American Psychiatric Association Foundation

What American Psychiatric Association Foundation does

The American Psychiatric Association Foundation (APAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1992 as the philanthropic and outreach arm of the American Psychiatric Association, with a fellowship program lineage dating to 1968. Headquartered in Washington, D.C. with 31 employees, APAF delivers evidence-based mental health literacy programs across six verticals: Schools (the registered Notice. Talk. Act.® at School framework plus free K-12 and college resources), Workplace (Center for Workplace Mental Health, Notice. Talk. Act.® at Work, Frontline Connect), Justice (Judges & Psychiatrists Leadership Initiative and the Stepping Up Initiative co-launched with the National Association of Counties), Faith (Mental Health and Faith Community Partnership and the Health & Healing Collaborative in the Bronx), Play (Where We Play Initiative and events such as Where We Play: Nashville), and Fellowships (eight psychiatry fellowship programs). The Foundation also administers grant and award programs including MOORE Equity in Mental Health Community Grants and the Helping Hands Grants, the Mental Health Care Works national public awareness campaign, the Lifestyle Psychiatry Prevention and Wellness Campaign (2023–2026), and the Melvin Sabshin, M.D. Library & Archives.

Programs and resources are delivered at no cost to recipients, including through digital self-service (apaf.org, workplacementalhealth.org, mentalhealthcareworks.org), direct delivery to school districts, employers, faith communities, and court systems, and event-based outreach to athletes and performers. APAF's technology footprint is centered on the registered Notice. Talk. Act.® framework and a content library of guides, toolkits, and free downloadable resources rather than on a unified software platform.

The Foundation is funded through four primary streams: individual donations (monthly recurring and one-time via GiveLively), a tiered Corporate Alliance of pharmaceutical and healthcare companies (Acadia, Alkermes, Eli Lilly, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, Neurocrine, LivaNova, Myriad, Supernus-Biogen, Axsome, Takeda, Compass Pathways, Intracellular Therapies, and others), legacy and planned giving, and restricted grants (e.g., Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, Janssen, Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation for JPLI). Go-to-market is community-led, with strategic co-development partners such as the Council of State Governments Justice Center, the National Center for State Courts, the National Association of Counties, the Hispanic Access Foundation, Elev8 Health, and Mother Cabrini Health Foundation acting as force-multipliers for distribution into schools, courts, counties, faith communities, and clinical networks.

Name

American Psychiatric Association Foundation

Legal name

American Psychiatric Association Foundation

Website

https://apaf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The American Psychiatric Association Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, evidence-based mental health literacy programs across schools, workplaces, justice systems, faith communities, and athletics, and trains early-career psychiatrists, funded by individual donations, a pharma Corporate Alliance, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Education and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Behavioral Health & Substance Use Program Funding (Public Health) (HLAJALAI)

Keywords

• Mental health education
• Workplace mental health
• Psychiatry fellowships
• Community mental health
• Mental health awareness

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the Foundation's mental health programs. Options include monthly recurring giving and one-time gifts. Donations are processed through GiveLively.
2. Corporate Alliance Contributions: Pharmaceutical and healthcare companies contribute at tiered levels (Foundation Patron, Grand Patron, Patron) to support APAF's public education and research initiatives. Corporate members include Acadia, Alkermes, Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, Neurocrine, and others.
3. Legacy Giving / Planned Giving: Bequests and estate gifts allow donors to include APAF in their wills or estate plans, ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
4. Grants and Awards Funding: Grant programs such as The MOORE Equity in Mental Health Community Grants and Helping Hands Grants provide funding to community organizations. Over $590K+ has been awarded to organizations prioritizing minority mental health advancements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The American Psychiatric Association Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free mental health literacy and training programs across five verticals (Schools, Workplace, Justice, Faith, Play), eight psychiatry fellowship programs, grants and awards for community mental health, national public awareness campaigns (Mental Health Care Works, Lifestyle Psychiatry Prevention and Wellness), and the Melvin Sabshin, M.D. Library & Archives. Programs are funded by individual donations, corporate alliances, and grants rather than fees.

Product overview

The American Psychiatric Association Foundation (APAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves as the philanthropic and outreach arm of the American Psychiatric Association. APAF offers a diverse portfolio of mental health programs organized across six core areas: Schools (Notice. Talk. Act.® at School and free resources for K-12 and college), Workplace (Center for Workplace Mental Health with Notice. Talk. Act.® at Work, Frontline Connect, and Mental Health Topics), Justice (Judges & Psychiatrists Leadership Initiative and Stepping Up Initiative), Faith (Health & Healing Collaborative, Mental Health: A Guide for Faith Leaders in English and Spanish), Play (Where We Play Initiative for athlete and performer mental health), and Fellowships (8 distinct fellowship programs for psychiatry residents). Additional offerings include grant programs (MOORE Equity in Mental Health Community Grants, Helping Hands Grants), awards (Awards for Advancing Minority Mental Health, Ambassadors Program), the Lifestyle Psychiatry Prevention and Wellness Campaign, Mental Health Care Works public awareness campaign, and the Melvin Sabshin Library & Archives. The Foundation does not offer a unified software product but rather delivers programs through partnerships, training, resources, and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mental Health Care Works: APAF's national public awareness campaign focused on empowering those with mental health concerns to take the first step toward getting help.

Products and services

• Notice. Talk. Act.® at School

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% reduction in major mental health events recorded by schools trained in Notice. Talk. Act.® at School.
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hispanic Access FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026APA Foundation and Hispanic Access Foundation announced a new collaboration to advance mental health access in Hispanic and Latino communities. This partnership expands the Foundation's reach into a significantly underserved population, leveraging Hispanic Access Foundation's community networks and trusted relationships.
• Corporate Alliance (Pharmaceutical Companies)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Corporate Alliance unites pharmaceutical and healthcare companies around advancing mental health. Foundation Patrons include Acadia, Alkermes, Eli Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb, Neurocrine, and Johnson & Johnson. Grand Patrons include LivaNova, Myriad, and Supernus-Biogen. Patrons include Axsome, Definium, Takeda, Compass Pathways, and Intracellular Therapies. The Alliance provides roundtable discussion opportunities with APA and APAF leadership on national mental health issues.
• Elev8 HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElev8 Health partners with APAF on the Health & Healing Collaborative, an initiative to improve access to culturally responsive mental health care for Bronx residents, especially those with serious mental illness. Elev8 Health provides Mental Health Care Navigators and clinical capacity.
• The Council of State Governments Justice CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Council of State Governments Justice Center co-sponsors the Judges and Psychiatrists Leadership Initiative (JPLI) alongside the APA Foundation, creating systemic change at the intersection of the justice and healthcare systems.
• National Center for State CourtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Center for State Courts partners with APAF on the Judges and Psychiatrists Leadership Initiative, providing judicial education and resources to state courts.
• National Association of CountiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Association of Counties co-launched the Stepping Up Initiative in 2015 alongside the APA Foundation and The Council of State Governments Justice Center, providing counties with tools to develop data-driven strategies to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails.
• Stepping Up Initiative PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Stepping Up Initiative is a national movement co-created by the National Association of Counties, APA Foundation, and The Council of State Governments Justice Center. Over 580 counties have committed to the initiative.
• Bronx Faith-Based Partner ChurchescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurches including Bronx Bethany Church of Nazarene, United Church of Jesus Christ, and Manna of Life Ministries serve as connection sites for the Health & Healing Collaborative, providing community spaces where residents can meet with Mental Health Care Navigators.
• Champion ForwardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Ben Zobrist (APAF Board Member and World Series MVP), Champion Forward addresses mental and emotional health problems including burnout and performance pressure for young competitors, caretakers, and coaches. Sponsoring partner of Where We Play: Nashville.
• Belmont UniversityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost venue for Where We Play: Nashville event held at The Fisher Center at Belmont University on January 28, 2024.
• Athletes for HopeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization supporting the Where We Play Initiative, connecting elite athletes with mental health advocacy and community engagement programs.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Child Mind Institute: Child Mind Institute is a nonprofit focused on children's mental health, providing education for parents/teachers and clinical care. Directly overlaps with APAF's Schools vertical (Notice. Talk. Act.® at School) and youth mental health crisis focus.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): NAMI is the largest U.S. grassroots mental health organization providing advocacy, education, support groups, and public awareness. Directly comparable as a 501(c)(3) mental health nonprofit delivering community-based programs and stigma reduction initiatives nationwide.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): AFSP focuses on suicide prevention research, education, advocacy, and survivor support. Comparable as a 501(c)(3) mental health nonprofit delivering evidence-based programs (similar to Notice. Talk. Act.®) and large-scale public awareness campaigns.
• The Jed Foundation (JED): JED is a nonprofit protecting teen and young adult emotional health and preventing suicide. Directly comparable to APAF's college edition of Notice. Talk. Act.® and its youth mental health programming.
• National Council for Mental Wellbeing: National Council represents mental health and substance use treatment providers. Several APAF executives (e.g., Betsy Schwartz) previously worked at National Council's Mental Health First Aid program, making it a closely related peer in the mental health education space.
• Mental Health America (MHA): MHA is one of the oldest U.S. mental health nonprofits (founded 1909) focused on mental health screening, advocacy, and public education. Comparable in mission to advance mental health literacy and address the mental health crisis through community programs.

Broad incumbents

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): SAMHSA is the federal agency leading public mental health and substance use efforts. APAF receives SAMHSA grants (MFP) and partners with SAMHSA-funded initiatives, making it a broader public-sector incumbent in the same mental health literacy and access space.

Others

• AARP Foundation: AARP Foundation is a 501(c)(3) focused on older adults. Relevant peer because APAF's Executive Director (Rawle Andrews Jr.) and multiple officers came from AARP, and both operate as grantmaking/programmatic arms of larger membership organizations (APA and AARP respectively).

Emerging players

• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA): DBSA provides peer-run support groups and resources for people with depression and bipolar disorder. Comparable as a mental health nonprofit offering community-based programs and education, though more focused on peer support than APAF's training/awareness model.
• Bring Change to Mind: Bring Change to Mind is a nonprofit focused on ending mental health stigma through youth-led programs and high-profile ambassador engagement. Comparable in its use of celebrity ambassadors and mental health literacy campaigns targeting schools and communities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apafdn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Psychiatric Association Foundation