The Youth Mental Health Corps is a multi-sector partnership designed to address the youth mental health crisis and the mental health workforce shortage.
Our History
Conceived of by the Schultz Family Foundation and Pinterest with input from hundreds of experts and practitioners, the YMHC was created to address the youth mental health crisis, workforce shortages, and the evolving stressors that affect young people's wellbeing, including digital and social media environments. Launched with AmeriCorps, state service commissions, national philanthropies, and corporate partners, the YMHC leverages national service to expand support for youth while creating meaningful career pathways for young adults.
Why We're Here
The Youth Mental Health Corps is a unified, multi-sector partnership designed to address the youth mental health crisis and the mental health workforce shortage in the United States -- recognizing the growing social, economic, and digital pressures shaping young people's wellbeing. Together, we seek to:
Meet youth where help is most acutely needed: schools, afterschool programs, community health centers, and youth centered organizations.
Offer young people interested in addressing our nation’s youth mental health crisis with an opportunity to provide peer support while obtaining quality training, skills, experiences, and credentials to start a career in behavioral health.
Increase the capacity of schools, community-based organizations, community health clinics, and behavioral health organizations to respond to the growing youth mental health crisis and provide support for the most vulnerable youth.
Promote digital safety and wellbeing as an essential component of youth mental health by supporting healthy social media use and helping young people navigate online spaces safely.
Our Solution
The Youth Mental Health Corps empowers young adults ages 18 to 24 to serve as peer mental health navigators in schools, community organizations, and health clinics. Members have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, training, and can earn certification and/or higher education credit, all while serving in communities with limited access to mental health resources.
Through trusted, in-person support, the YMHC helps young people navigate stressors caused by social media use, digital overload, and emerging technologies that increasingly shape how young people learn, connect, and view themselves. By recruiting members from the communities they serve, YMHC ensures navigators bring personal insight, cultural understanding, and meaningful connection to their work.
Our Partners
State Partners
YMHC operates in partnership with state service commissions, host organizations, and local leaders to ensure the program is community-driven and responsive to regional needs. Four states have already launched a Youth Mental Health Corps as of Fall 2024, with hundreds of members already making an impact across 165 service sites. Applications for additional states to join the Youth Mental Health Corps are open until February 2025.
Seven states have received grants to design their Youth Mental Health Corps for intended launch in Fall 2025.
Funding Partners
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Strategic Partnerships
We have created partnerships with Peer Health Exchange, Americas Service Commissions and Inside Track to provide additional support to state service commissions and members.
The Youth Mental Health Corps welcomes media inquiries as we strive to raise awareness and support for youth mental crises. Our initiative will leverage the power of national service as a bridge to career pathways to simultaneously address the youth mental health crisis and empower young adults with promising and meaningful careers. By highlighting member stories, program insights, and innovative approaches, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of mental health challenges facing today’s youth.
For media requests, interviews, or partnership opportunities, please contact us at: press@youthmentalhealthcorps.org