Release Foundation Launches Youth and Young Adult Mental Health Fund

New scholarship fund seeks to increase access to high-quality mental healthcare
for young people who can't afford treatment

NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --  Release Foundation, which provides scholarships for substance use disorder and mental health treatment to those who need it but otherwise can't afford it, is proud to announce the launch of its Youth and Young Adult Mental Health Fund amid the nation's youth mental health crisis. The fund's goal is to make evidence-based mental health treatment accessible to adolescents and young adults ages 11 to 35, regardless of socioeconomic status.

Data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reveals that over 57 million Americans suffer from a mental illness, with young adults representing the largest demographic affected and the least likely to get the help they need. Just 44 percent of young adults struggling receive mental health services. Studies have also shown those from low-income families face the greatest barriers to accessing high-quality mental healthcare.

In support of Release Foundation's new initiative, Charlie Health will offer its clinical expertise and resources to scholarship recipients of the Youth and Young Adult Mental Health Fund. Young people and their families will have access to dozens of weekly support groups facilitated by Charlie Health professionals specializing in mental health and fostering connections. Charlie Health will also implement measurement-based care delivery for scholarship recipients and track treatment progress. These efforts seek to improve access to mental health services for low-income young people while ensuring the highest quality care.

"At Release Foundation, our mission is to eliminate financial barriers that keep too many people from getting the help they need," said Zac Clark, Founding Board Member of Release Foundation – which has given out more than 150 scholarships for substance use disorder and mental health treatment since its founding in 2020.

"Untreated mental health issues when we're young certainly don't disappear as we get older. We must intervene to prevent chronic problems from developing," said Clark. "With the Youth and Young Adult Mental Health Fund and clinical support from a top-tier provider like Charlie Health, I'm excited about the impact we can make on such a critical population."

Carter Barnhart, CEO and Co-founder of Charlie Health added, "To see Zac and Release Foundation step up for young people in need during this challenging time is encouraging but not surprising given their amazing track record. I'm confident this fund will change the trajectory of young lives."

More information on Release Foundation's Youth and Young Adult Mental Health Fund can be found at releaserecoveryfoundation.org/youth-and-young-adult-mental-health-fund/.

About Release Foundation
Release Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to remove financial barriers to accessing substance use disorder and mental health treatment and to build a community of allies – sober or not – who stand ready to support and lift up anyone in or seeking recovery. 

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Stephanie Cunnane
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SOURCE Release Foundation