MQ FOUNDATION AND CLEVELAND CLINIC LAUNCH YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH INITIATIVE

Donors Can Help Accelerate Mental Health Research to Deliver More Precise, Effective, and Lifesaving Care

NEW YORK, Oct. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The MQ Foundation today announced its collaboration with Cleveland Clinic, a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education, to launch the Mental Health Research Center of Excellence.

Supported by a $1 million grant from the MQ Foundation, with additional funding from Cleveland Clinic, the five-year initiative will focus on prevention and early intervention in youth mental health conditions, including depression, suicidal behaviors, and mood disorders. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to driving innovation and improving mental health outcomes for children and adolescents. Donors to the MQ Foundation will be able to support this initiative.

"We are grateful for the MQ Foundation's support and its bold leadership in funding mental health research. This funding allows researchers to ask "what if" and seek the answers that can make such a difference in patients' lives," said Lara Kalafatis, senior vice president and chief philanthropy officer at Cleveland Clinic.

"This collaboration between Cleveland Clinic and the MQ Foundation marks an important step toward transforming the future of mental health research. By combining world-class clinical expertise with a shared passion for discovery, we can accelerate breakthroughs that deepen understanding and drive innovation. We look forward to partnering with donors on this vital work," said Ann Richman, Executive Director, MQ Foundation.   

The project will be led by Tatiana Falcone, M.D., pediatric and adolescent psychiatrist at Cleveland Clinic Children's, who will serve as principal investigator. Dr. Falcone will lead a cross-disciplinary team of clinical and non-clinical researchers focused on uncovering new insights into the neurological factors that influence youth mental health.

"This initiative marks an important step forward in youth mental health research," said Dr. Falcone. "Our work has the potential to enhance how we identify and treat suicide risk in young people, leading to more targeted, effective, and ultimately lifesaving care."

Michael Horvitz, President of the MQ Foundation and a trustee of Cleveland Clinic, added, "Investing in mental health research is an investment in stronger, healthier communities. This partnership is an important step in addressing decades of chronic underfunding in this field. By starting here in Cleveland, we hope to show what's possible and inspire others to join us in expanding this effort to leading medical institutions across the country."

The study will specifically explore the neurological basis of hopelessness and its connection to mental health risks among young people ages 14 to 24. Using advanced neuroimaging techniques, researchers aim to identify biomarkers that can help predict risk levels and guide more personalized treatment approaches. The research will also evaluate the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS), an evidence-based intervention proven to reduce feelings of hopelessness and improve outcomes for at-risk youth.

For decades, mental health research has received significantly less funding than other areas of medicine, creating major gaps in understanding and care. By combining Cleveland Clinic's clinical expertise with MQ Foundation's commitment to advancing mental health research globally, this initiative seeks to accelerate progress and establish a scalable model for expanding youth mental health research nationwide.

ABOUT MQ FOUNDATION
The MQ Foundation's (MQF) mission is to fund and proliferate vital research needed to detect, prevent, and treat mental illness. We fund cutting-edge research that has the potential for fast, real-world application, but often falls outside the scope of most funding sources because it is deemed too new or untested. Unlike conventional funding that defines research narrowly to the medical and psychological fields, we believe the complexity of mental health requires a collaborative multi-disciplinary approach that includes medical and biological sciences, social sciences, design, technology, and the arts. The MQF works in close collaboration with its main beneficiary, the UK-based MQ Mental Health Research (MQ). Together MQF and MQ have invested $40 million in new research projects since 2013 that have subsequently attracted an additional $58 million from government and private sources.

SOURCE MQ Foundation