Staff Spotlight: Jenifer Urff

Is there a specific project you've worked on at MAMH you're particularly proud of?

We are entering the third year of a pilot program to support students with emerging mental health conditions by providing behavioral health “urgent care” at schools and connecting the students and families with ongoing support through Community Behavioral Health Centers. Our goals are to reduce the need for 911 calls and hospitalization, as well as to reduce school suspensions and chronic absenteeism. The project is supported by Mass General Brigham, the Charles F. and Beatrice D. Adams Charitable Trust, and an anonymous donor-advised fund. Our grantees are seven CBHCs from across the Commonwealth, each working with schools serving students in diverse communities with high needs. Our evaluation is still underway, but our findings so far have provided a lot of insights about how to build successful collaborations across CBHCs and schools – and the kinds of interventions that families and students find helpful.

What is something you're passionate about outside of work?

I am passionate about MAMH’s vision, which says that all people should have access to the social and economic opportunities that support mental health. I live in Western Mass and serve on the Coordinating Committee for Trauma-Informed Hampshire County, which aims to create a community that supports that vision. I recently joined the board of directors of the Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC), a national non-profit based in Boston that provides expert policy and program consultation across a range of issues related to behavioral health, including housing and homelessness. I recently transitioned to part-time status at MAMH, which leaves me more time to learn some new skills – which right now include upholstery and swing dancing!