OUR WORK

We’re exploring promising paths for mental health

About our work

The Ortus Foundation unites like-minded advocates, directly funds innovation and supports models of systemic change to uplift youth mental health. By working together, exploring all promising avenues and analyzing data to identify gaps, we’re building solutions and destigmatized environments for youth mental health and suicide prevention.

At Ortus, we support full-scale movements that create a lasting difference. We connect experts and fund innovations that build toward these models, rather than single projects within existing frameworks. This work creates the building blocks of long-term systemic change for youth mental health.

Our mission is to elevate action

The mental health field is at a tipping point, and our policy, systems of care and innovation must rise to meet the moment. At Ortus Foundation, we believe the power of shared passion and human connection can create lasting change for our young people. Our founder, Sabrina Gracias, shares more about our work toward brighter futures.

Ortus Foundation: The facts about youth and young adult mental health

Our focus areas

Youth mental health is a complex landscape full of opportunities to make a difference. The Ortus Foundation takes a strategic approach to our work, focusing on areas where we see the greatest need and can make the largest impact.

Youth mental health in schools

School is a crucial space for young people to connect, build relationships and share ideas. Ortus partners with national organizations to strengthen schools’ programs and support students’ emotional health.

Our actions include:

Identifying schools that recognize a need for additional internal mental health support and resources
Engaging with schools that want to take proactive measures to increase their community’s wellbeing
Partnering with other direct-service organizations that bring additional mental health services, tools or support to schools

Research on groundbreaking solutions

We’re funding nontraditional research and projects that serve as catalysts for change, new ideas and positive advancements for mental health.

Our actions include:

Funding research focused on the psychedelic retreat space
Supporting a multi-year clinical trial program focused on the effectiveness of MDMA for PTSD treatment in adolescents

Creating connections + partnerships

Passionate, visionary organizations are pursuing big solutions for youth mental health and suicide prevention. We’re making introductions to grow their network of nationwide change, so the small become mightier together.

Our actions include:

Participating in official consensus groups focused on the future of government-approved medical use of psychedelic medicines
Hosting mental health symposiums and virtual coffee meetups to build community, strategize and launch collaborations
Joining mental health and suicide prevention coalitions, both regionally and nationally, to accelerate improvement in mental health care systems

Funding early stage, for-profit mental health companies

We’re applying our investing experience to deploy capital in early-stage biotech, neurotech and other innovative companies that will change the mental health landscape.

Our actions include:

Limited partnerships in brain and mental health-focused funds, and investments in a variety of companies focused on novel therapeutics

Let’s start a conversation

Tell us your ideas or share your experience with youth mental health.

We’re exploring promising paths for mental health

About our work

Our mission is to elevate action

Ortus Foundation: The facts about youth and young adult mental health

Our focus areas

Youth mental health in schools

Research on groundbreaking solutions

Creating connections + partnerships

Funding early stage, for-profit mental health companies

Let’s start a conversation

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Get immediate help

Visit us on Social media

Get immeditate help