Advancing Policy Solutions for Immigrant Mental Health
Immigrant and refugee families in Massachusetts are carrying an enormous weight. Increased enforcement, the loss of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for many families, including many with children who are U.S. citizens, and constant federal policy shifts are taking a real toll on mental health. Meanwhile, people seeking help face long wait times, language gaps, insurance barriers, and too few culturally responsive providers.
That is why MIRA and the Haitian Mental Health Network are working to make behavioral health a priority, not an afterthought, for immigrant and refugee communities.
A statewide Task Force rooted in community expertise
In 2025, MIRA and the Haitian Mental Health Network at William James College launched the Massachusetts Behavioral Health and Wellbeing Task Force, the first coalition of its kind in the state. Its members include clinicians, researchers, advocates, and people with lived experience as immigrants.
Together, they are asking three questions: What are the root causes of poor mental health in immigrant communities? What keeps people from getting care? And what systems should we build to meet those needs? The answers will shape recommendations for state legislation.
What we are learning
A new Year One evaluation by the Leah Zallman Center for Immigrant Health Research identifies four root causes and barriers:
- Social and structural conditions, including immigration enforcement, housing, and economic instability
- Too few providers who share or understand patients’ cultures and languages
- Stigma around mental health
- Limited access to care, made worse by insurance gaps
As one provider on the Task Force put it, “The barriers are very much the same across the board. It’s time to start talking about change.”
Responding to this moment
The Task Force has also responded to immediate needs, hosting Community Conversations where families discuss how policy changes affect their wellbeing, get immigration policy updates, and meet with attorneys. Recent forums have focused on the end of TPS for Haiti and Syria, which left longtime residents without status overnight.
The Haitian Mental Health Network has also built a Behavioral Health and Wellness Directory to help people find culturally and linguistically affirming care across Massachusetts.
Bringing community voices to the State House
The Task Force recently met with the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery to share findings, flag systemic gaps, and recommend ways to improve access and outcomes.
Members described the barriers facing immigrant patients and providers, and the growing mental health impact of enforcement and federal policy changes. The meeting opened a direct channel between advocates, providers, and policymakers, and that conversation is continuing.
What comes next
In its second year, the Task Force will sharpen its policy priorities, develop shared language about root causes that reduces stigma, and build toward state legislation for a more equitable behavioral health system.
Improving mental health care for immigrants and refugees means more capacity and more inclusive systems, and that benefits everyone in Massachusetts. MIRA will keep working with the Task Force, legislators, and community partners to make it happen.
Mental Health Resources:
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, safe and confidential help is available.
Haitian Mental Health Network: Behavioral Health and Wellness Directory
Healthcare for All MA: Immigrant Health Toolkit
Massachusetts Behavioral Health Helpline call or text 833-773-2445
Provides mental health services, available to everyone in Massachusetts