Active Minds is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting mental health, especially among young adults, via peer-to-peer dialogue and interaction. Active Minds was founded by Alison Malmon in 2003, after her older brother died by suicide in 2000. Alison recognized that Brian’s story is the story of thousands of young people who suffer in silence; who, despite their large numbers, think they are totally alone. Most mental health issues start between ages fourteen and twenty-four, when teens and young adults are in school, and suicide is the second leading cause for youth and young adults.
In addition to 600 national chapters empowering passionate student advocates, Active Minds’ programs include Send Silence Packing®, an award-winning suicide prevention exhibit; Active Minds Speakers, a curated group of professional storytellers and presenters who provide encouraging and safe mental health education for students and other audiences; the Healthy Campus Award, which honors colleges that are prioritizing student health and well-being; and Active Minds @Work, which works to build a mental health culture in the workplace.
The Active Minds message, amplified by thousands of young adults each year, is that "...mental health needs to be talked about as easily as physical health. Only then can we bring suicide and mental health into the open so no one struggles alone."
History
Alison Malmon launched the first student-led chapter of what would become Active Minds in her junior year at the University of Pennsylvania, after her older brother, Brian, died by suicide. Brian Malmon was a successful student at Columbia University: he was a member of the Dean's list, and was a leader in many extracurricular activities. However, he was suffering from what was later diagnosed as schizoaffective disorder, and was keeping those feelings to himself. After his death, many friends claimed that they had noticed changes in Brian, but were not sure what to say or how to approach the situation, and therefore did nothing. This silence and lack of awareness is what prompted Malmon to start Active Minds.
The organization, originally called "Open Minds", was dedicated to increasing awareness about mental illness. In 2003, when Malmon graduated, she launched Active Minds, Inc as a 501(c)(3) organization. She became the youngest person to receive the Tipper Gore Remember the Children Award from the National Mental Health Association.
Active Minds has since become the premier organization impacting young adults and mental health. Now on more than 600 campuses, they directly reach close to 1.8 million people each year through campus awareness campaigns, events, advocacy, outreach, and more.
National programs
Active Minds primarily operates through peer-to-peer methods, supported by their robust chapter network in high schools, colleges, and universities. Additionally, they also provide various nationwide programs for students, workplace professionals, and organizations of any size.
National Chapter Network
Active Minds is powered by more than 600 student-led chapters, both across the United States and internationally. Each year, thousands of students join an Active Minds chapter as passionate advocates, stigma fighters, and educators for mental health.
Campus Policy Change
Transform Your Campus® is an Active Minds program for student leaders featuring guides on how to implement advocacy campaigns on campuses. Current campaign initiatives include adding mental health crisis numbers to student IDs, improving campus leave of absence policies, and reducing the rate of deaths by suicide by limiting access to fatal methods.
K-12 Initiatives
Active Minds K-12 initiatives aim to mobilize and empower youth and young adults to change the conversation about mental health and engage in proven peer-to-peer approaches in their schools. These initiatives include the Active Minds Mental Health Advocacy Academy, the Your Voice is Your Power campaign, and K-12-specific mental health resources.
National Conference
Presented since 2004, this highly anticipated annual event brings together hundreds of young adults and mental health leaders; campus and school professionals; government, foundation, and corporate representatives from across the country to share ideas and advance knowledge about mental health education, advocacy, and awareness.
The conference annually showcases the most innovative and effective approaches to supporting young adult well-being and changing the conversation about mental health on campuses, in workplaces, and within our communities.