Kaiser Permanente Invests $10M in Youth Mental Health Corps

One of the things that makes the Youth Mental Health Corps so powerful is that Schultz Family Foundation and Pinterest designed it to tackle two challenges at once: expanding access to mental health support for young people while building the next generation of the behavioral health workforce. That's why I'm so excited to welcome Kaiser Permanente as a strategic national partner with a $10 million investment in the Youth Mental Health Corps. Of course, the funding will help us reach many more young people. But what excites me even more is the expertise Kaiser Permanente brings. Kaiser Permanente has long recognized that supporting young people's mental health requires more than clinical care alone. Trusted peer relationships are a powerful intervention that can reduce isolation, strengthen connection, and help young people navigate challenges before they reach a crisis. Just as important, Kaiser Permanente understands what it takes to build a strong behavioral health workforce. Their leadership will help us strengthen training, advance high-quality credentials, and ensure peer support becomes a recognized pathway into meaningful behavioral health careers. When health systems, philanthropy, states, and community organizations work together, we have an opportunity to build something much bigger than a program. We can create a sustainable workforce pipeline while ensuring more young people have someone they trust to turn to when they need support. This progress belongs to the 11 states that have launched the Youth Mental Health Corps to date (with five more joining in 2027), the nearly 1,000 Youth Mental Health Corps members who have served over the past two years, and the many partners who are proving that better mental health outcomes and stronger career pathways can go hand in hand. https://lnkd.in/gZm6r9QF

Lead by Khalique Rogers, Minnesota teens cited research in proposing pending Mn legislation - which Marie Groark quotes, that "A growing body of research shows that young people often feel more comfortable talking with peers they trust. Peer support approaches are particularly effective in fostering human connections, reducing isolation, and helping young people navigate personal challenges." Thx to Marie and the foundation for promoting these approaches building on the insights, energy & talent of young people

Today, Kaiser Permanente is proud to join the Youth Mental Health Corps as a national partner alongside the Schultz Family Foundation and Pinterest, with a $10 million investment to help expand peer mental health support for young people across the country. Across our community health needs assessments and through our ongoing engagement with community partners, one message consistently emerges: behavioral health remains one of the most pressing challenges facing the communities we serve. At the same time, young adults are telling us what they need. They want help navigating the stigma surrounding mental health. They believe connection and culture are healing. They value self-determination. And they consistently tell us they want support from peers and mentors who understand their lived experiences. That's why this partnership matters. By investing in a national network of young adults providing peer support, we can expand access to trusted, community-based mental health resources while building a stronger, more resilient generation of leaders. This investment isn't just about improving mental health outcomes today, it's about empowering young people to lead, serve, and strengthen the communities of tomorrow. Together, we can create healthier communities by ensuring more young people have the support they need to thrive. Thank you to Amanda J. Flaum, Annie Reed, Alexandra Mays, and Renee Gross, J.D. for your tireless work over the last few months to bring this all to life. https://lnkd.in/gaQuck2d

Kaiser Permanente announced a $10 million commitment to expand the Youth Mental Health Corps, a community‑based peer‑support initiative active in 16 states. The program trains young adults (18–29) to support teens in schools, clinics, and community organizations — helping youth navigate stress, isolation, and early signs of mental health concerns before crisis. https://lnkd.in/evvkH-a9

When young people get mental health support early, it can change the trajectory of their lives. Nearly one in four U.S. adults experienced a mental illness in the past year. With mental health challenges closely linked to chronic disease and poorer health outcomes later in life, investing in youth mental health is one of the most effective ways to improve long-term health outcomes, advance affordability, and build healthier futures for our communities. That’s why we created BlueSky, Blue Shield of California’s youth mental health initiative focused on reaching young people sooner — in schools, online, and in the communities where they need support most. Since 2019, BlueSky has supported more than 30,000 youth and educators through school-based and virtual mental health services, educator training, and youth-led advocacy programs, helping build the foundation for stronger mental health, better health outcomes, and lifelong well-being.  We’re proud that BlueSky has received the 2026 North Star Award from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and even more proud to continue working alongside schools, nonprofits, educators, and young people to help more Californians thrive. Learn more about BlueSky’s impact here: https://lnkd.in/daJFeuhR #NorthStar #BCBSA #BlueSky #MentalHealth #YouthMentalHealth #ProudtoBeBlueCA 

When I think about the growing mental health needs of young people, I keep coming back to one question: How do we make it easier for them to receive support before they reach a crisis? Part of the answer is making support available through people they trust, in the places where they already live, learn, and connect. Today, Kaiser Permanente announced a $10 million investment to expand Youth Mental Health Corps. The Corps recruits and trains young adults to provide teens with peer support and help navigating mental health resources in schools, health clinics, and community organizations. I’m proud that Kaiser Permanente is joining founding organizations Schultz Family Foundation and Pinterest as a national partner in this work. Our investment will initially expand programs in California, Maryland, and Oregon before scaling across our nine-state footprint, with the goal of supporting an additional 200,000 young people nationwide. Clinical care is essential, but it cannot be the only place where mental health support begins. This partnership will help create more opportunities for young people to feel heard, supported, and connected while also building new pathways into the behavioral health workforce. Read the full announcement and learn more about this important work: https://lnkd.in/gPN5zAyv

One of the things I appreciate most about this work is that improving health often means looking beyond traditional healthcare.    Investing in programs like Youth Mental Health Corps helps connect young people with support in the places they already live, learn, and grow. It’s an important step toward making mental health resources more accessible while strengthening the future behavioral health workforce.    Proud to see Kaiser Permanente supporting this effort, and thanks to Bechara Choucair and the many teams working to make it happen. 

Every young person deserves support that is accessible, relatable, and available when they need it. That’s why @Kaiser Permanente’s $10 million investment in the @Youth Mental Health Corps is so meaningful — expanding peer support for teens in schools, clinics, and communities where they already spend time. Peer support is not a replacement for clinical care, but it can be a powerful early connection — helping young people feel seen, heard, and supported sooner. I am so honored to be part of this incredible work!

More than 100 educators, mental health professionals, advocates and community leaders came together this week at the University of Pittsburgh for the Southwest Pennsylvania Youth Mental Health Summit. The AIU joined partners from across the region to identify solutions, strengthen collaboration, and advance equitable access to mental health supports for every child. Read more: https://loom.ly/VEG_Cgs

One of the things I enjoy most about this work is moving beyond "what services exist?" to ask whether systems are aligned with the needs they're intended to meet. That's where evidence becomes most valuable - not simply describing what's there, but helping organizations identify the most significant opportunities for improvement. A recent example is shared below.