Senate Adopts Amendment to Establish Mental Health Support for Victims of Hate, Bias

BOSTON — The Massachusetts State Senate adopted an amendment put forth by state Sen. John Velis to the FY 2026 budget to fund the creation of trainings for mental health clinicians and counselors to treat victims of hate and bias.

Velis, who currently serves as co-chair of the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism, spoke from the Senate floor about the importance of these mental health trainings with different forms of hate on the rise in the Commonwealth.

The amendment, which was adopted Tuesday afternoon, would provide funding to the Department of Public Health to create a competitive grant program for the development of specialized trauma trainings to be provided to mental health clinicians and counselors to help treat victims of hate and bias. The amendment specifies that each training will be unique to different forms of hate or bias impacting the Commonwealth, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

“It has become evident in talking with victims of hate who have come forward to the commission, including children, that there is a real gap when it comes to providers who are trained to understand, address, and treat these unique forms of trauma,” said Velis, who also serves as the Senate chair of the Joint Committee of Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery. “Hate manifests in different ways for different groups, and it is essential that clinicians have access to trainings that are culturally sensitive and consider the historical prejudice the group has faced.”

The latest Hate Crimes Report from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security found that hate crimes rose to 557 incidents in 2023, up 26% from 2022 and a drastic spike compared to 2018’s total of 351 incidents. Specifically, the report found drastic spikes targeting the Jewish, LGBTQ, and Arabic communities.