Active Minds is the nation's only nonprofit organization dedicated to utilizing the student voice to change the conversation about mental health on college campuses. Headquartered in Washington, DC, Active Minds works to develop and support chapters of student-run mental health awareness groups on campuses across North America. Active Minds empowers young leaders on campus to educate, support, and
advocate on behalf of their peers. Together, we work to dispel the stigma that surrounds mental illness and ensure that future generations will have access to the mental health services they need. By engaging young adults in advocating for positive mental health, Active Minds works to decrease the stigma that causes too many to suffer in silence - and to prevent the tragic loss of life. Active Minds works with student leaders on over 300 college campuses across the United States and Canada to:
-Promote awareness about mental health
-Help identify symptoms of mental illness
-Direct students to available resources on campus and in the community. Active Minds was founded in 2001 by Alison Malmon, then a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, following the su***de of her only sibling, 22-year-old brother Brian Malmon a year earlier. Troubled that her brilliant and popular brother had struggled with depression in silence, Alison was determined to combat the stigma and address the lack of awareness around mental health, and launched a program to promote mental health awareness on her own campus. Now on over 300 college campuses nationwide, with several national programs and countless national media and awards (New York Times, CNN, Mental Health America, Washington Post, and Oct. 2007 Glamour Magazine), Active Minds serves as the strongest link between young adult mental health advocates on campuses throughout North America.
