Princeton-based Otsuka America Pharmaceutical in conjunction with Mental Health America recently announced the launch of a new Equity Impact Zone grant program designed to address mental health equity gaps within local New Jersey communities.
Understanding that factors such as housing, income, food security, safety, and freedom from discrimination are known to be key social drivers of mental health inequity, the mission of the EIZ program is to empower community-based organizations to implement resources tailored to the unique needs of their members.
Among the recipients of the inaugural grants are Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania in Burlington County, and the Mental Health Association of New Jersey in Trenton.
“It is our privilege to walk alongside the communities we serve as allies and advocates to overcome barriers and reduce inequities,” Tarek Rabah, CEO of Otsuka’s North America Pharmaceutical Business, said. “We are happy to support this unique program which shifts the decision making to the community leaders who intimately understand the challenges of their members and can best identify the adequate resources needed to enable them to feel supported and empowered.”
YA intends to allocate the EIZ grant in support of their Arts Impactive Initiative program, which addresses youth mental health in schools through artmaking in various forms. Partnering schools participate in workshops, performances, family programs, and professional learning for teachers to better integrate social emotional learning into their lesson plans.
“Arts education experiences, led by trained teaching artists, are critical to children’s development by helping them to better cope with their feelings, to bounce back from adversity, and to show tolerance and compassion for others,” YA CEO Michele Russo said.
MHANJ, one of MHA’s 143 affiliates across the country, will use their grant to support the creation of a multi-level program at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen to engage those using their services through access to peer navigators and treatment services, a mental health support community, and mental health equity training.
“This pilot epitomizes our mission to engage at the grassroots community level to understand and empower persons living with a mental health condition and to lead the way in identifying the core issues and barriers that prevent equitable access to mental health care and support,” MHANJ CEO Carolyn Beauchamp said.
Otsuka invested $1.02 million in this inaugural EIZ grant program. In 2025, MHA and Otsuka have plans to expand the program beyond New Jersey, into California and Maryland, with a goal of making an impact in the local communities that are home to Otsuka’s three U.S. offices.
