AIM is bridging the gap between research and access to care for youth struggling with their mental health by finding, funding and implementing evidence-based treatments, empowering youth to discover their own mental health solutions, and training caring adults to create a safe holding place for children, teens, and young adults.

What We Do 

 Research

Our Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) strategizes the most effective ways to fund research to help youth today. They are working to develop models for training clinicians to implement evidence-based treatments in real-world settings where children receive care. The SAB, representing major research institutions throughout the world, is comprised of a diverse and distinguished group of doctors in the pediatric mental health community. AIM Youth Mental Health is a member of the International Alliance of Mental Health Research Funders.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT AND ENGAGEMENT

AIM Ideas Lab is about elevating the teen perspective in mental health research. Teens gather in cohorts of 10-15 to learn and conduct their own mental health research. The Ideas Lab provides a unique opportunity for high school students to help drive youth mental health research because their voice matters and their perspective is vital to finding solutions.

The AIM Design Challenge engages hundreds of youth artists each year to create display ads that can provide hope to someone struggling with mental health. The encourages youth to speak up and seek help, or an ad might encourage others to be empathetic.

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING

AIM is partnering with Mental Health Connect to provide “Mental Health First Aid Training and Certification” for caring adults, including parents, teachers, counselors, first responders and health care providers. This training will ensure that youth are surrounded by trained individuals who are prepared to recognize and respond to signs of mental illness, substance use disorders and other mental health crises.

Awareness

We are building a movement with a positive, forward-thinking focus. Our annual AIM for Awareness Ad Contest and Walk and Rally help to raise awareness simply by talking about youth mental health.

Our Vision

Our vision is simple: a world of mentally healthy youth.

AIM is not disorder* or institution-specific, which means that we fund the search for cures for all mental disorders in youth, and find the best, cutting-edge research teams and individuals, regardless of where they are based.

Our purpose touches lives in a very personal way, and gives hope to children and families facing the struggles that mental health challenges bring.

*Youth mental health disorders include, but are not limited to, ADHD, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, schizophrenia, Tourette syndrome, OCD, autism spectrum disorders, and eating disorders. We also address the bi-products of some of these brain disorders including addiction, self-harm, and suicide.

1 in 5 of Today’s Youth have, or will have a serious mental illness

We AIM to stop the silence around youth mental health by raising awareness and funding groundbreaking research, so we can begin to find real solutions for the youth of today.

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