COVID Mental Health Relief

The Weissman Children's Foundation’s Mental Health Relief Initiative is dedicated to providing full access to evidence-based mental health treatments for every child and family in need.

The Problem

There is a mental health crisis in this country. And it is largely ignored by the federal government and insurance companies.

With COVID, civil unrest and economic hardship, it’s not surprising to see spiking rates of anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, child behavior issues and marital/family conflict.

But this is all much worse for our nation’s most vulnerable and marginalized families, too frequently denied access to affordable, effective mental healthcare.

The Solution

The Weissman Children’s Foundation aims to bridge this gap by providing effective and immediate mental healthcare for all children, families and young adults, regardless of their ability to pay. 

Our Mental Health Relief Initiative offers highly specialized programs and services for the uninsured and underinsured, with an emphasis on helping low-income, Black, Indigenous and People of Color populations. 

1. Provide high-quality, evidence-based psychotherapies to 100 families in crisis through summer 2021.

2. Match new families with our expert team of highly specialized psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers.

3. Promote availability of low- or no-cost services to families in need via our healthcare and community partners.

4. Track mental health data and outcomes to evaluate our equity and effectiveness program in low-income, diverse communities. We intend our research to lead to reduced mental health disparities and eventual public policy change.

EVIDENCE-BASED MENTAL HEALTHCARE FOR EVERYONE

Dear Friends,

We share with you, I’m sure, relief and excitement at the prospects of reengaging our lives in a post-pandemic world. It is our hope and intention at the Weissman Children’s Foundation to see no one denied a positive, healthy and productive reentry.

After a year of helping more than 200 low-income families affected by COVID, we are excited to enter a new phase of work. We are thrilled, once again, to launch our spring and summer 2021 fundraiser with IOBY and to participate in IOBY’s NYC COVID Relief matching and fiscal sponsor programs.

Every tax-deductible donation, up to $1,000 a person, will be matched and doubled—or quadrupled with certain employer matching programs.

This amazing opportunity deserves a huge shout out to IOBY!

As this country fights the “pandemics” of civil justice, economic inequity and COVID, those of us concerned about mental health are waging a battle against a “hidden” pandemic.

The federal government and insurance companies still deny high-quality, effective mental and behavioral healthcare to those without means. It is up to us to take this on!

We see the toll these crises have taken, contributing to higher rates of anxiety, depression, social isolation, substance abuse, suicide, behavioral challenges, family conflict, trauma and grief—all of which disproportionately affects underrepresented and diverse communities.

The Weissman Children's Foundation established the Mental Health Relief Initiative to give the best possible and most affordable mental healthcare for anyone in need. Most urgently, we are focused on providing mental health relief to underserved and diverse communities throughout New York City.

In partnership with generous donors like IOBY and you, we are building momentum and need your help to continue to help underserved children and families in need.

Please join us.

With much love and gratitude,

Adam S. Weissman, Ph.D.,

Founding President, CEO, and Chief Psychologist

The Child & Family Institute and Weissman Children's Foundation

Recipient of the 2020 American Psychological Association Distinguished Contributions to Practice Award and the 2021 Healthcare Heroes Award in Westchester, New York

DID YOU KNOW? 

• A 2021 Stress in America survey reported 2 in 3 adults (67%) said they were overwhelmed by all the issues America is facing, the highest stress level since COVID’s early days

Over the past year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH):

• 51.5 million adults (20% of all U.S. adults ages 18+) experience anxiety, depression or other mood disorders.
• A prevalence for mental illness in young adults (ages 18-25) is particularly troubling, rising to 30% for their age group and 32% for those reporting two or more races
• Of 51.5 million adults, only 23 million (45%) received mental health treatment or counseling, or prescription medication, with this being worse for young adults (39%)

Not only are young people struggling the most, it’s worsening. According to a Mental Health America report:

• This year, 9.7% of U.S. youth U.S. have severe depression, compared to 9.2% last year.
• Not only are more young people (ages 11-17) searching for help, but through COVID were more likely than any other age group to have major symptoms of anxiety and depression.
• Rates of suicidal ideation are highest among youth, especially LGBTQ+ youth. In September 2020, more than half of 11-17-year-olds reported thoughts of suicide or self-harm nearly every day of the previous two weeks.

For the past year, the Weissman Children’s Foundation (WCF) has been voicing its concern about the proven link between COVID and increased mental illness in children, families and young adults – and how it disproportionately affects youth, diverse and LGBTQ+ communities. 

With this new evidence, we hope there will be more research and better support from the federal government and insurance companies. 

The Weissman Children’s Foundation (WCF) is a national nonprofit organization. in development, dedicated to raising the standard of mental healthcare—and access to best practices for youth—by offering evidence-based, psychological treatments to every child, family and young adult, regardless of their ability to pay. In this way, WCF aims to help break down generations-old, nationwide barriers and access to quality mental healthcare in underserved communities and communities of color.

Affiliated with The Child & Family Institute, WCF is located throughout the Greater New York area, across another seven states in the U.S., and through a global telehealth initiative. For more information, contact [email protected]