Mental Health
Promoting Mental Well-Being Across Populations
Strong mental health is crucial for overall health and well-being. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, almost 20 percent of Americans experienced a mental illness. The pandemic and its aftermath continue to worsen these numbers. Continuous stressors, stigma, and systemic barriers with lack of access to quality care have pushed our society’s mental health to the breaking point, especially people in vulnerable populations, such as youth, veterans, and those already with severe mental illnesses.
SPARC has worked on several initiatives directly addressing mental health and illness challenges, especially among these vulnerable populations. We have partnered with several philanthropists and organizations to develop reports, tools, and funding initiatives to support the improvement of mental health.
Our Work
Veterans Community Initiative
The military-to-civilian transition, experienced by almost 200,000 service members who leave the military every year, presents a multitude of financial, physical, and mental challenges to relocate and integrate back into civilian life. The SPARC team partnered with the Tullman Family Office and the Duchossois Family Foundation to address unmet needs, funding trends, and challenges within the veteran support ecosystem, as well as identify potential philanthropic opportunities to strengthen transition support for this unique population.
Severe Mental Illness Housing
The Dauten Family Foundation partnered with SPARC to develop a better understanding of how philanthropy can support housing for people with serious mental illness. The initiative is working with key stakeholders to develop groundwork for broader policy and infrastructure reform and improve supportive, affordable housing.
Baszucki Group Partnership Advances Metabolic Psychiatry
The Baszucki Brain Research Fund and SPARC presented the 2022 Metabolic Mind Awards to seven clinicians. These individuals have committed to advance ketogenic metabolic therapy for mental disorders.
Moonshots for Youth Mental Health and Well-Being: Exploration of Big Bets and Bold Goals (Report)
During the COVID-19 pandemic, young people, especially, struggled with anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. SPARC partnered with Hopelab to identify moonshot ideas to drastically transform youth mental health and well-being. The report outlines ideas such as reimagining the mental health-care system, decreasing stigma, increasing access to care, and strengthening a diverse mental health workforce.
Philanthropic Action for a Better Mental Health System
During the COVID-19 pandemic, SPARC developed a report that identifies philanthropic mechanisms to immediately support mental well-being. This road map for strategic philanthropy provides solutions that are interconnected and can serve the long-term needs of people who need it most.
