We believe that mental health is a human right, and that social workers are uniquely positioned to lead systemic change and are integral to building more equitable systems.

The Center for Black Wellbeing (CBW) was created with Black people in mind; those who are healers, those who seek healing, and the many of us that find ourselves at the intersection of both roles. The goal of CBW is to ensure that Black people have access to mental healthcare spaces that center, honor, and celebrate Black culture and traditions, and that makes space for the many ways in which Black people experience and pursue healing.

There is an urgent need for increased access to mental health services in the Black community, which the field of social work, with its core emphasis on both individual and systemic factors, is uniquely situated to address. Many Black social work students come to academic institutions with the expectation that they will gain the education and resources to facilitate and provide opportunities for healing in Black communities. 

Once at these institutions, they’ve found that the generalist model that is common for many social work schools doesn’t allow space for specialized and comprehensive training. While many social work institutions have worked to address these needs and challenges through supplemental courses and add-on trainings, there is a clear need for a more specialized educational approach. Black students report wanting to be trained by folks they can see themselves in. Black community members report wanting Black healers and service providers; those who can truly see them.  

CBW is led by Black social workers who are alumni and previous faculty of the Columbia School of Social Work (CSSW). CBW + ICAAD is developing a specialized training program for social work students seeking to engage the Black community in healing and therapeutic services, including: coursework curriculum development, in-person and online course facilitation, weekly individual and group clinical supervision for social work students, internship field placement, supplementary clinical trainings for student cohort and staff, faculty trainings, and community enrichment experiences.

Our training program aims to address the gaps in access to quality therapy for the Black community by improving the social and academic experience of Black social work students who seek to serve Black community members.