Featured Stories
The Mind Matters: Families Make a Difference
Since 2012, Harvard has partnered with local schools and community organizations to offer a program called Mind Matters to families of young children in Boston and Cambridge. The multi-session program provides caregivers with tools and techniques to support the emotional, social, and academic needs of children aged 3 to 8. This year, the program, which is administered through the Harvard Ed Portal in Allston, moved beyond classroom learning – offering a family field trip to the Harvard Museum of Natural History and most recently, a Family Game Night held at the Harvard Ed Portal. The game night brought together multiple cohorts of Mind Matters participants—both English and Spanish-speaking. The games offered opportunities to reinforce techniques and skills taught during the classes.
The Annual Rob Lue Memorial Lecture
In a conversation that touched on her childhood experiences on topics ranging from the cold war, segregation, and sexism in mid-twentieth century America, as well as her work as an activist and historian, Harvard President Emeriti Drew Faust recently sat down with Faculty of Arts & Sciences Editorial Director Jill Radsken to discuss her recent memoir, Necessary Trouble: Growing Up at Mid-Century, for the Harvard Ed Portal’s Inaugural Rob Lue Faculty Lecture.
The Memorial Lecture, which was open to the public and hosted by the Ed Portal, was established to honor the late Professor Rob Lue who served as Faculty Director of the Harvard Ed Portal until his death in 2020. Lue was a beloved member of the Harvard community and dedicated to bringing new opportunities for learning to people of all ages both at the University and at the Ed Portal.
Family Van’s ‘Healthy Roads’ Program Engaging in Mental Health Outreach to Residents
The Family Van, a Harvard Medical School-affiliated mobile community health program, has been serving the Boston neighborhoods of Roxbury, Dorchester, and East Boston for three decades. In addition to bringing medical services to the community, the van now provides mental health support for clients as well. The Healthy Roads program offers free personalized support to clients as they learn skills to help manage stress and mental wellness. The program helps those struggling with social isolation and adversity, teaching them new coping, problem-solving, and help-seeking skills. When needed, staff will provide referrals to specialized care for those who are experiencing acute and severe mental health distress. Healthy Roads clients receive five personalized one-on-one sessions with trained community health workers either by phone or in-person, but data from the program show that even a single meeting improves the client’s outlook. The sessions are offered in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole