Mental Health
for Young People

We believe in the extraordinary power of today’s youth and know that supporting their mental health and wellbeing is critical to unlocking their full potential.

We work to equip young people and their caregivers with resources to address the challenges of adolescence, with a special focus on the mental health needs of young people of color and LGBTQ+ youth.

A teenage girl lying down in bed, looking at her phone under the covers

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Solutions We Support

Young people deserve better than our outdated mental health care system. We’re working with our partners to create next-generation mental health care that catches up to this generation’s needs.

Reaching Youth of All Identities

For mental health care to meet young people’s needs, it first needs to understand who they are. Our approach centers young people’s own voices and experiences—including those of LGBTQ+ youth and youth of color—to help ensure they have access to services and solutions that are culturally relevant.

Young people of color and LGBTQ+ youth face some of the highest barriers to getting mental health support.

60% of patients of color say that having a health care professional who shares or understands their culture is important, but only 14% of mental health providers are non-white. Our partner AAKOMA Project Inc. is working to increase access to culturally competent care for young people of color and reduce stigma around talking about mental health in their communities.

Being treated with respect and empathy can have significant positive effects for young people’s mental wellbeing. For instance, LGBTQ+ youth who can use their chosen name and pronouns reported 71% fewer depressive symptoms, according to the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Our partner The Trevor Project offers counseling to LGBTQ+ young people 24/7/365 to ensure they can get the identity-affirming support they need, when they need it.

A young female audience member speaks into a microphone at an event

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Improving Access to Care

We work with organizations that are making mental health care services more accessible for young people and their families. Young people in need of support should know where and how to get it.

The mental health care system in the U.S. was built on the assumption that only a small number of adolescents would need to use it. As a result, it leaves millions of young people behind.

Our partners make high-quality care available and affordable to everyone, especially marginalized youth. For example, Headstream Innovation’s tech accelerator helps innovators create cutting-edge mental health solutions and deliver them to young people at scale. From reimagining high school health class to creating peer support networks to reach young people in times of need, these startups are transforming the way mental health care is received and delivered.

A young woman sits on a couch with her arm around her mother

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Reaching Youth at School

Schools are one of the best places to reach young people in need of mental health support. The challenge is ensuring that more students have access to the kind of high-quality school-based mental health care that can help them thrive.

Our partner Inseparable’s 2022 School Mental Health Report Card found that 61% of public schools report insufficient mental health staff to manage caseloads. Inseparable helps state and federal systems implement better mental health policies for students in need.

Learn More

2023 School Mental Health State Legislative Guide (Inseparable)

A young woman sitting and talking to a group of teenagers at an event

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Fostering Healthier Digital Lives

Young people today have a different relationship with technology than any generation before them. We support organizations developing evidence-backed solutions that help them thrive in a digital world.

Growing up can be hard, and both young people and their families need practical resources and tools that can help them navigate the ups and downs of digital life.

Our partner, the Center for Digital Thriving, develops lesson plans and other resources that help youth flourish in a tech-filled world. Another one of our partners, Young Futures, funds innovative strategies to promote social connection, teen belonging, and wellbeing in the digital age.

Three teenagers using their phones while talking at a sleepover

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