Lessons From the Development and Assessment of a Community Participative Mental Health and Substance Policy Agenda in the Bronx, NY

CONTEXT: In 2025, the Bronx, one of New York City (NYC)'s Boroughs, experienced the largest mental health and substance use disparity in NYC. PROGRAM: The goal of this practice report is to describe and evaluate the 2025 community-centered policy agenda proposed by a community collaborative named the # not62 campaign. The campaign has fostered constructive partnerships over 2 decades to improve the Bronx's residents' well-being. IMPLEMENTATION: Experts in health services, social work, and behavioral health used measures of legitimacy, feasibility, and government support to assess each policy agenda item, with the purpose of assisting in prioritizing the agenda items and supporting long-term community engagement. Policy Agenda items ranged from supporting more educational and training initiatives for Bronx Youth in the health care field to health education campaigns to reduce stigma and monetary incentives to ensure patient compliance with treatment. EVALUATION: Results from the evaluation indicate that the initiatives with the greatest potential for success at the present time are those related to improving and expanding access to mental health services through existing NYC-funded programs and investing in higher education in academic programs related to the health service workforce. DISCUSSION: Although the Bronx is faced with health disparities in multiple mental health and substance use conditions, this community participatory process showcases the Bronx's community strength and long-term commitment to participatory processes.