Grantee: Somali Health Board
Timeframe: July 2026 – June 2027 | Amount: $200,000
Somali Health Board (SHB) will expand culturally responsive mental health services for Somali and East African adults, youth, and families in King County. The project strengthens community education, youth self-development and life skills, family support, mentorship, and prevention efforts to reduce stigma and improve access to care.
Somali communities in King County face significant barriers to mental health care, including language access, stigma, distrust of health and government systems, limited culturally and linguistically appropriate providers, and lack of awareness about available services. These barriers are compounded by pre- and post-migration trauma, systemic racism, and complex health care systems. As a result, many community members delay care until symptoms become severe or they need crisis support through emergency departments, 911, or acute behavioral health services.
SHB’s approach shifts intervention upstream by providing culturally grounded mental health education, stigma reduction, and early support in trusted community settings and preferred languages. The project creates more relevant pathways to care by increasing mental health literacy, normalizing conversations about behavioral health, improving system navigation, and connecting community members to available resources before needs escalate.
PHPDA funding will support four integrated program components. First, SHB will expand community mental health education and outreach through community conversations led by trusted Somali leaders, workshops on trauma, coping, help-seeking, and mental health awareness, and culturally relevant print, video, and social media materials. Second, SHB will expand youth mental health support and skill-building through Somali Youth Mental Health Awareness cohorts, youth support groups led by Somali-speaking clinicians, and workshops on coping, emotional regulation, identity, and resilience. Third, SHB will provide family and parenting support by integrating mental health education into parenting programs and offering culturally relevant tools to help caregivers reduce stigma and identify concerns early. Fourth, SHB will implement a mentorship program connecting middle school youth with high school mentors and high school youth with adult mentors to reduce isolation and support well-being.
SHB maintains partnerships with community clinics, public health agencies, culturally specific organizations, and regional health systems to support outreach, referrals, and care coordination. These partnerships strengthen access to services and help create continuity between community-based prevention work and formal behavioral health care.
The project is community-driven, with Somali and East African community members engaged in planning, implementation, and improvement. SHB gathers feedback from families, elders, youth, participants, and community leaders to shape program topics, formats, and delivery methods so services remain culturally relevant, trusted, and responsive.
SHB prioritizes hiring staff and facilitators who reflect the communities served and share lived experience. Community members serve as facilitators, peer leaders, and mentors, helping build trust, reduce barriers to care, increase engagement, and support earlier access to culturally responsive mental health services.
ABOUT OUR GRANTEE
Somali Health Board
“The Somali Health Board is dedicated to improving the overall health and well-being of the Somali community in King County by working to reduce persistent health disparities. Through strong advocacy, community-driven education, and building partnerships with healthcare providers, we strive to increase access to affordable, culturally appropriate, and linguistically responsive healthcare services.
Our mission is to empower individuals and families, address systemic barriers, and create healthier futures for generations to come.”
