For every 1 mental health therapist in the U.S., there are 350 people in need of support — but simply increasing the number of clinical therapists won’t fix the growing crisis. Dr. Trina Clayeux introduces her transformative, community-based approach which could close the gap.

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Dr. Trina Clayeux, CEO of Give an Hour, has a transformative idea to address the critical mental health crisis in America. The system we have in place is overwhelmed by demand, but simply adding more therapists isn’t a sufficient solution to support the 1 in 5 Americans who will experience a mental health episode each year.

Dr. Clayeux recognizes the limits of clinical care alone to serve the unique needs of individuals seeking mental health support. This led her to launch a revolutionary community-based mental health care approach that has already created a network of more than 4,000 mental health ambassadors—trained individuals capable of recognizing emotional distress and providing crisis support—providing voluntary care to nearly 3 million people.

These wellness ambassadors, working directly with people in their communities, demonstrate effectiveness on par with clinical care. Such community-centric models have proven particularly impactful in tightly-knit groups with scarce mental health resources, like the military. Dr. Clayeux is leading a movement towards leveraging community strength and personal connections in mental health care, showcasing a path where everyone—not just clinically trained therapists—is part of the solution.

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