Sign up for our Resiliency Challenge!
Want to learn more about mental health, discover strategies and resources, and learn how to support your neighbors?
Take Our Survey!
Help us to better understand strengths within Acton and Boxborough, and where we can add the most value in new programming and initiatives. We hope that together we can enhance community-based mental health resilience for all residents of Acton and Boxborough.
The survey should take you about 7 to 8 minutes to complete. Participating in this survey is voluntary, and all answers are completely anonymous.
Click HERE to begin the survey in Qualtrics.
This survey is a project of Acton-Boxborough United Way, developed in consultation with McLean Hospital and administered by Education Development Center.
Thank you very much for participating! Please reach out to ana@abuw.org if you have any questions or concerns.
Share Your Story!
Acton-Boxborough United Way is actively working to address the mental health needs of our community and has recently launched the Community Resilience Project. The purpose of this project is to assess and promote mental health resilience in our community. As part of our commitment to improving mental health we are collecting stories from residents who have faced mental health challenges.
We see this as an opportunity to educate people about mental health, address stigma (negative attitudes) and ultimately empower our community with coping skills to build resilience. We invite you to participate in this unique opportunity to share your own experience, describe your journey, and teach others not only about the challenges you endured but also about the resources, support systems and skills you found helpful along the way.
Interested in participating? Fill out this interest form and we'll be in touch soon about next steps!
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Acton and Boxborough residents recognize the importance of prioritizing mental health, know where to turn for resources, and enjoy regular programming to promote well-being among our neighbors.
Enhance community-based mental health resilience.
RESOURCES
Visit our Community Resource Site for local Mental Health resources, and more!
Mental Health is part of Thrive, our 3-Year Strategic Roadmap. Learn more!
COALITIONS
Our Work
Current and Ongoing Initiatives
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Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper Training teaches three simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life.
Join us for a free training and help save lives:
- Recognize the warning signs of suicide
- Know how to offer hope
- Know how to get help and save a life
Much like First Aid or CPR training, QPR© (Question-Persuade-Refer) training is free and open to all community members!
More than 400 residents and community members have participated in the training since AB Cares started offering them in 2017. Some of our recent attendees have shared that QPR© training is “Incredibly helpful!”, that “It changed how I speak about suicide,” and that “The training helped me to talk with my daughter when I was worried about her!”
Save the date! Next virtual training Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 7PM. Check back here for registration starting in September.
Next offered: March 2023
Start conversations about mental health before students leave home. Join us for a webinar featuring a panel of college administrators and a recent college graduate who experienced mental health challenges while at school. Submit your questions in advance and engage in Q&A at the webinar.
It is prudent to understand privacy laws, what can be communicated by college administrations, and that colleges differ in supports. Students, parents/guardians welcome.
Presented by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Central Middlesex. Co-sponsored by Acton-Boxborough United Way.
Free to attend. Webinar format allows for anonymity. Pre-registration required. Check back here for registration in early 2023.
Past Initiatives
In the spring of 2020, as we were all coping with the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, A-B United Way produced a series of short films to capture the best of our community.
Check out the full videos here.
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Turning from Struggle to Strength, A Community Conversation with Dr. John Campo
On Monday, November 15th, child and adolescent psychologist Dr John Campo of Johns Hopkins Medicine presented "Turning from Struggle to Strength: A Strategy to Prevent Suicide?"
Thank you to our Q&A facilitators Andrew Shen of ABRSD and Vivian Kobusingye Birchall of Acton TV, and to our fabulous Mental Health and tech teams who worked behind the scenes to bring this event to our community.
See video below.
Turning from Struggle to Strength, A Community Conversation with Dr. John Campo
On Monday, November 15th, child and adolescent psychologist Dr John Campo of Johns Hopkins Medicine presented "Turning from Struggle to Strength: A Strategy to Prevent Suicide?"
Thank you to our Q&A facilitators Andrew Shen of ABRSD and Vivian Kobusingye Birchall of Acton TV, and to our fabulous Mental Health and tech teams who worked behind the scenes to bring this event to our community.