Transformation of Mental Health Care Program

The Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation (KTGF), part of Klingenstein Philanthropies, is a private philanthropic organization with a longstanding commitment to supporting mental health research and services for children and adolescents. Founded in 1998, KTGF initially focused on post-doctoral fellowships and support for medical education to improve awareness and treatment of depression and ADHD in youth. In 2015, the Foundation expanded its efforts through the "Transformation of Mental Health Care" program to address systemic barriers in accessing quality mental health care, particularly for children from low-income families and underserved communities, including racially and ethnically diverse populations. This program invites academic researchers to propose research that evaluates innovative, scalable models for improving access to mental health care or prevention strategies. The proposed studies must be based on pilot data and utilize implementation science and community participatory frameworks. The focus is not on expanding services within individual organizations but rather on producing generalizable, scalable interventions that could inform future demonstration projects. The program encourages approaches such as care delivery by non-traditional personnel, use of technology (including mobile apps and web tools), integration of mental health services in non-traditional settings like schools or emergency rooms, and parent-focused interventions such as peer advocacy. Primary outcomes must focus on implementation and service-related metrics, such as reach and time to service delivery, while secondary outcomes may include symptom reduction or improved educational and relational outcomes. Applicants must be based at U.S. institutions, and all research must be conducted within the U.S. Researchers at any career stage may apply, provided they have pilot data supporting their proposed intervention and are capable of leading a research initiative of this scope. Early-career researchers are encouraged to collaborate with more senior investigators. Applications may have co-principal investigators as long as they are from the same institution. Previous KTGF Fellowship recipients are eligible, provided they do not apply concurrently for another KTGF Fellowship in the same year. Each applicant may only resubmit once if initially unsuccessful. Funding is capped at $200,000 per grant, distributed as $100,000 per year over two years. Continuation into the second year depends on satisfactory progress in the first. The foundation expects to make up to two awards under this program. Indirect costs are allowed up to a maximum of 10%. The grant is not intended for service expansion or evaluation projects without a research component. All applications are submitted online via the KTGF portal, which opens annually on September 1 and closes on December 15 at 11:59 PM EST. Awards are expected to be announced in April, with funding beginning July 1, contingent upon IRB approval and completion of necessary contracts. The proposal must include several components: a one-page summary, a detailed research plan with defined primary and secondary outcomes, a synopsis in layperson’s terms, biosketches for the PI and key personnel, letters of support, a timeline, a budget with itemized indirect costs, and a plan for scalability. Each awardee will be required to submit an annual report and a final report outlining findings and recommendations for future implementation. For questions, applicants may contact the foundation at info@klingenstein.org. The foundation is headquartered at 80 8th Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10011-7159.

Applicants should ensure pilot data supports their proposal and focus on implementation outcomes with clear scalability. Collaborations with senior researchers are encouraged for early-career applicants.