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Welcome to the Ortus Foundation. Together, we create networks of change to support mental health and suicide prevention for youth and young adults.
At the Ortus Foundation, we’re uniting passionate advocates and exploring promising avenues to mental health. Together, we create networks of radical, lasting transformation by:
Championing mental health in schools
Building partnerships to support direct-service providers
Funding research in mental health and healing
Investing in early stage, for-profit mental health companies
The Ortus Foundation was founded in 2022, inspired by our lived experiences. “Ortus” is rooted in the Latin word for “rise,” captures our hope and determination for improvement and change in our mental health crisis.
The Ortus Foundation funds and promotes work that addresses the greatest needs in youth and young adult mental health, shows promise and is close to our hearts. These four focus areas guide our relationship-building, funding decisions and models of support.
Sabrina believes we have both the responsibility and ability to change the story of youth mental health in this country. This deep personal commitment was the catalyst that inspired Sabrina to create the Ortus Foundation in 2022.
November 22 is International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, a time for survivors of suicide loss to connect and find hope through their shared experience.
@OrtusFoundation is sharing guidance for loss survivors from our partner Tracy Rassley at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Tracy’s son died by suicide at age 19, inspiring her advocacy for suicide prevention and loss support. The immediate aftermath of a loved one’s suicide is a challenging, confusing and incredibly painful time.
🗨️ Talking to a fellow survivor, someone who understands that grief, is crucial for helping loss survivors find their way forward.
📞 The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Healing Conversations program connects recent survivors of suicide loss with a trained volunteer, who offers support, connection and resources.
“Those one-on-one conversations are huge,” Tracy says. The newly bereaved have an opportunity to talk openly with, and ask questions of, someone who truly gets it.
❤️ If you have experienced such a loss, know that you are never alone.
Learn more about the free Healing Conversations program at the link in bio.
November 22 is International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, a time for survivors of suicide loss to connect and find hope through their shared experience.
@ortusfoundation is sharing guidance for loss survivors from our partner @rassley73 of @afspnational and @afsp.wyoming. Tracy’s son died by suicide at age 19, inspiring her advocacy for suicide prevention and loss support. The immediate aftermath of a loved one’s suicide is a challenging, confusing and incredibly painful time.
“In my own experience the last thing I wanted to do was go and talk in front of a bunch of people,” Tracy says. “The best thing I did was go talk in front of a bunch of people.”
💑 Finding support is crucial for suicide-loss survivors, who themselves are at a higher risk of suicide, personal withdrawal and mental health issues. Tracy recommends attending a local group to share experiences in a safe space.
❤️ If you have experienced such a loss, know that you are never alone.
Find a list of local support groups for yourself or someone you know at the link in bio.
November 22 is International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, a time for survivors of suicide loss to connect and find hope through their shared experience.
@ortusfoundation is sharing guidance for loss survivors from our partner @rassley73 from @afspnational Tracy’s son died by suicide at age 19, inspiring her advocacy for suicide prevention and loss support. The immediate aftermath of a loved one’s suicide is a challenging, confusing and incredibly painful time.
“[Suicide loss] stereotypes are there so people can feel more comfortable that it’s not going to happen to their family,” Tracy says. “But it can happen in any family.”
🗨️ Talking about suicide helps break down these stereotypes and create a supportive, nonjudgmental space.
🫱 The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Healing Conversations program gives survivors this experience through a one-on-one connection. This free resource connects recent survivors of suicide loss with a trained volunteer, who offers support, connection and resources.
❤️ If you have experienced such a loss, know that you are never alone.
Learn more about the free Healing Conversations program and find an AFSP Survivor Day event at the link in bio.
Talking about mental health and suicide reduces stigma and helps youth and young adults get the help they need.
The words we use matter, too. Speaking mindfully empowers young people to talk about their experiences and needs.
The @ortusfoundation is sharing some key terms to use — and to avoid — to help you start a conversation with the young people in your life.
🗨️ Say “substance use disorder” not: “drug abuser” or “addict”
🧠 Substance misuse is a complex topic, and reducing a person to their behavior marginalizes their experience
☀️ Saying “substance use disorder” recognizes the medical issues behind this behavior
Learn more about supporting young people with substance use disorders:
@partnershiptoendaddiction
@smartrecoveryusa
@recoverydharmaglobal
@safeprojectus Harm Reduction Principles
Free 24/7 help is available if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support:
• Call 988
• Visit 988lifeline.org
• Text HOME or HOLA to 741741 to reach a live volunteer crisis counselor
The @ortusfoundation joins @sandyhookpromise and Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) in honoring America’s #SafeSchoolsWeek. Safe Schools Week calls on schools to make school safety a priority so students and teachers can learn and work in a supportive environment.
Since the beginning of 2025, 29 deaths and 69 injuries have resulted from school shootings in the United States. It`s more important than ever that we continue to champion policies that protect children from gun violence and pass legislation that advance school safety.
Safe Schools Week is led by SAVE Promise Clubs, which empower young leaders to take an active role in increasing school safety and preventing violence in their schools and communities.
📣 More than 126,000 students participate in SAVE Promise Clubs nationwide
🧡 Safe Schools Week honors Alex Orange, who lost his life to gun violence in 1989
👫 Safe Schools Week activities highlight the power of conversation and connection
Explore a full list of Safe Schools Week activities and learn how to start a SAVE Promise Club at your own school at the links in bio.
Talking about mental health and suicide reduces stigma and helps youth and young adults get the help they need.
The words we use matter, too. Speaking mindfully empowers young people to talk about their experiences and needs.
The @ortusfoundation is sharing some key terms to use — and to avoid — to help you start a conversation with the young people in your life.
🗨️ Say “living with a mental illness” not: “suffers from” or “a victim of” mental illness
🧠 A mental health diagnosis is no more negative than any other health condition
☀️ Saying “living with a mental illness” normalizes that person’s experience
Find more tools for destigmatizing mental illnesses at the link in bio.
Free 24/7 help is available if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support:
• Call 988
• Visit 988lifeline.org
• Text HOME or HOLA to 741741 to reach a live volunteer crisis counselor
This World Mental Health Day, we’re reminded of the urgent need for mental health education and advocacy around the globe.
At the Ortus Foundation, we believe that focused, community-based solutions can make an enormous impact — especially in regions where challenges are most acute.
People living in the Intermountain West—Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Colorado—face unique mental health challenges and above-average suicide rates due in part to:
➡️ Frontier vastness and isolation
➡️ Limited mental health resources and persistent stigma
➡️ Lower oxygen levels, linked to depression
➡️ Wealth, cultural, and language inequalities, coupled with a lack of affordable housing
➡️ Limited broadband access that hinders telehealth
Across the region, many incredible organizations and partners are addressing these challenges with creativity and compassion. Their progress offers hope—and a glimpse of what’s possible when we work together toward a mentally healthier world.
If you’d like to connect with the boots-on-the-ground organizations making the biggest impact in the Intermountain West, reach out to the Ortus team—we’d be glad to make an introduction.
#mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #worldmentalhealthday
Talking about mental health and suicide reduces stigma and helps youth and young adults get the help they need.
The words we use matter, too. Speaking mindfully empowers young people to talk about their experiences and needs.
The @ortusfoundation is sharing some key terms to use — and to avoid — to help you start a conversation with the young people in your life.
🗨️ Say “I’m here for you” instead of “What’s wrong with you?”
🧠 “What’s wrong with you?” feels judgmental and reinforces negative self-talk
☀️ Saying “I see you” or “I’m here for you” creates a safe, supportive space to talk about mental health.
Free 24/7 help is available if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. Visit the links in bio to connect with resources.
New national data shows a decline in both major depressive episodes and suicide attempts among young people ages 12 to 25 from 2023 to 2024. Youth and young adults feel increasingly supported, safer, and more connected to hope and purpose.
According to the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from @samhsagov:
• Major depressive episodes over the past year among 12- to 17-year-olds fell from 20.8% in 2021 to 15.4% in 2024.
• Among young adults ages 18 to 25, major depressive episodes dropped from 19.3% to 15.9%.
• Suicide attempts by teens ages 12 to 17 dropped during the same period from 3.6% to 2.7%.
• Among young adults 18 to 25, suicide attempts fell from 2.8% to 2%.
These statistics highlight the success of targeted support and programs that focus on the real needs of our young people. And they inspire the @ortusfoundation team as we work with our partners toward a mentally healthier world.
Read the full report at the link in bio.
The Ortus Foundation is proud to join this year’s @clintonglobal unique working groups, where global voices come together to spark local change. Here’s to the next 20 years of impact. 💡🤝
#ortusfoundation #cgi2025 #youthmentalhealth
The @trevorproject National Survey on LGBTQ+ Youth is coming to a close!
Data from this survey informs policies, funding and mental health programs that affect and support #lgbtqia youth across the country. That includes vulnerable young people in the Intermountain West, who are less likely to participate in national LGBTQ+ data collection.
Queer youth also are at greater risk for mental health struggles and suicide attempts, and the results of this survey are a crucial tool in providing support that meets their specific lived experiences.
The Trevor Project needs to hear from as many LGBTQ+ young people ages 13-24 as possible before the survey ends Sept. 30.
Here’s how you can help:
⬅️ Send the link below to others in your organization or community.
🌐 Share the National Survey on LGBTQ+ Youth on your social accounts
❤️ Encourage the young people in your life to take the survey.
Please use and share the custom survey link found at our link in bio.
Talking about mental health and suicide reduces stigma and helps youth and young adults get the help they need.
The words we use matter, too. Speaking mindfully empowers young people to talk about their experiences and needs.
The @ortusfoundation is sharing some key terms to use — and to avoid — to help you start a conversation with the young people in your life.
🗨️ Say “lethal means reduction” instead of “gun control.”
🧠 “Lethal means” includes all instruments that can be used in an act of violence
☀️ “Gun control” is highly politicized; saying “lethal means reduction” turns the focus to people instead
Visit the link in bio for free for lethal means reduction resources.
Free 24/7 help is available if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support:
• Call 988
• Visit 988lifeline.org
• Text HOME or HOLA to 741741 to reach a live volunteer crisis counselor
Talking about mental health and suicide reduces stigma and helps youth and young adults get the help they need.
The words we use matter, too. Speaking mindfully empowers young people to talk about their experiences and needs.
The @OrtusFoundation is sharing some key terms to use — and to avoid — to help you start a conversation with the young people in your life.
🗨️ Talk about a loved one lost to suicide — say their name, and tell their story
🧠 Ignoring death by suicide implies and perpetuates shame
☀️ Talking about your loved one honors their memory and helps you find support
Call 988 or visit 988lifeline.org if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.
In 2024, suicides among youth ages 10 to 18 in Colorado declined 55% from their peak in 2020, and are now at the lowest level since 2007.
The @cdphe attributed this hopeful news to the work of these statewide projects and partners:
• @sourcesofstrength
• The Colorado Follow-Up Project
• @secondwindco
• The Colorado Gun Shop Project
Colorado’s progress shows the deep value of evidence-based, culturally relevant programs that meet young people where they are. The @ortusfoundation continues to advocate for and fund these efforts, particularly in our Intermountain West frontier.
Read more about Colorado’s youth suicide prevention programs at the link in bio.
Visit ortusfoundation.org to learn more about our focus areas.
Talking about mental health and suicide reduces stigma and helps youth and young adults get the help they need.
The words we use matter, too. Speaking mindfully empowers young people to talk about their experiences and needs.
The @ortusfoundation is sharing some key terms to use — and to avoid — to help you start a conversation with the young people in your life.
🗨️ Say “died by suicide” instead of “committed suicide.”
🧠 The word “committed” implies blame and shame
☀️ Saying “died by suicide” removes blame and shame from the conversation
Call 988 or visit 988lifeline.org if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.
@trevorproject is gathering data about the needs and experiences of LGBTQ+ young people through its National Survey on LGBTQ+ Youth.
The survey helps inform the ways we support LGBTQ+ young people, including:
• Policies
• Funding
• Mental health programs
That’s especially important in our Intermountain West frontier, where young people face high rates of mental health challenges.
Please help the @ortusfoundation reach as many young people as possible:
• Share this post within your network
• Urge young people between the ages of 13 and 24 to respond.
Use the link in bio to take or share the survey.
