Mind-1-1

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in 2021, an estimated 57.8 million U.S. adults (about 1 in 5) experienced mental illness. Nationally, marginalized communities often face significant barriers in accessing mental health resources due to systemic inequalities, cultural stigma, and lack of awareness. Statistics tell us that about 25% of Black Americans seek mental health care, compared to 40% of white Americans. Unequal access to health care is one major contributor to this disparity. Nearly 10% of Black people in the U.S. do not have health insurance, compared to 5.2% of non-Hispanic white people. And lower-income communities of color have fewer mental health providers. For example, in L.A. County zip codes where the median annual income is less than $60,000, there are about 116 mental health providers per 100,000 residents. That's compared to zip codes with a median annual income of more than $110,000 where the number of mental health providers per 100,000 people is about double, at 238 lead to disproportionately high rates of untreated mental health issues within low-income and BIPOC populations. 

Global Implications: The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that globally, 970 million people were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depression the most common. Suicide is a leading cause of death globally, with close to 800,000 people dying by suicide every year. 

In low-income countries, the treatment gap for mental health disorders is estimated to be more than 85%, meaning the vast majority of individuals do not receive adequate care.

Indigenous populations often experience higher rates of mental health issues due to historical trauma, socioeconomic disparities, and cultural disconnection.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these existing issues , contributing to higher rates of anxiety and depression. 

Globally,  the WHO reports that the global median treatment gap for mental disorders is estimated to be around 50%, meaning that half of individuals with mental health conditions do not receive treatment. Low- and middle-income countries face significant challenges in accessing mental health care, with limited resources, workforce shortages, and stigma contributing to the treatment gap. Disparities in access to care also exist within countries, with marginalized populations often facing greater barriers to accessing mental health services. 

In summary, underserved communities need more mental health providers, but our experience shows that the key is finding the right providers to break down language and cultural barriers. And when it comes to finding care, many BIPOC people don’t know where to start. Effective, culturally responsive solutions exist, but many people do not know how to access them - or if they try to access them through their insurance, they may get lost in referral circles or experience “referral leakage” (50% of referrals often slip through cracks due to errors, communication breakdown or lack of follow-through) . Additionally, most mental health referrals do not place human-centered design and the user’s life experience at the center of healthcare and mental health referral systems. To combat this barrier, free, vetted mental health directories can offer viable solutions.

Mental health treatment helps individuals heal from trauma, learn how to identify and manage their emotions and behaviors, adopt positive problem-solving skills, and connect with others in healthy ways to create meaningful relationships that can support them moving forward in life. Mind-1-1 will make this available to all people irrespective of income and race, especially those who face the aforementioned barriers  to accessing this type of support. 

Designed by Social Workers, Mind-1-1 is a comprehensive web and app based mental health directory that uses AI to connect users to: 

• Therapists 

• Psychiatry services

• Community mental health agencies 

• Treatment centers

• Support groups

• Meditation & Mindfulness programs

• Apps & Podcasts 

• Workplace wellness solutions

Similar to Yelp, users on Mind-1-1 filter their search to receive individualized results to meet their specific mental health and cultural needs. Users can filter by: 

• Cost (free, low income, sliding scale, etc)

• Populations served (LGBTQ, Veterans, special needs, etc)

• Area of concern (depression, attention issues, intimate partner violence, etc)

• Service location (in person, virtual, etc)

• Insurance 

• Location

• Resource type 

• Age 

• Language

• Service Type

• Gender

• Ethnicity

• Capacity for new clients

If a user is unsure on where to start their filtered search, Mind-1-1 provides a questionnaire as assistance. Using evidenced based practices, the questionnaire narrows down the users feelings and behaviors for a list of customized,  curated mental health resources.  

To further simplify the search process, Mind-1-1 will integrate blended AI solutions, including Natural Language Processing (NLP), Machine Learning, Natural Language Generation, and Ethical AI and Bias Mitigation. These features will identify geographic gaps in areas of care to make a larger assessment of the specific needs in designated  communities. 

Lastly, Mind-1-1 will ensure that the app provides multiple language options to increase accessibility. Mind-1-1 will vet all resources shared through the app to ensure cultural competence/sensitivity, trustworthiness, effectiveness and quality of care. Our app will connect users with therapists who reflect and understand their culture, ensuring that users receive culturally sensitive services.

Unlike other directories, the Mind-1-1 directory is designed to benefit every population because. Usability research across communities in which we work show that:

• People lack knowledge on where to begin to look for mental health services.

• Insurance barriers limit access

• Many people  do not have insurance coverage and therefore need affordable or free services. 

• Communities  need services to be in a language other than English.

• People often lack the appropriate time to search for services, gather information and set up initial appointments. 

These barriers exist across all populations including Black, Indigenous and People of color (BIPOC), peoples experiencing homelessness, peoples experiencing long-term effects of the pandemic, peoples with limited English ability, low income homes, single parent families, etc. Mind-1-1 serves these at-risk populations by addressing these common problems with the functionality of the directory and the multitude of resources available on the directory within a human-centered technological design.

Mind-1-1 addresses unique needs by providing a comprehensive directory of mental health resources, including therapists, psychiatry services, community agencies, treatment centers, support groups, and more. The AI-driven platform allows users to filter their search based on factors such as cost, populations served, area of concern, service location, insurance, language, and more.

By leveraging AI technology, Mind-1-1 ensures that users receive individualized results that meet their specific mental health needs at lower costs. This personalized approach helps break down barriers to care and provides equitable access to resources for underserved populations. Whether it's connecting someone with a therapist who accepts sliding scale payments, a support group for LGBTQ+ individuals, or virtual therapy sessions for those in remote areas, Mind-1-1 aims to directly and meaningfully improve the lives of those who need mental health support the most.

When people have access to care they have an opportunity to heal their emotional and mental ailments, breaking generational cycles of abuse and maladaptive behavior. When people learn to gain insight and manage their feelings, they create better environments and strive for better relationships, healthier communities, and are able to not only survive, but thrive in their environments.

Born in Mexico, Mind-1-1’s Founder Sara Peral immigrated with her family to the United States at the age of 2 years and had to move back to Mexico to live with family members after her father was deported.  Sara later returned to the U.S. and grew up with undocumented status, becoming a legal resident at the age of 22 years. Raised by a single mother of low socioeconomic status, Sara understands firsthand the stressors of growing up within economic precarity. She became a teen mother at the age of 17 years and struggled with mental health challenges due to her own family trauma and her personal experiences battling depression. She grasps the cultural ramifications and stigma associated with mental health care because she herself was not able to seek mental health care due to stigma, cultural barriers, and lack of access. She founded Mind-1-1 to ensure that other people would not have to experience the barriers she faced and to create equitable solutions for all because mental wellness is a human right and should be a societal standard for all people. She views mental health as a foundational solution to the majority of the world’s problems. 

Sara has dedicated her professional career to serving community mental health, working with bilingual, low-income, BIPOC populations, in foster care and probation systems; and treatment centers. She specializes in working with people who have experienced trauma, homelessness, abuse, depression, anxiety, grief, eating disorders, and systemic injustices. Currently, she primarily works with children and families providing therapy in school districts. 

Sara’s brother, who shares similar lived experiences and who also champions mental wellness for all, serves as Mind-1-1’s administrative manager. Our program manager is also Latina and understands the lived experience of supporting family members grappling with substance use and mental health disorders.She has primarily worked with homeless populations in LA county and is a certified substance abuse counselor. 

As a young child, Mind-1-1’s President of the Board immigrated to the United States with her family from China. She understands first hand the lived experience and trauma associated with immigration and acculturation - processes that often impact social and psychological well-being. The vice president of the board is an African-American woman and a mental health professional. Both have held high management positions in school districts, bring valuable lived experiences to Mind-1-1’s leadership, and have experience working with refugees and nonprofit organizations. 

When making decisions, Mind-1-1 prioritizes the needs of the community because we are part of the community and work alongside the community to co-create solutions. Mind-1-1 also operates a community outreach program that networks with other organizations, provides resource fairs, holds community events, support groups, and is piloting social connection groups to rebuild communities after the COVID-19 pandemic. This work fuels partnerships that will enrich our mental health app.

Community is at the forefront of our decision making. The Mind-1-1 resource directory resulted from great need–an accessible space in the community for individuals and service providers to easily find and access mental health care.

We have built a prototype of the Mind-1-1 mental health resource directory. Using the City of Long Beach as a geographic pilot area, we are testing the user experience and app efficiencies in order to scale this model to serve the greater LA area, and then the nation.  The prototype currently lists 250 verified mental health resources, ranging from practitioners to nonprofits that provide community-level mental health solutions. 

Our process has included the creation of resource profiles and communication and relationship management with practitioners and organizations to “claim their page” and keep it updated. This creates sustainability and continuous quality control with real time updates. 

Our team has made directory demonstrations to multiple Long Beach community organizations to beta test our prototype and teach people how to use the directory to locate tailored resources. The City of Long Beach Resource Line, a hotline that supports anyone in Long Beach who needs help finding local, City, and community resources, uses our directory to link their users to mental health services. The City has reported  great feedback regarding usability and satisfaction with services. 

The City of Long Beach Health and Human Services Department has awarded a grant to continue this work and link its underserved communities to mental health resources. This enabled us to rebuild our site in 2023 to improve its functioning and features. In 2023, the site had 3,459 visitors, an 84% increase from 2022. Additionally, we served 3,609 people in 2023 through outreach events and community mental health support and marketed our directory.

Because mental wellness in America is not only a human right, it is the bedrock of what makes a just, vital society. We view Solve as the perfect partner to support the advancement of this tool to create wellness and social equity. It is imperative that we level the playing field - mental health resources should be available at the ready to all because mental health disorders will impact everyone at some time. In this digital age, no one needs to suffer alone.

Mind-1-1’s vision is for our directory prototype to become a nationally used tool for accessing appropriate mental health resources as easily as possible. Currently,Mind-1-1  is experiencing barriers to funding, technical expertise  and effective marketing. With the Solve program participation, Mind-1-1 seeks support to: 

• Secure funding  to hire technical staff, including a web developer, and to develop and sustain the app 

• Integrate AI elements to enhance individualized solutions and mitigate costs

• Receive technical support to create a unique algorithm that will help in sorting referrals to present the most relevant and useful information to its users

• Contract a tech UX and GenAI leader to improve the user flow of the directory.

• Contract a product engineer to scale our product nationally and monetize our product 

• Hire a development director to help us sustain our efforts 

• Engage subject matter experts who will expand our knowledge about new technology and software that will keep the directory functioning optimally and continually improve the user experience. 

• Network and build media relationships to market the Mind-1-1 mental health resource directory app and establish the Mind-1-1 brand identity. 

Collective action is the only pathway to creating mental health equity.  We look forward to partnering to build this bedrock of mental wellness access together.

Our public-facing directory is accessible via website and mobile app, making it convenient for users to find recommendations and share their experiences. We hope to make a unique algorithm that will help in sorting referrals to present the most relevant and useful information to its users, playing a crucial role in individual and aggregate decision-making. We will be a disruptive innovator in that we will reduce the time needed to research mental health resources and improve user decision-making. 

There is no other resource directory that is as comprehensive as ours and free, which levels the playing field for people who have lower socio-economic status or who cannot talk about their mental health needs with their families, friends and networks. There are many directories but they are either populated with for profit therapists- usually for higher income populations, or consist of all county services. Our directory serves all with an emphasis on marginalized populations. It also provides a fast questionnaire that tailors and curates search results for users who may not know what services they need or are eligible for to address specific mental health needs and disorders. Our use of AI will also improve the user experience and the quality of results. 

Our directory will catalyze BIPOC mental health providers and others in the mental health space by listing their resources. Our marketing and existing case management support will help people find their services easier. We are also contributing to the overall increase in education and awareness of mental health, building a movement, and working collaboratively with aligned organizations.

Our solution disrupts and improves the market, because we will provide a user-friendly, easy to access hub unlike anything currently existing. We will effectively reach and engage local providers and make mental health resources as easy to access as the best taco via Yelp or attractive vacation rentals via Airbnb.  Our app changes and improves the relationship of individuals and providers to the mental health care sector.

Activities for our theory of change include finalizing our Mental Health Resource Directory prototype; continually refining our services research to ensure we offer the most relevant, effective and accessible mental health resources; maintaining relationships and communications with the service providers to ensure that they continually update their information; effectively engaging and training users to easily use our directory and access appropriate services; beta-test the directory with our Community Champions and make modifications according to their feedback; and integrate analytics into our directory to enable Mind-1-1 to evaluate effectiveness and outcomes. 

Inputs: 1) Refine resources provided within the Directory - address gaps; 2) Contract technology experts to improve the user experience within the Directory; 3) Effective marketing occurs across social media, City communications/mailers, network trainings, school districts; public health communications; healthcare channels; podcasts; insurance marketing and through other web-based marketing strategies; 4) Research and implement app-based messaging and community-based messaging to destigmatize use of the Directory; 5) Train community messengers to promote adoption of the Directory; 6) Streamline accessibility to mental health services by centralizing all resource information into one, free location. 

Outputs: 1) 4,000 people complete individual surveys and engage with the Directory; 2) Users access appropriate, local referrals; 3) Users schedule mental health appointments/attend support groups regularly/adopt mental wellness practices for at least six months; employers adopt workplace wellness elements; 4) Regular participation in mental health supports occurs; 5) Mind-1-1 collects user data and evaluates analytics to evaluate effectiveness, make modifications, and course correct if needed; 6) Mental health conditions are recognized and managed; 7) Resiliency and coping skills increase; 8) Users spread the word of the app’s effectiveness via social media, texts and face-to-face within their networks and neighborhoods to increase adoption and  use of the app; 9) Ongoing use of the Directory and services results in individual and family stabilization; mental health crises averted. 10) Establish ROI metrics to communicate outcomes to possible investors. 

Mid-Term Outcome: 1) At least 80% of users find appropriate counseling, psychiatric, support groups and wellness support; 2) Mind-1-1 Directory capacity increases; 3) Service providers are better connected to their communities; 4) Individuals express more confidence in managing their mental health conditions.

Long-Term Outcome: 1) Reduced stigma related to accessing mental health resources-accessing appropriate mental health resources becomes the norm; 2) Total users engaging the Directory increases 4-fold; 3) Mind-1-1 scales its Directory to provide national resources; 4) Reduced intergenerational effects of trauma and mental health conditions; 5) Reduction in suicide rates, suicidal ideation and self-harm.

Our overarching goal is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. We will achieve this by streamlining accessibility to mental health services by centralizing comprehensive resource information into one, free hub. Within this goal, we have identified the following impact indicators and measurements: 

1. Improved identification of and decreases in risk factors for suicide; measured by # of users who access the Directory and report improved skills associated with help-seeking behaviors

2. Improved access to and retention in mental healthcare

3. Increase in participants reporting strong social supports; measured by user satisfaction surveys

4. Reductions in mental health stigma; measured by attitude scales associated with mental health treatment and number of users/frequency of use

5. Increased number of people accessing appropriate mental health care; measured by the number of users who completed mental health support appointments; measured by metrics  we collect from the service providers via the app. 

Some process outcomes include: service providers and the general public will no longer need to conduct numerous phone calls or online searches to find the mental health resource that fits their specific need. They now have the power to conduct a private and simple search.

Mind-1-1 leverages the traditional knowledge and systems of web-based resource directories and has improved the concept through the integration of app, AI and online survey software. We are integrating AI to support users in customized resource development. We are using a web-based app that uses filters and intuitive search mechanisms to match users to their search criteria. We use online survey software to assist users in articulating their personal needs and defining mental health solutions that will make meaningful improvements. These tools can be entirely customized to also provide our organization with real-time response information and analytics.

The Mind-1-1 team working on the solution is made up of the staff, board members and web developers. Mind-1-1 has 1 full-time staff, the program manager; and two part-time staff members, the executive director and administrative manager. Additionally, there are 5 board members. These board members provide feedback and insight on general mental health care accessibility, marketing, and budgeting support. Additionally, Mind-1-1 has three social media volunteers, one fundraising volunteer, one copywriting volunteer, and a contracted graphic designer. Lastly, Mind-1-1 contracts one web development agency.

Mind-1-1 was founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2018. Responding to the mental health crisis within the COVID-19 pandemic, we began development of our web application in July 2020 and soft-launched the app in July 2021. Incorporating community and partner feedback within our beta-testing phase, we rebuilt the site in August 2023 and had a hard launch in March 2024.

Mind-1-1 integrates inclusion and diversity strategies into all organizational values, policies, practices and service elements. Our board of directors and executive director operationalize racial equity. Our organization boasts a culturally diverse staff and board members who bring a wide range of perspectives and lived experiences, bringing norms of inclusion and equity. This inclusiveness and diversity enriches our decision-making and planning processes, ensuring that our programs and services are culturally responsive and equitable.

The staff and board of directors have a combination of men and women of different ages, living in different areas of the United States with Latino-American, African- American, Chinese or Caucasian cultural backgrounds. This multicultural leadership helps to prevent biases in decision making.

We are currently looking to expand the board and are actively recruiting new board members. We are prioritizing recruiting board members that are consumers of mental health services and live in the communities served.

Mind-1-1 is a mental health start-up nonprofit organization with for profit components. We are currently targeting multiple revenue models simultaneously. We focus on grant and donation-based revenue while simultaneously exploring fee-for-service and value-based reimbursement opportunities. 

Although free, our Directory will employ Direct-to-Consumer elements to gain product feedback and engagement data to iterate beyond a prototype. This also allows us to apply our skills to a meaningful problem-space. In some ways, we will model our prototype after mental wellness apps like “BetterHelp”. BetterHelp has been successful because people recognize that it is very difficult to find an “in network” therapist. However, we will not charge users to engage with the Directory. 

Because mental health has arisen as a top concern for employers, we may consider pivoting and exploring self-insured employer benefits. Many of today’s high traction mental health start-ups gain momentum by obtaining revenue through employers. These include Ginger, TalkSpace and Big Health. Companies are eager to try new solutions for their workforce, given the impact of mental health on productivity and retention. Employers are known to have a greater willingness to try new solutions if they can see a positive ROI. We can attend employee health and wellness fairs and also promote our Directory on podcasts and other public spaces to market it directly to employees.

We are diversifying our income streams to ensure sustainability and open the door to building connections with businesses, government agencies, foundations and the general public. Our sustainability planning includes securing continued donations through fundraising (virtual and in-person); continued grant writing through City, county, state and foundation revenue; fee-for-service contracts through school districts, child welfare agencies, and health insurance contracts; subscription fees from for-profit mental health providers listed on our app; health and wellness ads purchased on our web and mobile app; corporate sponsors and the merchandise sales that also create and improve our brand awareness. Lastly, we will also explore fee-for-service and value-based reimbursement models, potentially combining the two. 

We have already disseminated our Directory in community settings and within the City of Long Beach departments to excellent effect. We are confident that our product will generate sustainable revenue given its effectiveness and the high need for these crucial supports.