Los Angeles, Calif., Oct. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, a pioneer in mental health and suicide prevention, is thrilled to announce it was selected as the recipient of the Make a Rare Impact Award, presented by the Rare Impact Fund at the organization’s second annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit. This award recognizes the organization’s exceptional contributions to expanding youth mental health services and reducing stigma around mental health.
“We are deeply honored to receive this prestigious award from the Rare Impact Fund. Everyone, including young people, deserves access to mental health support and resources. This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to compassionate, community-centered care, the hard work of our staff and the strength of our youth community,” said Lyn Morris, Chief Executive Officer of Didi Hirsch. “We are excited to continue our work in expanding access to life-saving mental health services and reducing stigma.”
Founded in 2020 by Rare Beauty's founder and creator Selena Gomez, the Rare Impact Fund is on a mission to mobilize $100 million for organizations increasing access to youth mental health services and education globally. As part of this commitment, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez donates one percent of sales directly to the Rare Impact Fund and the Rare Impact Fund raises additional funds with support from philanthropic foundations, individuals, corporate partners, and the Rare Beauty community.
The Rare Impact Fund currently supports 26 youth mental health organizations across five continents, which includes organizations located in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, broader Europe, India, Brazil, and Australia and impacts an annual average of over one million young people, 1,000+ educational systems, 700,000+ stakeholders with over 3,000 resources created and disseminated to date.
Didi Hirsch formally accepted the award at the Rare Impact Fund Benefit: A Night of Radiance & Reflection on October 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. Hosted by Selena Gomez, this star-studded benefit raises funds in support of the Rare Impact Fund’s mission. The benefit featured special performances, world class entertainment, and a live auction.
“Didi Hirsch has been a transformative force in the youth mental health space,” said Elyse Cohen, EVP of Social Impact and Inclusion at Rare Beauty and President of the Rare Impact Fund. “Their commitment to crisis mental health care and to training and educating youth advances the Rare Impact Fund’s mission to ensure no young person faces mental health challenges alone.”
The Rare Impact Fund supports Didi Hirsch’s outreach and education to raise awareness of suicide and intervention strategies and resources, like Teen Line and 988. The support is allowing Didi Hirsch to focus on more outreach to students, teachers, parents and youth service providers in diverse and underserved communities.
Lyn Morris was accompanied by a Teen Line listener to accept the Make a Rare Impact Award. Teen Line, a program of Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, is the leading peer-to-peer mental health hotline that connects youth across the United States (and even the world) with highly trained, compassionate Teen Listeners who provide support, validation, and connection to resources. In 2023, Teen Line fielded more than 8,000 calls, texts and emails from teens in need of support. Recognizing the important roles schools play in supporting youth mental health, the Teen Line Teacher Facilitation Guide also reached 156 schools and over 25,000 (25,175) youth last year. Through these education and outreach efforts, Teen Line normalizes mental health discussions among youth and helps build an effective pathway for them to receive support from peers who empathize with their struggles.
Didi Hirsch’s Teen Line program is part of the organization’s broader commitment to expanding access to mental health support and reducing stigma. For more than 80 years, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services has provided compassionate mental health, substance use and suicide prevention services to individuals and families, especially in communities where discrimination and injustice limit access.
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About Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services
Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Southern California, has been a national leader in mental health, crisis care and substance use services for more than 80 years. As a pioneer in suicide prevention and crisis care for all ages, Didi Hirsch is home to the nation’s first and most comprehensive Suicide Prevention Center. Didi Hirsch is the largest crisis center for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in California and one of the largest centers in the U.S. Didi Hirsch also partners with the Los Angeles Police Department to divert mental health crisis calls from 911 to 988 and operates Teen Line, the leading youth peer-to-peer hotline in the country. The Suicide Prevention Center serves as a model of care internationally and provides outpatient therapy and crisis counseling, support groups for survivors of suicide loss and suicide attempts, and suicide prevention training for the community. Learn more at www.didihirsch.org.
About The Rare Impact Fund
The Rare Impact Fund was launched by Selena Gomez as part of her focus on addressing mental health. One percent of all Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez sales are donated to the Rare Impact Fund. The Rare Impact Fund raises additional funds with philanthropic foundations, individuals, corporate partners, and the Rare Beauty community. The Rare Impact Fund supports organizations that expand access to mental health services for young people. The Rare Impact Fund is a fiscally sponsored project of the Hopewell Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity. To learn more about the Rare Impact Fund, visit rareimpactfund.org.
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