Prof. Jacobson López & Colleague Receive Funding to Support Black Men’s Mental Health
Black men are disproportionately affected by the mental health impacts of racism, socioeconomic inequities, and structural inequalities, yet they often encounter culturally insensitive or inaccessible care when seeking support. To address this issue, Prof. Daniel Jacobson López from BU School of Social Work (BUSSW), and Dr. Charles Daniels, founder and CEO of Fathers’ Uplift, have secured funding from the BU Clinical & Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and the WoodNext Foundation for their project, “Providing Trauma-Informed Mental Care Provision for Black Men in Boston.” The initiative aims to provide Black men with culturally responsive mental health care, reducing the negative mental health outcomes caused by racism and discrimination.
With this funding, Jacobson López and Daniels will train BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) counselors to deliver trauma-informed care tailored to the needs of Black men while strengthening community partnerships. By better preparing counselors about the needs of Black men, the project tackles long-standing challenges including unfair treatment, stigma, and a lack of the type of support that truly understands their experiences. The project also emphasizes community collaboration by involving Fathers’ Uplift, the first organization in Boston dedicated to supporting Black men and their families. The project’s partnership with Father’s Uplift bridges the gap between academic research and real-world needs, ensuring that solutions are relevant, sustainable, and impactful.
Prof. Astraea Augsberger from BUSSW, who is also the director of community engagement at CTSI, lauded the new partnership with Daniels and Jacobson López. “The Research Partnership Scholars Grant through the BU CTSI Community Engagement (CE) Program is a unique funding opportunity intended to support the development of community-academic partnerships that will result in research driven by community health priorities,” she said. “The CE Program is excited to support the partnership between Dr. Jacobson López of BUSSW and Dr. Daniels of Fathers’ Uplift as they co-develop a research program focused on delivering culturally responsive training to BIPOC mental health counselors serving Black and Brown men in Boston.”
“Together, we look ahead with optimism, eager to harness our collective efforts to drive meaningful progress and empower men to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives,” says Daniels.
“I am beyond honored to partner with Dr. Daniels, who is a groundbreaker in improving the lives of Black men on a national level and has already accomplished invaluable work in this area,” says Jacobson López. “I am incredibly thankful to Boston University CTSI and the Woodnext foundation for supporting and believing in our dedication to supporting Black and Brown men.”