Episode 12

full
Published on:

20th Oct 2020

Innovative Advocate Solomé Tibebu Leads New Mental Health Initiative

Solomé Tibebu is the Director of the Upswing Fund. She is leading the effort to provide timely resources to organizations that focus on the mental health and well-being supports to adolescents of color and/or LGBTQ+ in the United States—populations that face urgent needs during the pandemic but too often lack access to the care they need. Funding for the effort comes from Pivotal Ventures, a personal investment and incubation company founded and led by Melinda Gates. 

In this episode, apart from learning about the incredible funding opportunity available to mental health providers who focus on adolescents of color and LGBTQ youth, we also learn about the amazing Solomé Tibebu, who leads the effort.

What You'll Learn

  • Pivotal venture's efforts to fund an act that serves as COVID response to the needs of the service providers who are delivering mental health and well-being support to adolescents of color and LGBTQ youth.
  • More resources on mental health and well-being available to adolescents of color and LGBTQ.
  • Tips on taking care of your mental health base on Solome's lived experience.
  • And much more!

Favorite Quote

“I do hope that as an industry, we can recognize that the service providers are people too. And we have to make sure that they're getting the care and support they need every day as they navigate with impacted budgets as a result of COVID.” - Solomé Tibebu

For More Information: 

Download the Overview for Grant Applicants!

Pivotal Ventures – A Melinda Gates Company

The Upswing Fund for Adolescent Mental Health

Going Digital Behavioral Health Tech Summit

Anxiety in Teens

Surviving Anxiety: Solomé Tibebu at TEDxTC

Cognific

ReThink Behavioral Health Innovation

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About the Podcast

The Optimistic Advocate
Making a difference in advocating for better mental health services for children and families
Hello, and welcome to the Optimistic Advocate! The Podcast that brings you just a bit closer to recognizing your full potential as an advocate for change – yours, mine, and everyone's! I’m your host, Scott, Bryant-Comstock, and I’m CEO and founder of the Children’s Mental Health Network. For the past 40 years, my journey as a mental health advocate has traveled from volunteering at a suicide and crisis center, professional roles as a therapist in an outpatient clinic, in-home family therapist, state mental health official, Board Chair for a county mental health program, and national reviewer of children’s mental health systems reform efforts. As the founder of the Children’s Mental Health Network (2009), I lead the Network’s efforts to grow a national online forum for the exchange of ideas on how to continually improve children’s mental health research, policy, and practice.

This podcast features conversations with inspiring advocates who help individuals and families make positive changes in their lives and communities across the globe. The episodes typically run from 45 – 60 minutes in length, so give yourself some room to breathe and get inspired when you listen to these. Who knows this could be the gamechanger that will unleash the advocate in you. You won’t regret it!

I can’t wait for you to join me here on the Optimistic Advocate. Remember to tell all your podcasting friends that the show is available for free in any application that supports podcasts.

Go to theoptimisticadvocate.com/listen and choose the podcast player of your choice. Remember, as you dive into the episodes, never forget to stay optimistic, listen attentively, have a plan, and follow through.

See you on the Podcast!

About your host

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Scott Bryant-Comstock

For the past 49 years, my journey as a mental health advocate has spanned working at a suicide and crisis center, as a therapist in an outpatient clinic, an in-home family therapist, a state mental health official, Board Chair for a county mental health program, and a national reviewer of children's mental health systems reform efforts. As the founder of the Children's Mental Health Network (2009), I led the Network's efforts to grow a national online forum for the exchange of ideas on how to continually improve children's mental health research, policy, and practice. The Network ceased operation in 2024 and I am now devoting my efforts to assisting those nearing transition as an end of life doula. The advocacy gene remains as strong as ever!

Enjoy this archive of the Optimistic Advocate podcast and be inspired by the amazing group of individuals I had to honor of speaking with.