AIM for Mental Health

AIM is dedicated to solving the youth mental health crisis by equipping young people with the tools and support they need to lead mentally healthy lives. To achieve this goal, AIM funds scientific research and operates programs focused on awareness, education and youth empowerment. AIM Ideas Lab Program provides high school students with guidance and support in identifying their own mental health solutions by learning about scientific survey design and creating their own peer-to-peer mental health survey. Students then analyze the results and gain unique insights into emerging youth mental health challenges, develop recommendations, and propose solutions. The AIM Ideas Lab students present their research to educators, parents, researchers, and policy makers in the community. In 2023, AIM Ideas Lab Program engaged more than 1,600 high school students to share their experiences, perspectives, and solutions. Youth / Teen Mental Health First Aid Program, which is essentially a CPR class for mental health, provides education on how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among the youth in need in their community. In 2023, the YMHFA Program trained approximately 1000 participants to recognize and respond to these challenges including offering appropriate support strategies and assessing for risk of self-harm or suicide.AIM for Awareness Design Challenge invites students from 6th to 12th grade to use creative expression as a means to open dialogues about mental health, encouraging other youth to speak up, seek help, and spread messages of hope. This challenge raises awareness among youth and the wider community, breaking down barriers and reducing stigma around mental health issues through the unique perspectives of youth participants. With entries from around the world, AIM combines creativity and advocacy, calling on young advocates to bust stigma and build connections through art.Through these programs, AIM brings together educators, parents, and caring professionals to support young people in achieving lifelong mental wellness. AIM's Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) is comprised of a diverse and distinguished group of doctors in the pediatric mental health community, representing major research institutions throughout the world. The SAB guides our strategic investments in youth mental health research, strategizing the most effective ways to fund research to help youth today.The 2023 AIM Youth Mental Health Symposium brought together top experts to address critical questions and explore innovative solutions to the escalating youth mental health crisis.Over the course of two days, with more than 800 attendees, we discussed topics such as school safety and youth mental health, cutting-edge research on teen anxiety, family-based therapy for eating disorders, suicide prevention, and the effects of sleep deprivation on youth mental well-being.