About Us:

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. In just over six years, Active Minds has become the young adult voice in mental health advocacy and the organizational catalyst for young adult mental health awareness on college and university campuses nationwide.

Our Story:

Active Minds was founded in 2001 by Alison Malmon, then a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, following the suicide 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 even though he maintained a full schedule of extra-curricular activities and a superior grade point average at Columbia University, Alison was convinced that stigma and lack of information kept Brian from seeking help. Determined to combat the stigma and address the lack of awareness about mental illnesses that often strike young people at the pinnacle of their educational careers, Alison launched a program to promote mental health awareness on her campus. Just two years later, Alison created the nonprofit organization which now works with students on over two hundred campuses nationwide, is home to a nationally renowned speakers bureau, and hosts wealth of programs and resources on mental health. Active Minds has been recognized by national organizations and media for its innovative approach to combating stigma and promoting mental health.

About the Issue:

Research shows that most people who live with mental illness such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, and others experience their first episode during these critical years. What the general public doesn’t know is that if left untreated, these disorders can end a young life: suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, taking the lives of over 1,100 college students each and every year. Tragically, though effective treatments exist, many young adults are not getting the care that they need and deserve.

What We're Doing About It:

Active Minds empowers young leaders on campuses across the country 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 college campuses across the United States to:
•Promote awareness about mental health
•Help identify symptoms of mental illness
•Direct students to available resources on campus and in the community.

With a comprehensive website, an organizational template for colleges and universities who wish to start Active Minds chapters, effective programming and an annual Mental Health on Campus Conference, Active Minds serves as the strongest link between young adult mental health advocates on over 250 college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. By the end of 2010, Active Minds anticipates establishing chapters on 300 college campuses; that number will grow exponentially as students come to better understand the need to address their mental health and well-being.