By 2028, make at least 10 investments related to accessing mental and behavioral health services for young children and caregivers experiencing service shortages; these investments will help inform future Foundation investments.

Addressing behavioral and mental health needs for children can have a significant impact on lifelong development and well-being; and all families, regardless of income, deserve a respectful, culturally responsive standard of care.

Across the country, reported rates of anxiety and depression in children and their caregivers continue to grow. In Philadelphia, poverty, systemic racism, gun violence, and related trauma compound the crisis. And there are multiple barriers to accessing treatment, including an insufficient number of mental and behavioral health professionals, a lack of culturally responsive services, facilities that are not easily accessible to the neighborhoods with the greatest need, and persistent misconceptions and stigmatization around accessing mental health care.

In order to help young children and families access mental and behavioral health services in Philadelphia, we are starting to make investments in this area.

As this is a new area of funding for the Foundation, we are developing metrics for assessing progress through consultation with stakeholders.  We will be learning from the sector and from our grantees.

We recognize that there are many ways that organizations and communities can contribute to this objective. We are seeking to support projects and programs in Philadelphia that organizations believe will be most effective in making progress on this issue.