John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation

What John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation does

The John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation (JWB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 and headquartered in Timonium, Maryland, with a stated purpose of integrating self-care approaches, specifically exercise, nutrition, and mind-body practices, into the treatment of mental health and the promotion of mental well-being. The foundation operates with 1-10 employees and is led by co-founders Lynne Brick (named Health and Fitness Association 2024 Woman Leader of the Year) and Victor Brick, alongside Executive Director Dr. Cassandra Vieten and a Scientific Advisory Board that includes Eli Puterman, Bonnie Kaplan, Elissa Epel, and Chuck Raison.

Its core programmatic surface spans three pillars. First, the Mental Wellbeing Association, the foundation's flagship initiative and described as the world's first mental well-being certification organization, delivers paid professional certifications for fitness professionals and K-5 teachers. Second, the Mental Well-Being Ecosystem, a wellness wheel built on ten self-care categories (Movement, Nutrition, Creativity, Sleep/Deep Rest, Spirituality, Serving Others, Friendships/Support, Outdoors/Meditation/Breathing, and Crisis Support/Counseling), operationalizes the foundation's conceptual framework for individual and family use. Third, research and convening: JWB funded a $1.2 million gold-standard study with the University of California, San Francisco on positive stress and mental health, publishes the Move Your Mental Health Report, and runs annual Move Your Mental Health events from 2020 through 2025 alongside participation in the Mental Health & Well-Being Global Summit, Never Alone Summit, and Break Free Summit.

Revenue mechanics are dual-track: (1) tax-deductible donations (with corporate matching, wire transfer, stock donation, and legacy giving options), which the foundation claims flow 100% into trainings, certification programs, and initiatives, and (2) certification program fees through the Mental Wellbeing Association. Distribution is primarily direct-to-individual via the foundation website and a partner network spanning Johns Hopkins Medical Center, the National Center for Healthy Veterans (Valor Farm), the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum, Special Olympics, ABC Fitness, ClearView Insights, and Planet Fitness Growth Partners LLC.

Name

John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation

Legal name

John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation

Website

https://johnwbrickfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that integrates exercise, nutrition, and mind-body practices into mental health treatment, funding research with UCSF, certifying fitness professionals and K-5 teachers, and awarding grants to veteran and clinical mental health partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Nonprofit Foundation

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Mind-Body Wellness Coaching (Holistic/Integrative) (HSADAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mindfulness-Based Coaching & Training (MBSR/MBCT-style) (HSADAJAB), Mindfulness, Meditation & Stress Management Education (EDAAAHAD), Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs & Supports (EDAJAIAC), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Corporate/Workplace Mindfulness & Stress-Reduction Programs (HSADAJAG)

Keywords

• Mental health research
• Integrative mental health
• Mental health certification
• Mind body wellness
• Mental health advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Lutherville Timonium

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the foundation relies on public donations. The organization states that 100% of donations go directly to trainings, certification programs, and other initiatives.
2. Certification Program Fees: The Mental Wellbeing Association offers professional certifications for fitness professionals and K-5 teachers, generating revenue through certification program fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that funds, conducts, and disseminates research on integrative approaches to mental health, combining mind, body, and lifestyle interventions. It offers professional certifications (such as the Certified Mental Health Fitness Coach and Mind Body Mental Health Certification for K-5 Teachers), publishes educational reports and action guides, and partners with like-minded organizations to expand access to mental health resources.

Product overview

The John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation is a non-profit organization focused on integrating self-care approaches (exercise, nutrition, mind-body practices) into treating mental health. The foundation operates primarily through its initiative, the Mental Wellbeing Association—the world's first mental well-being certification organization—offering certifications for fitness professionals and K-5 teachers. The foundation also produces research publications (Move Your Mental Health Report), provides resource tools (May Mental Well-Being Resource Calendar, Find Your Movement), and hosts annual Move Your Mental Health events. The Mental Well-Being Ecosystem serves as a conceptual framework—a wellness wheel encompassing ten self-care categories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mental Wellbeing Association: The world's first mental well-being certification organization, providing certifications for fitness professionals and K-5 teachers, grounded in evidence-based research and self-care practices.
• Move Your Mental Health

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 in 5 US adults live with mental illness; depression is one of leading causes of disability worldwide; suicide rates up 35% since 2000

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Planet Fitness Growth Partners LLC (PFGP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2022Strategic partnership between JWB Foundation and Planet Fitness Growth Partners LLC to support The National Center for Healthy Veterans. PFGP gifted new equipment for the wellness center while JWB awarded $100,000 grant to Valor Farm. Joint dedication ceremony and grand opening of the new Valor Farm wellness center.
• University of California, San FranciscocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJWB Foundation funded a $1.2 million gold-standard study with UCSF to determine the effect of positive stress on mental health. This represents the foundation's flagship research initiative.
• The National Center for Healthy Veterans (NCHV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJWB awarded $100,000 grant to NCHV's Valor Farm program to support veteran mental health and well-being. NCHV focuses on helping veterans become healthy and reassimilate to communities as leaders and role models. Programs include life skills, faith-based recovery, job training, and therapeutic animal programs.
• ABC FitnessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner collaborating on consumer research and evidence-based messaging to promote physical activity among inactive populations.
• ClearView InsightsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner collaborating on consumer research to develop evidence-based messaging for promoting physical activity among inactive populations.
• Johns Hopkins Medical CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJWB Foundation provided fitness equipment to create an exercise room in the adolescent psychiatric unit, integrating physical activity into mental health treatment.
• Arundel LodgeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJWB awarded grant to this not-for-profit community mental health center to build and equip a fitness center to boost mental health and wellness of patients.
• United States Olympic & Paralympic MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJWB Foundation provided grant to USOPM for the 'Becoming Your Personal Best (BYPB)' program, providing tools to build and strengthen resilience in the lives of young people.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Calm: Leading consumer meditation and mental wellness app with a content/certification-adjacent business model. Comparable to JWB's MWA in delivering mind-body and mental wellbeing content to fitness and general audiences, though for-profit and digital-native.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Largest U.S. grassroots mental health nonprofit, providing education, support programs, and advocacy. Directly comparable as a peer nonprofit mental health organization that educates the public and trains community stakeholders, with overlapping audiences (educators, families, general public).
• Mental Health America: Long-established nonprofit community-based mental health advocacy and education organization. Comparable to JWB in mission (mental health awareness, education, prevention) and as a 501(c)(3) that distributes resources and runs campaigns, though it is far larger and policy-focused.
• Bring Change to Mind: Mental health nonprofit focused on youth education and reducing stigma through school and community programs. Directly comparable to JWB's K-5 teacher certification and youth resilience programs as a peer mental health awareness nonprofit.
• The Mental Health Foundation (UK): UK-based mental health charity focused on prevention, research funding, and public education around mental wellbeing. Closely comparable in mission and charitable structure to JWB, including research funding and community-facing mental wellbeing programs.
• Headspace: Major meditation and mental health app with a B2B employer mental wellness offering and credentialed training programs. Comparable to JWB in serving both general consumers and institutional wellness buyers with mind-body mental wellbeing content.
• Active Minds: Nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education programs for students and young adults. Comparable to JWB's K-5 teacher and youth resilience programs as a peer nonprofit focused on mental health education in school communities.

Broad incumbents

• American Council on Exercise (ACE): Major established fitness professional certification body with broad credentialing for trainers and health coaches. Comparable to JWB's MWA Fitness Professional certification as an incumbent in fitness credentialing, with far greater scale and market share.
• National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM): Large fitness and wellness certification organization offering credentials for personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and wellness specialists. Comparable to MWA as an incumbent in fitness/wellness professional certification, with established enterprise and academic distribution.

Others

• The National Center for Healthy Veterans (NCHV): Veteran-services nonprofit and recipient of JWB grant funding for Valor Farm. Not a direct competitor but an ecosystem partner - directly comparable in non-profit mental health mission focused on veteran populations, and a downstream beneficiary of JWB's grantmaking.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JWBMentalHealth
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYC7qGQs1SG_R7ScX9-DZEw
• Facebookfacebook.com/johnwbrickfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/john-w--brick-mental-health-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/johnwbrickfoundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation