Active Minds is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization, changing the culture and promoting mental health awareness and education for young adults. Present in more than 1,000 schools, communities + workplaces nationwide, our programs, education, research, and advocacy focused on young adults ages 14-25 is creating lasting change in the way mental health is talked about, cared for, and valued in the United States. Learn more about our work at www.activeminds.org.
Watch & share: INTRODUCTION TO ACTIVE MINDS VIDEO
Active Minds was founded in 2003 by Alison Malmon when she was a junior at the University of Pennsylvania following the suicide of her older brother, and only sibling, Brian. Alison recognized that Brian’s story is the story of thousands of young people who suffer in silence; who, despite their large numbers, think they are totally alone. A majority of mental illnesses start between ages 14 and 24 when teens and young adults are in school, and suicide is the second leading cause of death for college students.
Creating hope out of tragedy
Our programs and services started with a simple premise: if we as students speak openly about our mental health, we can save lives. Today we reach more than 8+ million youth and young adults with mental health information, training, and leadership opportunities each year. Our programs focus on school mental health with a proven peer-to-peer approach in colleges and K-12 schools, award winning educational and community-centered events that change how we talk about mental health, workforce development initiatives, and advocacy work normalizing mental health.
20 years of impact
Active Minds has since become the premier organization impacting young adults and mental health. Now in more than 1,000 campuses and communities, we directly reach more than 8 million people each year through awareness campaigns, events, advocacy, outreach, and more. In addition to a 600+ strong National Chapter Network empowering passionate student advocates, Active Minds’ programs include Send Silence Packing®, an award-winning suicide prevention display; Active Minds Speakers, a curated group of professional storytellers and presenters who provide encouraging and safe mental health education for students and other audiences; the Healthy Campus Award, which honors colleges that are prioritizing student health and well-being; and the newly launched Active Minds @Work offerings to build a mental health culture in the workplace.
Our consistent message, amplified by nearly 15,000 young adults each year, is that mental health needs to be talked about as easily as physical health. Only then can we bring suicide and mental health into the open, so no one struggles alone.
Supporting the mental health movement
Active Minds pursues funding through grants, donations and fundraisers, corporate partnerships, and with support from those that want to personally and professionally stand behind our mission. Our partnerships are vetted and carefully selected to appropriately reflect our values, audience, and intended impact. Active Minds has achieved the Platinum Seal of Transparency Rating on Candid, the world's largest source of information on non-profit organizations, which ranks in the top 0.1% of charities nationally in terms of transparency. They are also a Charity navigator four-star organization and a Top-Rated charity by Great Nonprofits.
Active Minds publishes an Impact Report each year to share progress in changing the conversation about mental health. Take a look at their 2023 impact report here!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I donate directly to Active Minds?
Yes! Find out how at the Active Minds donation page here.
Who is Active Minds?
Active Minds is the nation’s leading
nonprofit organization promoting mental health awareness and education for
young adults. Active Minds is present in more than 1,000 campuses and
communities nationwide. Through award-winning programs and services, Active Minds is empowering a new generation to speak openly, act courageously, and change the conversation about mental health for everyone.
Additional Links:
Howlong has Active Minds been involved in mental health? How big of an impact doyou have?
Active Minds was founded in 2003 by Alison Malmon when she was a junior at the University of Pennsylvania following the suicide of her older brother, and only sibling, Brian. Now in its twenty-first year, Active Minds is present in more than 1,000 schools, communities, and workplaces nationwide, including more than 500 student-led chapters. Our programs and services empower young adults to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, create communities of support, and ultimately save lives.
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Why does mental health matter? Do you have statistics?
Just like everyone has physical health, we ALL have mental health. Mental illness is treatable and suicide is preventable. Even so, many suffer in silence. We’re on a mission to make mental health a comfortable, everyday conversation. Active Minds continually updates our statistics and sources using the latest peer-reviewed public health data.
Key statistics:
- 50% OF US will experience a mental health condition in their
lifetime - 1 IN 5 ADULTS have a diagnosable mental illness
- Only 44% of adults receive the treatment they need
In the youth and young adult
population:
- Half of mental health issues begin by age 14; 75% begin by age 24
- Suicide is the #2 LEADING CAUSE of death among young adults
- 67% of people 18-24 with anxiety or depression don’t seek treatment
- 39% of students in college experience a significant mental health issue
- Two-thirds of young adults tell a friend they are struggling before telling anyone else
- Less than 20% of children and adolescents with diagnosable mental health problems receive the treatment they need
How is Active Minds making a difference?
We are dedicated to saving lives and to
building stronger families and communities. Through education, research, advocacy, and a focus on mobilization and equity with youth and young adults ages 14-25, Active Minds has been opening up the conversation about mental health and creating lasting change in the way mental health is talked about, cared for, and valued in the United States.
Since 2003, what has guided and distinguished us from the start is a belief that young people will be the drivers of change.
- Our peer-to-peer approach to mental health through our chapters. The mere presence of Active Minds at a school increases mental health knowledge, positive attitudes, and help-seeking (RAND, 2018).
- Mobilizing the next generation. Mental health issues among young adults are on the rise. Yet, young adults are not always consulted
in decisions that impact them. When youth elevate the conversation about mental health, schools prioritize resources to ensure long-term care. - Building a mental health movement. We partner with students, educators, administrators, and families to empower youth to advocate for mental health programs and policies, engage in peer-to-peer curricula, and connect with college/university Active Minds chapters for mentorship.
Where does the money go?
Your gift today empowers young adults to change the conversation about mental health in their communities – providing hope and saving lives. We are grateful for the support of individuals, families, foundations, and corporations. Active Minds’ programs and resources focus on mental health awareness and suicide prevention for young adults.
Active Minds is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, with primary offices in Washington, DC. All donations to Active Minds are tax deductible. We post our audited financial statements and summarize our accomplishments each year in our Impact Report.
Donations to Active Minds help us to improve, promote, and sustain our various programs and resources, expanding our reach to new schools and communities, connecting with mental health advocates and leaders, and sharing our knowledge and tools with young adults to mobilize their peers. Whether that’s by starting a chapter, holding an event, or downloading one of our curricula to activate more mental health advocates, our programs make a meaningful difference.
Can you share some of the initiatives Active Minds is leading on?
Yes! These are just three of our many objectives, and we encourage you to visit www.activeminds.org/programs to see how we are and can be involved in your community!
- A.S.K. Acknowledge, Support, Keep-in-Touch
Our conversation model individuals can utilize to speak up about their mental health struggles and respond effectively to a peer in need. This program has been revamped + relaunched in partnership with MTV and Paramount into a national campaign to reframe mental health support. - 1K-in-1K
Our initiative to bring chapters to 1,000 Schools in 1,000 days. Active Minds is currently present in over 1,000 schools, workplaces, and communities nationwide - and it’s our goal, over the next two years, to bring chapters to even more communities (we’re currently about 300 new Chapters into this goal!) - Send Silence Packing®
An award-winning traveling exhibit showcasing stories of hope and loss, that is brought to communities and campuses across the country. There is also a virtual “Behind the Backpacks” experience that is continuously being built out.
Do you have tips on ways to support my friends and family with theirmental health?
Please visit our Offering Help Page, which highlights ways to be there for a friend or loved one who may be struggling with their mental health. We also have Self Care Resources for when you need to take a step back and focus on yourself. Remember that you don’t have to be an expert to help… Just A.S.K. Acknowledge, Support, Keep-in-Touch.
What percentage of my donation and contribution is used specificallyto Active Minds’ cause?
The impact we are able to make with thousands of youth and young adults nationwide is directly enabled by the financial resources and sustainable growth of our organization. We transparently share all of our financial details in our annual impact report (our 2023 impact report can be found here). About 60% of proceeds go to supporting Chapters & Youth Mobilization, 17% go to Education and Training initiatives, and 5% to Policy Change and Workforce Development. Many of our programs get the unique opportunity of being funded by grants focused on expanding impact and partnerships that directly collaborate with our team.
The overwhelming majority of our funding goes directly to mobilizing our students, mental health advocates, and youth champions, but there are always additional expenses to supporting our work. From our 2023 impact report, approximately 7% of our funding is used for management and general supporting costs.