Equity Impact Zone (EIZ) grants

Equity Impact Zone (EIZ) grants is sponsored by Mental Health America (MHA), with support from Otsuka America Pharmaceutical. These grants are designed to address mental health equity gaps within local New Jersey communities.

Mental Health America and Otsuka Collaborate to Address Mental Health Inequities in New Jersey Communities | Otsuka US ALEXANDRIA, Va. and PRINCETON, N. J.

(October 8, 2024)— Mental Health America (MHA), with support from Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. (Otsuka), announces the launch of a new Equity Impact Zone (EIZ) grant program 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 the inaugural grants are Young Audiences (YA) New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania in Burlington County, and the Mental Health Association of New Jersey (MHANJ) in Trenton. “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 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 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 better cope with their feelings, to bounce back from adversity, and to show tolerance 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 solutions—best.

That’s why it’s critical to support local initiatives rooted in the identities, cultures, and languages of the people they serve. ” 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 .

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. , Ltd. is a global healthcare company with the corporate philosophy: Otsuka–people creating new products for better health worldwide. Otsuka 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. These commitments illustrate how Otsuka is a “big venture” company at heart, applying a youthful spirit of creativity in everything it does.

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.