,000 Community Impact Grant from Fallon Health. 
 
This one-time award will fund the pilot of the Active Minds Curriculum at Pittsfield High School. 
 
"We're pleased to award grant funding to Berkshire Regional Planning and the SPARK initiative to help support early intervention programs for children and youth,” said Cheryl Schmaltz, Community Engagement Manager. “By focusing on teen mental health and substance use prevention, we can eliminate barriers to health care for this important population and enhance outcomes.""
 
The Active Minds Curriculum is a national peer-to-peer mental health program designed to foster mental health awareness among students by empowering them to connect and support one another. This initiative aligns with recent 2025 student data, which identifies increased mental health awareness as a critical factor in preventing substance use among youth, stated a press release.
 
Upon the completion of the 13-lesson curriculum, BRPC anticipates that at least 80 percent of the 19 participating students will serve as peer mental health supports for the Pittsfield High School student body. 
 
"Our goal is to empower young people in our community with the knowledge and tools to support one another effectively, and to recognize when professional help is needed," Noe Gonzalez Ortiz, Public Health Planner with BRPC said.
 
The long-term goal is to establish an official national Active Minds chapter at Pittsfield High School by the end of the academic year, with plans to expand the model to Taconic High School .

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Hinsdale OKs Police Department Audit After Fatal Shooting

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

HINSDALE, Mass. — The town has approved $25,000 for an administrative review of the police department, more than two months after police fatally shot 27-year-old Biagio Kauvil during a mental health crisis. 

Town Administrator Robert Graves said the shooting on Jan. 7 is not the only focus of the audit, and it will be several months before the Select Board receives a final report. 

During a special town meeting on March 11, an article appropriating $25,000 from free cash for an independent consultant to conduct a professional evaluation and audit of the Town's Police Department was approved. The audit includes a review of the department's policies, protocols, operations, and procedures, and concludes with a written report. 

"The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the shooting, and we await their conclusions.  As we look to move forward, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, our insurance company (MIIA/Cabot Risk), and our legal counsel have recommended that the town hire an independent law enforcement consultant or firm to conduct a comprehensive administrative review of our police operation," Graves wrote in an email to iBerkshires on Friday. 

"This event is not their focus; they will assess the overall operation. We want a written assessment of our police operation's strengths and weaknesses to help Hinsdale make future changes and improvements." 

He said after completing the procurement process and signing a contract with a reputable consultant or business, it will most likely be several months before the Select Board receives the final report. 

"Still, it will help the town and police department move forward," Graves wrote. 

Last weekend, family and friends of Kauvil stood in Park Square asking for justice. A flier for the standout reads "Biagio was killed by police while experiencing a mental health crisis. Now, over seven weeks later, authorities have not yet provided any updates.

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