LYNN — Local mental health case managers and community members gathered outside Lynn City Hall Tuesday afternoon to protest Gov. Maura Healey’s proposed state budget, which would slash funding for case management services by 50% across Massachusetts.
Organized by Department of Mental Health (DMH) workers and supported by SEIU Local 509, the informational picket was one of several held statewide in response.
“This is a mental health crisis, and we’re being asked to do more with less,” said Kelsey Foley, a child, youth, and family case manager at DMH Lynn. “We work with whole families, prevent crises, and help people stay out of ERs and hospitals. Cutting us in half would collapse the system. It doesn’t make sense.”
Derick J., a Lynn DMH case manager for seven years, said the impact would ripple far beyond individual clients.
“Even coming from a family with some means, it took two years for a loved one to get the help they needed — and we still felt lost,” he said. “Now I work with people who have far fewer resources. Cutting case managers by 50% doesn’t just hurt individuals — it hurts entire families and communities. We need more support, not less.”
SEIU Local 509 President Dave Foley called the pickets “true grassroots organizing,” led by frontline workers at affected DMH offices. He said similar actions have taken place in Salem, Worcester, Springfield, Southbridge, and now Lynn.
“This is about the clients,” he said. “Every worker I talk to is more worried about their clients than their own jobs. That’s the kind of compassion we’re fighting to protect.”
Foley added that the union is pushing back not only on layoffs but also on proposed increases in health insurance premiums and the closure of two state hospitals.
“This is an austerity budget. It’s dangerous, and we’re here to make sure the public knows that.”
State Rep. Sean Reid acknowledged the state’s fiscal challenges but urged continued investment.
“We understand it’s a tough budget year, but cutting mental health services, especially in communities like Lynn, is not the answer,” he said. “We should be expanding access, not pulling it back.”
That same evening, inside City Hall, the city’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion office partnered with the Public Health Department to host a Young Women and Mental Health Panel in honor of Women’s History Month.
The event was organized and moderated by Damianny Garrido, a recent American University graduate and Public Health Fellow with Lynn City Hall. As part of the city’s youth-led mental health initiative, Garrido focuses on creating spaces for honest, supportive conversations.
“Our goal is to center youth voices and build a culture where mental health is treated as essential,” she said.
The panel featured local students and mental health professionals discussing stigma, personal challenges, and the need for culturally informed care.
Divine Egbuta, a sophomore at Lynn Classical High School and the 2025 Boys & Girls Club of Lynn Youth of the Year, brought both insight and leadership.
“There’s so much comparison — on social media, in school — it wears you down,” she said. “Low self-esteem builds up and leads to bigger problems. We need more safe spaces where girls can just be themselves.”
Esly Morales De Paz, a Lynn Tech senior, reflected on the challenges of discussing mental health at home. “In a lot of cultural families, people don’t even believe it’s real,” she said. “You’re told you’re weak, or that therapy’s just for crazy people. But I know now that asking for help is actually strong.”
Yarelyn Marín Palencia, also a senior at Lynn Tech, added: “Sometimes we just need someone to listen — not give answers, just listen. And if we had more of that in schools and homes, a lot of people would be in a better place.”
Professionals echoed the need for early, sustained intervention. Alex Hansen, who works with unhoused youths at The Haven Project, said, “You don’t have to be a therapist to be helpful. Sometimes just showing up, listening, and making space can be life-changing.”
Dr. Glavielinys Cruz, a clinical psychologist with Lynn Community Health Center, reminded attendees that “mental health is health — it affects everything, including physical health. And half of all lifetime mental illness starts by age 14. If we don’t invest now, the long-term consequences will be huge.”
Community leaders agreed.
Lisa M. Tobin, director of Lynn Public Health, noted the city’s work to embed mental health supports in schools and neighborhoods but emphasized, “Prevention has to start early and be everywhere — in schools, in neighborhoods, in families.”
Brenda Ortiz McGrath, a Lynn resident and director of mental health and specialized student support for Chelsea Public Schools, stressed the importance of educating parents. “It’s about building trust, creating access, and making sure students know there are adults who care and are trained to help.”
Mayor Jared C. Nicholson, who opened the event, tied the conversation to the city’s broader goals. “Mental health is interwoven with every challenge our young people face — from the effects of the pandemic to social pressures and inequality,” he said. “We need to create space for these conversations, eliminate stigma, and invest in the supports that help our community thrive.”
The protest and panel, held just hours apart, served as twin reminders: mental health resources are essential, not optional — and from state budgets to school classrooms, every level of government and community must commit to making them accessible and lasting.
