Mental Health America (MHA), with support from Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, have announced the recipients of the newly launched Equity Impact Zone (EIZ) grants, which are 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.
Recipients of this year’s inaugural grants are Young Audiences (YA) New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania and the Mental Health Association in New Jersey (MHANJ), a statewide nonprofit headquartered in Union County.
“It is our privilege to walk alongside the communities we serve as allies and advocates to overcome barriers and reduce inequities,” said Tarek Rabah, president and CEO, Otsuka North America Pharmaceutical Business.
“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.”
Bridging Gaps through Community Support
The 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 in Burlington County and Trenton 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 understand and express their feelings, to move forward through adversity, and to show empathy and compassion for others,” said YA President and CEO Michele Russo.
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 (TASK) 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,” said MHANJ President and CEO Carolyn Beauchamp.
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.
“The EIZ program closely aligns with our commitment to eliminate systemic barriers to mental health where they exist,” said MHA President and CEO Schroeder Stribling. “Communities know their challenges—as well as their solutions—best. That’s why it’s critical to support local initiatives rooted in the identities, cultures, and languages of the people they serve.”
About Young Audiences Arts for Learning
Young Audiences Arts for Learning NJ & Eastern PA, established in 1973, offers teaching artist-led performances, workshops, residencies, and professional learning programs to schools across New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. With an extensive roster of professional artists spanning various art forms, Young Audiences has impacted over 15 million children in its 50-year history.
About the Mental Health Association in New Jersey
The Mental Health Association in New Jersey is a statewide nonprofit organization whose mission is to strive for children and adults to achieve victory over mental illness and substance use disorders through advocacy, education, training and services. The Association’s state headquarters is in Union County. It has additional locations in Atlantic, Hudson and Ocean counties, and affiliates in Essex, Monmouth, Morris and Passaic counties.
About Mental Health America
Mental Health America is the nation’s leading community-driven nonprofit dedicated to promoting mental health and well-being, resilience, recovery, and closing the mental health equity gap. Mental Health America’s work is driven by its commitment to promote mental health as a critical part of whole person health, including prevention services for all; early identification and intervention for those at risk; and integrated care, services and supports for those who need them. Learn more at MHAnational.org.
About Otsuka
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a global healthcare company that researches, develops, manufactures, and markets innovative products, with a focus on pharmaceutical products to meet unmet medical needs and nutraceutical products for the maintenance of everyday health.
In pharmaceuticals, Otsuka is a leader in the challenging areas of mental, renal, and cardiovascular health and has additional research programs in oncology and on several under-addressed diseases including tuberculosis, a significant global public health issue.
Otsuka established a presence in the U.S. in 1973 and today its U.S. affiliates include Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC) and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. (OAPI). These two companies’ 2,250 employees in the U.S. develop and commercialize medicines in the areas of mental health and nephrology, using cutting-edge technology to address unmet healthcare needs.
OPDC and OAPI are indirect subsidiaries of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The Otsuka group of companies employed 34,400 people worldwide and had consolidated sales of approximately USD 14.2 billion in 2023.
