How Donors Made a Difference in 2023

More people in our community found hope and better mental health in 2023 with help from The Menninger Clinic’s generous supporters.

 

Every year, donors fund vital mental health initiatives at Menninger. Last year, our supporters continued to step up, backing efforts that made a lasting impact not only locally but also nationwide. Stephanie Cunningham, vice president of business development and philanthropy, explains how donor support extends Menninger’s mental health mission.

 

"Support from donors is essential, whether it's helping families with financial need access Menninger’s mental health services, funding adolescent outreach programs, or advancing groundbreaking research into new therapies,” she says.

 

Over the past year, as we geared up for Menninger’s centennial in 2025, we stayed focused on making minds and communities healthier. Our researchers worked to improve suicide prevention, develop new treatments for opioid addiction, and advance biological understanding of the mind, publishing 13 articles in peer-reviewed journals and making numerous presentations across the country.

 

Menninger also played a crucial role in training the next generation of mental health care leaders. Over 200 up-and-coming mental health professionals trained at Menninger, helping close the wide gap in the mental health workforce and ensuring expert care for patients.

 

To improve addictions care, Menninger built a new Center for Addiction Medicine and Recovery, set to open in February 2024. The center will offer personalized treatment pathways backed by rigorous research, as well as the opportunity for patients to participate in studies exploring new recovery technologies.
 

Menninger’s psychosocial clubhouse, The Gathering Place, provided a supportive, stigma-free environment for people in recovery from mental illness, offering free programs to promote wellness and independent living. We also collaborated with organizations, such as Texas Children’s Hospital and the YMCA, to address critical needs in youth mental health, a top priority for 2024.

 

“When it comes to adolescents and adolescent services, if we can make a difference in the mental health of young people, we’re setting them up for healthy lives and the societal impact of that is immeasurable,” says Kirsten Schachter, director of Philanthropy.

 

We also forged new partnerships with insurers, including Aetna, Cigna, and Magellan, making Menninger’s specialized treatment for complex mental health conditions more accessible and affordable. Menninger continues to pursue agreements with additional insurers for 2024 and beyond.

 

As we improved our programs, we strengthened relationships with former patients, Menninger-trained individuals, and community members, gaining valuable insights and support. We'll keep building these connections as we approach our centennial.

 

“The Menninger community spans the country,” Schachter says. “Our patients are surviving and even thriving with the skills they acquired here, thanks to you.”