Strengthening Mental Health Through Tech Innovation, Connectivity, and Peer Support Systems

A growing number of American adults and young adults are struggling with mental health. One in five adults struggles with a mental health issue each day and one in six youths experiences a mental illness each year (source: https://www.nami.org/mhstats). At the 21st annual Social Enterprise Conference, Capital for Good, Helena Plater-Zyberk, ’06BUS, CEO and co-founder of Supportiv; Elise Schuster, ’09PH ’04BC, co-founder and executive director of OkaySo; Sandi Drucker Wright, ’04TC, director at the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise at Columbia Business School and founder of Bespoke Impact Advisors; and Ivan Tchatchouwo, ’20TC, founder and CEO of The Zone, shared how they are leveraging technology to build an anonymous peer support network for emotional relief and human connection; becoming a reliable and trusted resource for personal questions around sex, relationships, identity, stress, and more; creating a skill-based wellness experience that equips young adults to cope before they reach a crisis point; and providing student athletes with a pocket tool that facilitates a culture centered on mental wellness and a safe space to find help.