New Collaborative Fund Launches to Accelerate Mental Health Services for Adolescents of Color and LGBTQ+ Adolescents

SEATTLE, Oct. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Driven by concerns over the mental health impacts of the novel coronavirus, today's launch of The Upswing Fund for Adolescent Mental Health will help address a pressing national need to improve mental healthcare for adolescents in the United States, especially those who are of color and/or LGBTQ+. The Fund will immediately increase capacity for mental health providers and organizations serving these populations, which have long faced significant barriers to accessing mental healthcare—barriers that have been exacerbated by COVID-19.

The Upswing Fund for Adolescent Mental Health is a collaborative fund seeded by Pivotal Ventures, an investment and incubation company created by Melinda Gates to advance social progress in the United States. The Fund is powered by Panorama Global, led by Fund Director Solomé Tibebu, and advised by a renowned set of mental health experts with deep clinical and research expertise and a passion to support youth and communities.

"The pandemic is not just a public health crisis, but a mental health crisis, too—one that is particularly impacting young people. It's time to make mental healthcare a national priority, especially for young people of color and/or LGBTQ+ youth who are too often left behind by today's system," said Dr. Renee Wittemyer, Director of Program Strategy and Investment at Pivotal Ventures. "The Upswing Fund will provide rapid resources to providers and service organizations on the front lines of care, while also supporting organizations that can transform how our country meets the needs of young Americans."

Non-profit organizations can apply for funding to increase patient capacity; achieve short-term programmatic goals; procure technology and telehealth resources; and facilitate a marked impact on the youth they serve. The application process opens today, and organizations are encouraged to apply at www.theupswingfund.org.

"Adolescents today are living through a number of competing crises that would be extremely destabilizing on their own, let alone together all at once," said Gabrielle Fitzgerald, founder and CEO of Panorama Global. "In response to the coronavirus pandemic's devastating effect on youth and adolescents across the country, The Upswing Fund will provide much-needed resources to impactful programs supporting adolescents who are of color and/or LGBTQ+."

The Upswing Fund is hosting a virtual event, "Combatting a Mental Health Epidemic: Launching The Upswing Fund for Adolescent Mental Health," on Tuesday, October 20, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. PT. Please click here to register.

Learn more about the Fund, its grants, and how to become a collaborative funder at www.theupswingfund.org.

About The Upswing Fund for Adolescent Mental Health
The Upswing Fund for Adolescent Mental Health is a collaborative fund that provides timely resources to organizations that focus on the mental health and well-being of adolescents of color and/or LGBTQ+ adolescents in the United States—populations that face urgent needs during the pandemic but too often lack access to the care they need. The Upswing Fund is seeded by Pivotal Ventures, an investment and incubation company created by Melinda Gates to advance social progress in the United States. It is led by Solomé Tibebu and advised by a renowned set of mental health experts with deep clinical and research expertise and a passion to support youth and communities. The Fund is powered by Panorama Global.

For more information, visit www.theupswingfund.org and @theupswingfund on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Panorama Global
Panorama Global is a global action tank committed to solving pressing global problems through strategic partnerships, collaborative funds, and scalable solutions.

For more information, visit www.panoramaglobal.org and @PanoramaTeam on Twitter and @PanoramaGlobal on LinkedIn.

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SOURCE The Upswing Fund for Adolescent Mental Health