Mental Health Funders Collaborative Pooled Fund
It’s an increasingly difficult time to be young in America. According to the CDC, in 2021, 42% of young people experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness—a figure that has doubled over the past decade.
The increase in mental health struggles reflects the growing pressures and adversities kids face—like economic instability, trauma and lack of access to basic needs like stable housing or healthy food. Mental health isn’t just about treating illness; it’s about creating environments that support healthy development and address these root causes before they manifest as crises.
The Mental Health Funders Collaborative (MHFC), in partnership with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, is a network of philanthropic organizations dedicated to improving youth mental health across Georgia.
Members—like the Liz Blake Giving Fund—support initiatives to expand access to care, strengthen the mental health workforce and tackle the systemic challenges facing children and families. Together, they are working to ensure that mental health is treated as an integral part of overall health and development.
Over the last year, the MHFC has worked with nonprofit and public leaders to identify ways to collectively support the health and wellbeing of Georgia’s kids. Preventative care is proactive care—meaning that children should receive the care they need before reaching a point of crisis. Here are the ways the Liz Blake Giving Fund and the entire Mental Health Funders Collaborative are seeking to drive meaningful impact:
Broaden access to mental health care: Tie eligibility for mental health services to social factors like housing instability or trauma, not just clinical diagnoses.
Bring care to where families are: Schools, pediatric clinics and community centers are places where families feel comfortable. Mental health support should be available in these familiar environments, not just in clinical settings.
Strengthen the mental health workforce: Georgia needs more mental health professionals. This involves investing in their training, simplifying certification and improving long-term funding. Expanding who can deliver care—beyond therapists and psychiatrists to include school social workers, community health workers and behavioral health technicians—can also increase access.
Hold health plans accountable: Managed care organizations must deliver on their promise to provide mental health benefits for children. Transparency is needed through timely data sharing to coordinate care and hold these organizations accountable.
Maximize federal funding: Leveraging federal matching funds and holding managed care organizations to higher standards will help expand mental health services statewide.
Mental health is about more than diagnosing and treating illness—it’s about addressing the conditions that shape a child’s overall wellbeing. Stable housing, access to nutritious food, safe communities, and supportive relationships all play a critical role in mental and physical health. By focusing on these social determinants and taking proactive steps, they are working towards a healthier, more resilient future for Georgia’s youth.