Pull Up Fund is excited to announce more than  $2 million in grants to support Maine organizations delivering mental health telehealth services to students across the state.

The organizations receiving grants include:

• Community Clinical Services (Lewiston-Auburn), to increase access to year-round telehealth supports for youth.  
• Kennebec Behavioral Health (Somerset, Kennebec Counties), to pilot a Telehealth Coordinator program in schools in Central Maine.
• Medical Care Development, Inc (Washington County), to expand mental health telehealth supports for youth in grades K-12. 

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the existing mental health issues amongst youth in Maine and introduced new challenges in accessing resources. According to a survey of respondents that interacted with grades 5 through 12 conducted by the Maine Department of Education over the 2020-21 school year, the frequency of symptoms of anxiety and depression increased by over 85%.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in usage of telehealth services for mental health. Pull Up Fund is excited to support initiatives that will serve to rapidly expand the adoption of telehealth mental health services for Maine youth.