MINDFUL PHILANTHROPY CALLS FOR INCREASED PRIVATE INVESTMENT TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

The organization challenges all funders by 2035 to increase total philanthropic mental health, addiction and well-being funding and releases guide to spur investment.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mindful Philanthropy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing high-impact funding of mental health, is calling all of philanthropy to dramatically increase giving to support mental health, addiction, and well-being.

Today, more than 90% of adults in the United States believe that the country is experiencing a mental health crisis.¹ A recent Lancet Psychiatry study suggests that half of the world's population will develop a mental disorder by age 75.² The same study says that trend will cost the global economy $5 trillion annually, roughly $1.8 trillion in the U.S. alone.

"Mental health is deeply connected to every part of our lives – our work, families and communities. But these statistics do little to capture the ripple effect that mental health challenges have across society," said Alyson Niemann, Executive Director of Mindful Philanthropy. "Action and investment are needed now to change the trajectory.

Mindful Philanthropy challenges all funders by 2035 to collectively increase the total amount of philanthropic funding dedicated to mental health, addiction, and well-being by five times to $35B annually. To guide funders and spur that change that is necessary, Mindful Philanthropy has released a snapshot of the current state of mental health in America.

The call to action is being announced following the second-annual Activate 2023 conference that ended today in Healdsburg, Calif. The three-day conference brought together more than 80 diverse funders and mental health experts to collaborate and learn innovative approaches aimed at making  an impact on the nation's mental health landscape.

Philanthropy has a profound opportunity to spark transformation of the experience and care of mental health and ensure every person finds meaning and purpose to thrive in their communities.

¹ McPhillips, D. (2022, October 5). 90% of US adults say the United States is experiencing a mental health crisis, CNN/KFF poll finds. CNN. Retrieved August 30, 2023, from https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/05/health/cnn-kff-mental-health-poll-wellness/index.html

² McGrath, JJ, et al. "Age of onset and cumulative risk of mental disorders: A cross-national analysis of population surveys from 29 countries." The Lancet Psychiatry, vol. 10, no. 9, 2023, pp. 668–681, https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366(23)00193-1.

About Mindful Philanthropy
Mindful Philanthropy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to increasing high-impact funding of mental health, addiction, and well-being. Launched in May 2020, Mindful Philanthropy is leading the conversation around how philanthropy can transform the landscape of mental health, addiction, and well-being. As an objective expert, Mindful Philanthropy simplifies the complex and vast mental health landscape, helps funders speed up the learning journey, and amplifies their impact at the intersection of mental health and other issue areas. Since 2020, the organization has guided more than $90 million in philanthropic donations into the mental health sector, engaged 174 funders with custom strategies, activated more than $300 million in public funding, and curated a network of more than 500 philanthropies and 300 high-impact nonprofit organizations. To learn more and to see the guide on the current state of mental health in America, go to mindfulphilanthropy.org

SOURCE Mindful Philanthropy