The Institute for Multicultural Practice and Research (IMPAR) is the research and mental health services component of CMMH. CMMH has expertise in providing a wide range of clinical services, training, and consultation in the area of behavioral health disaster planning and response. IMPAR has a mix of funding including foundation, state and federal sources.

Since September 11, 2001, CMMH has provided extensive mental health, support, and case management services to the families who lost loved ones in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. CMMH has developed and delivered services to meet the needs of affected families throughout the continuum of recovery, from providing psychological first aid on-site at Logan Airport in the immediate aftermath of the attacks to providing support services at the fifth year memorial service. In response to the needs of Logan Airport employees (American Airlines, United Airlines, Fire Rescue), CMMH designed and delivered a stress reduction based wellness program. The goal of the Wellness Program was to assist employees in gaining a greater understanding of the impact of stress/trauma and incorporating stress reduction techniques into daily life, thereby developing coping mechanisms necessary to continue healing from the events of September 11, 2001 as well as building resilience to meet the demands of current work environment and future critical incidents. CMMH has provided services and consultation in response to many other local emergencies and disasters including the response to Hurricane Katrina both in the gulf coast states and to those relocated to Massachusetts.

Over the past five years, CMMH has combined its first-hand experience of disaster mental health along with evidence-based practices to develop a successful Behavioral Health Disaster Responder training program for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This program is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration and was awarded to CMMH by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. CMMH's training philosophy is informed by participant centered training strategies and provides participants with opportunities to practice skills in simulated disaster scenarios over the course of the two -day training. Since October 2004, CMMH has trained over 1,000 volunteers in behavioral health disaster response who are prepared to be deployed in the wake of human-caused or natural disaster.

CMMH was also the recipient of a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) to develop the All-Hazards Emergency Planning Guide for Massachusetts substance abuse and mental health providers. CMMH provided state-wide regional trainings and this document has been used by providers as a guide to develop individual agency plans and to link with resources and to coordinate with the overall state plan.

IMPAR has also provided other clinical services through other grants and contracts, including mental health services to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for Massachusetts, and research which led to development of the Self-Assessment for Cultural Competence in Psychiatry Residency Training. IMPAR continues to identify research and mental health service opportunities to advance knowledge and practice in the area of behavioral health disaster planning and response.