The Cigna Group Foundation announced Tuesday it is awarding $3 million in grants to 22 nonprofit organizations to expand youth mental health services and support families across 10 states, including Texas.
The grants are part of the foundation’s three-year, $9 million commitment to address youth mental health needs. Recipients will focus on ages 5-18, equipping caregivers and educators, and improving early intervention pathways.
“Too many young people still face barriers to getting the mental health support they need,” said Ellie Polack, president of The Cigna Group Foundation. “We’re proud to play a role in helping these organizations expand access to care, strengthen local support systems, and reach more youth and families earlier.”
The 10 states receiving funding are Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. Forty percent of the grantees are continuing or expanding programs from prior years of the initiative, per the press release.
Among the recipients is Eluna, a multi-state nonprofit supporting youth and families experiencing grief.
“Our Eluna Resource Center slogan is, ‘wherever you are, we are there for you’, and we are so thankful The Cigna Group Foundation has provided us with the opportunity to make that a reality for so many more families,” said Mary FitzGerald, CEO of Eluna. “We’re excited to be going into our third year of programming with The Cigna Group Foundation’s support, offering more family grief camp programs, caregiver workshops, and volunteer opportunities. This funding helps youth and their caregivers feel empowered and less alone.”
Other grantees include Valley of the Sun YMCA and Women’s Health Innovations of Arizona in Arizona; Lifebridge Community Services and The Village for Families and Children in Connecticut; You Thrive Florida and Frameworks of Tampa Bay in Florida; Communities in Schools of Georgia and Atlanta Victim Assistance in Georgia; Distinctive Schools and Illinois Afterschool Network in Illinois; Center for Conflict Resolution and Logos Inc. in Missouri; Embright Education and Mastery Charter Schools in New Jersey; Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania; STARS Nashville and The University of Tennessee Foundation in Tennessee; and Communities In Schools of the South Plains and Momentous Institute in Texas.
This latest round brings the foundation’s youth mental health investment closer to its $9 million three-year goal.
Youth mental health remains a pressing national issue. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 4 in 10 (40%) U.S. high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, while 2 in 10 (20%) seriously considered attempting suicide and nearly 1 in 10 (9%) attempted suicide.
Mental Health America’s 2025 report on The State of Mental Health in America noted that 15.4% of youth ages 12-17 experienced a major depressive episode in 2024, down from 18.1% in 2023.
The National Institute of Mental Health and other federal agencies have shared that roughly half of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, with many cases going untreated. Barriers to care, including access, stigma, and workforce shortages, continue to affect families nationwide.
Initiatives such as the Cigna Group Foundation’s grants aim to strengthen community-based responses to these ongoing challenges.
