Dr. Simon’s presentation covered the national context of behavioral health challenges and specific data on youth psychiatric disorders, emphasizing treatment delays and the work being done by the Center for Behavioral Health and Wellness to address these issues. The presentation highlighted the city’s multi-faceted approach to tackle mental health challenges, including increasing the workforce in this area, enhancing public awareness, and improving social activities for youth. Reinforcing the message, a video featuring Mayor Michelle Wu discussed the city’s dedication to mental health initiatives and the critical nature of collaborative efforts.

The board’s conversation on supporting students in behavioral health careers focused on peer mentorship and funding assistance. There was also talk of a Request for Proposal (RFP) for transforming informal support systems, along with a partnership with Boston Public Schools (BPS) to bolster support for both students and staff. The board mentioned engaging social activities for youth, including the creation of a podcast to interview city officials, and the formation of a youth advisory board. Moreover, the discussion ventured into the realm of disability inclusion, with funds being targeted towards behavioral health providers and outreach to youth and families not engaged with the school system. Concerns about compliance rates with closed captioning laws in local establishments were raised, as well as the consideration of handicapped parking permits for pregnant women.

The meeting also addressed the topic of visual descriptions during introductions, a suggestion made to better accommodate individuals who are visually impaired. Other accessibility-oriented discussions centered on the need for more outreach and training for restaurants to comply with accessibility regulations and the potential for a survey to assess compliance. Additionally, the board discussed the preparation for upcoming events, including ensuring adequate shelter and accommodations at the ADA Day event in the case of extreme heat and adjusting the availability of T-shirt sizes.

Updates were provided on the board’s efforts to compile a comprehensive Q&A document from their meetings and the release of the 2023 annual report. An upcoming community forum event on July 17th at City Hall Plaza was announced, designed to connect individuals with disabilities to valuable services and resources. They also emphasized their approach to data collection, preferring to concentrate on the accommodations needed by individuals with disabilities rather than their specific diagnoses.

In the realm of public space accessibility, the board discussed ensuring access for individuals with disabilities during Open Streets events. They shared ongoing efforts to improve access through checklists and training resources for other city departments and planned to work with Main Streets on training for barrier removal for small businesses. Their work on financial empowerment and economic mobility for people with disabilities was highlighted.

The possibility of a community farm on the premises was mentioned, along with concerns about transportation availability for children with disabilities during the extended school year. A debate ensued about the importance of meeting attendance and setting clear goals, particularly in relation to the proposal to cancel one of the summer meetings. This led to a suggestion to possibly hold more than the required ten meetings and to establish a subcommittee focused on the board’s goals.