ORTUS Foundation

Get the latest youth and young adult mental health news, research, and resources directly to your inbox. In the latest ORTUS Foundation newsletter, you’ll find: • A note from our founder, Sabrina Paola Gracias, detailing Ortus’ commitment to youth mental health and suicide prevention. • Upcoming Ortus events and events we’ve attended in 2024 • Details on our 2024 grant and scholarship commitments. In this edition, we highlight our grant partnership with Baylor College of Medicine’s psychedelic retreat study.  • News and resources for supporting youth mental health today, including the The Jed Foundation (JED) report "Unraveling the Stigma: Exploring Barriers to Mental Health Support Among U.S. Teens." https://lnkd.in/ewUBHvnc Sign up for our quarterly newsletter at ortusfoundation.org.

Oct. 10 is World Mental Health Day, a global movement aimed at raising awareness of critical mental health agendas. It’s not just a date on a calendar — World Federation for Mental Health, which founded #WMHD, collaborates with advocates every day to take action and create lasting change. This year’s WMHD is centered around mental health advocacy in the workplace. It’s an especially important reminder for ORTUS Foundation that as we advocate for youth mental health, we must also care for ourselves. Here are a few ways we’re doing just that. Learn more about World Mental Health Day at wmhdofficial.com. #WorldMentalHealthDay #WMHD24

September is Suicide Prevention Month, a time for breaking down stigmas around the subject. This month, during Suicide Prevention month, ORTUS Foundation is sharing suicide prevention resources and tools for helping young people and break down stigma around the subject. Talking about suicide is the first step to preventing self-harm and getting young people the help they need. These 5 tips can help you navigate tough conversations in a hopeful, respectful way. Call 988 or visit 988lifeline.org if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. #suicidepreventionmonth #mentalhealth

Mental health care must be accessible and affordable for young people to get the support they need. The Biden-Harris administration’s new Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act rule does just that for millions of Americans. In 2008, the Obama-Biden administration enacted The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which requires insurance coverage for mental health conditions to be equivalent to coverage for other medical conditions. The newest parity rule offers more guidance and clarity for insurers, employers, policymakers, and mental health advocates. It’s another step toward an inclusive, destigmatized environment for youth mental health care and suicide prevention. The Kennedy Forum, which focuses on ensuring Americans get quality care without being denied coverage, broke down 14 key points from the new rule. Visit their website to read a Q&A about what to expect next: https://lnkd.in/gKtT-bpV

The Biden-Harris administration's new parity rule will help millions of Americans gain access to better mental health care. At its foundation, the new rule will clarify and strengthen protections to expand equitable access to these benefits as compared to medical and surgical benefits and reduce barriers to accessing mental healthcare services. Health care, whether for physical or behavioral conditions, is health care. No one should receive lesser care for one or the other, and this new ruling will make that clear. Join The Kennedy Forum this Thursday to kick off a new work group focused on effective, successful rule implementation at the state level. To read more about the new ruling, click here:  https://lnkd.in/e3FNFvGA

This year's Erikson Institute Luncheon program will focus on mental health and feature two distinguished speakers: Ashley Judd, a Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actress and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Goodwill Ambassador known for her mental wellness advocacy, and Thomas Insel MD, a renowned neuroscientist, psychiatrist, entrepreneur, and author. Join Erikson Institute and ORTUS Foundation on October 22 to create a brighter future for young people and their loved ones. For more information, please email luncheon@erikson.edu. Further details coming soon!

In the 1950s, a group of pioneering psychiatrists demonstrated the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicines. At the time, these medicines were considered the “next big thing” in psychiatry. Since then, research and interest in psychedelics and mental health have varied. In 2023, a multidisciplinary meeting of diverse advocates developed concrete recommendations behind the ethics of psychedelic medicines. ORTUS Foundation is excited to have been a part of this ongoing conversation and advancement in the field. The consensus report, published by JAMA Network Open in June 2024, is an important tool for an ethics and policy framework for psychedelics in clinical care, addressing key issues. Follow the link in our founder Sabrina Paola Gracias' post to read the full text.

In April, the The White House released the 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and an accompanying Federal Action Plan. The National Strategy and Action Plan put both words and actionable steps in place. They show our federal government is listening. The nationwide actions detailed in the Federal Action Plan directly align with ORTUS Foundation’s Intermountain West efforts to support youth mental health. We encourage you to read the full National Strategy and Action Plan here: https://lnkd.in/edr7CfcU Call 988 or visit 988lifeline.org if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

LGBTQ+ teens need mental health support every month — but many say they don't experience this support at school or home. This Pride month, Ortus is highlighting the experiences of LGBTQ+ teens. Together, we can provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ teens all year long. Visit ortusfoundation.org to learn more about partnering with us. Call 988 or visit 988lifeline.org if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need support. #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtyouth #youthmentalhealth #teenmentalhealth #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalwellbeing #mentalhealthmatters #teens #youth #students

Teens are most likely to turn to parents as a source of support for mental health concerns—even more than friends. That’s an encouraging sign, since adults are often in the best position to offer help and support. A new report from The Jed Foundation (JED) explores the reasons teens talk to their parents about mental health, and why they may hold back from these conversations. Read the full report to learn how you can best support the teens in your life: https://lnkd.in/ewUBHvnc Call 988 or visit 988lifeline.org if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. #youthmentalhealth #teenmentalhealth #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalwellbeing #mentalhealthmatters #teens #youth #students