BRPC Awarded Behavioral Health Promotion and Prevention Grant Program Grant

10:39AM / Monday, June 22, 2026Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced $4.5 million in annual funding for 23 organizations through the new Behavioral Health Promotion and Prevention Grant Program.

Managed by the Office of Behavioral Health Promotion and Prevention (OBHPP), this multi-year initiative supports community-based organizations that are developing, expanding and sustaining programs that strengthen mental health and well-being across Massachusetts.

In Berkshire County, Ther Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) were awarded a grant to create or pilot a new program.

The selected organizations represent communities across the state and will focus on improving behavioral health outcomes for historically underserved populations through locally driven prevention, early intervention and wellness initiatives.

"Strong mental well-being is essential to healthy families and communities," said Governor Maura Healey. "We want people to be able to get help before they reach a crisis point, and these grants will help trusted local organizations expand programs that strengthen well-being, reduce isolation and support healthier communities across Massachusetts."

Grant funding is structured across three tiers, ranging from $100,000 to $350,000 annually, allowing organizations to develop, implement and evaluate new behavioral health programs, or expand existing ones, that align with OBHPP’s mission and vision

Applicants for these grants submitted proposals focused on one or more of these identified priority areas:

Reducing loneliness and social isolation.
Reducing family stress and supporting caregiver well-being.
Promoting infant, early childhood, and maternal mental health.
Reducing psychological distress in immigrant populations.
Promoting early intervention with youth and young adults.
Reducing family and intimate partner violence.
Promoting population well-being through education, training, and skills development.

The multi-year grant funding framework ensures recipients have the means, and the time, to develop and implement their programming. Funded projects operate within one of three categories:

organizations creating or piloting new programs;
organizations ready to launch or expand programs; and
established programs with proven results that need support to grow or sustain their impact.

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Free Vaccinations Available Throughout Berkshire County

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
10:30AM / Saturday, October 10, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fall season is also the flu season, which means vaccine clinics are now available.

The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative will provide public vaccination clinics in Berkshire communities this fall, including the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. There are about 49 clinics.

The collaborative began during COVID-19 to help vaccinate people across Berkshire County. Berkshire Health Systems started the Get Vaccinated Berkshires website and still manages it. The group works with the Pittsfield Public Health Department, Community Health Programs, and the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative.

"The majority of people will always get the flu [vaccine] because, as I said, if you've ever gotten the flu, you will always get a flu vaccine because it's so bad. And just so you know, the flu is already in Berkshire County. It's an early season this year," said Leslie Drager, who is the senior public health nurse at Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.

Drager said last year they issued 2,705 vaccines, with more than 1,100 of them being for COVID-19 and more than 1,500 being flu. In total, they were able to vaccinate 1,669 people in Central and North County, in addition to Pittsfield.

Drager also said she will be carrying three types of COVID vaccines this year, which is in high demand.

"We have a high demand of COVID vaccine, which is awesome," she said. "So we're doing a lot of COVID vaccines. Also, I provide Pfizer, and this year I have Moderna and the Novavax, which I think is real important to get out there because the Novavax, a lot of people want, people with long COVID. So I'm carrying all three vaccines this year, which I normally only carry the Pfizer."

Public health departments also can help people access other vaccines such as for measles or meningitis when they cannot get them through a pediatrician, she added.

Using the website, people are able to get vaccines even if they are homebound by filling out a form.

All public Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative clinics are free of charge, but registrants are asked to provide insurance information, when available, in order to defray costs. The clinics are open to anyone 6 months of age or older, the age group recommended to receive an annual flu vaccine and the latest COVID-19 vaccine.

"I always encourage everybody to wear a short sleeve shirt because it makes it a heck of a lot easier to get at," Drager said. "And children, we do carry the nasal flu, the live virus of nasal flu for kids that are afraid to get needles."

Registration is highly recommended for the clinics. Walk-ins may be accepted depending on the number of vaccine doses available at each clinic, with preference given to those who are registered.

"It's really important. I'm really encouraging vaccinations for the schools, because not only you know if the kids are vaccinated and the teachers are vaccinated, the schools won't have the flu go wild right through it," Drager said. "And of course, the best way to prevent infections: washing your hands. So don't touch your face, and wash your hands."

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