When I stepped into the role of Executive Director at BrainFutures last fall, it was because I had spent years seeing the gaps in our mental health system. I saw doctors and therapists stretched thin and too many people who felt like they were out of options when standard treatments didn’t work. Too many lives are put on hold, or lost, because our system cannot keep up with the urgency of the need.
That's why I joined BrainFutures. I wanted to be part of building something different: a team committed to putting the next generation of evidence-based interventions into everyday practice.
I’ve been reflecting on the progress we’ve made together, as well as the critical work that lies ahead.
Too often, promising breakthroughs in mental health and wellness remain out of reach. They are recognized for their potential in scientific journals, but they aren’t available in our communities.
At BrainFutures, we’re working to change that. We are bridging the gap between research and real-world application, advancing innovative treatments like psychedelic therapy, and supporting the rollout of evidence-based programs that strengthen children’s executive function skills so they can thrive in school and life.
This work is ambitious, pressing, and only possible because of people like you. Your support moves cutting-edge treatments out of the lab, off the shelf, and into lives.
If you’re able, I hope you’ll consider making a year-end gift to help us accelerate our work. Together, we can build a future where breakthrough tools for change are no longer just possibilities on the horizon but real options for growth, healing, and recovery.
We’re honored to have Ali Smith, Co-Founder of the Holistic Life Foundation, serving on the BrainFutures Advisory Board. His life’s work is reshaping what mental health support can look like for young people and communities nationwide.
What began as a personal practice has grown into an evidence-based program that has reached more than 200,000 students and adults in 100+ schools and community settings across the country.
Ali’s inspirational journey of using mindfulness to empower children and rebuild communities is featured in Let Your Light Shine, co-authored with his fellow founders Atman Smith and Andres Gonzalez.
Executive Director Sarah Norman, spoke with Ali about the lessons learned from bringing an innovative program to schools and the future of mental health.
Illinois took a major step toward making mental health care more accessible. For years, those services have been paid at significantly lower rates than other health services - limiting the availability, affordability, and accessibility of mental health services.
In response, lawmakers in Illinois recently approved legislation (HB 1085) to establish minimum reimbursement rates for mental health services. Upon the Governor's signature, providers will receive at least 141.7% of the Medicare rate for all behavioral health billing codes and services.
This legislation was informed by a national report demonstrating pervasive disparities in access and reimbursement for mental health treatment, “Behavioral Health Parity – Pervasive Disparities in Access to In-Network Care Continue.” This report was commissioned by the Bowman Family Foundation, authored by RTI International, and advised by BrainFutures’ Board Member Dr. Henry Harbin.
It documented that out-of-network use was between 3.5 and 10.6 times higher for behavioral health clinician visits than for all other medical/surgical office visits. Out-of-network use created major financial burdens for behavioral health patients. Moreover, provider shortages did not explain the differences.
HB 1085 was informed by state-specific data drawn from the RTI report. When signed, this legislation will help about 2.5 million people across Illinois. Mental health parity has been a long-standing priority for BrainFutures, exemplified by the work of Dr. Harbin. We also are grateful that the Bowman Family Foundation has funded BrainFutures for key projects, and BrainFutures continues to advocate for mental health parity in multiple settings.
While this legislation is a major milestone, there's still work to be done. Low reimbursement rates are a major barrier for the adoption and scaling of new therapeutics. In our whitepaper, A Path Toward Parity, we examined the potential barriers to accessing psychedelic-assisted therapy through insurance coverage and how the federal parity law can address these issues.
Continued collaboration can accelerate parity for all behavioral health services, ensuring every person gets the care they deserve. Together, we can turn progress into lasting, nationwide change.
We wish you a happy Thanksgiving, and thank each of you for your continued support of BrainFutures. We're thankful for our staff, advisors, board of directors, funders, researchers, policymakers, educators, and health care practitioners who believe in our work and help us advance innovative treatments and evidence-based programs to improve mental health and well-being.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at BrainFutures.
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