Morgan Stanley Innovation Awards Features Lay Mental Health Advocates

The video features the Morgan Stanley Alliance for Children’s Mental Health Innovation Awards, highlighting Lay Mental Health Advocates. The program trains community members to provide non-clinical mental health support for young people. It operates virtually, matching trained advocates with youth to reduce crisis ER visits. The initiative aims to supplement the mental health workforce. - Morgan Stanley Innovation Awards recognize Lay Mental Health Advocates as a 2026 Next Gen award winner. - The program trains lay community members in mental health literacy and advocacy skills. - It offers an eight-week virtual course to equip people to support struggling youth. - Advocates provide emotional support, resource navigation, and daily mental health management. - The goal is to reduce emergency room visits by offering non-clinical, community-informed support. - The speaker is a future psychiatrist who sees the program as a supplemental workforce solution.