Ep. 79 - Addressing America's Mental Health Needs

From the challenges posed by technology use to political biases creeping into the therapist's office, America is experiencing something of a mental health crisis. To help address this critical issue, the Philanthropy Roundtable recently compiled a Mental Health Playbook that provides philanthropists with an introduction to the most effective organizations working to solve this crisis while remaining faithful to the principles of liberty, opportunity, and personal responsibility. As the Roundtable explained in a recent article, private philanthropy is "essential to confronting our nation’s mental health crisis" because "it’s flexible and nimble, allowing the most effective, unique approaches to emerge." To learn more about the Playbook and to get a look at two of the organizations it highlights, Peter assembled a panel for this episode of Giving Ventures. Esther Larson is the Senior Director of Programs at the Philanthropy Roundtable. She spearheaded the creation of the Mental Health Playbook, a resource designed to guide donors through the complex landscape of mental health funding. Dr. Andrew Hartz is the Founder and President of the Open Therapy Institute. A clinical psychologist by training, he focuses on removing bias within the counseling space to improve mental health care. Carolyn Gorman serves as a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute, one of the country's leading think tanks. Her work concentrates on the policy challenges and potential solutions in the mental health sector.