Roberta “Bertie” Bialek Elliott wanted to do something transformational in the place she calls home. And she has — donating $105.8 million to Montage Health Foundation, the largest gift ever in Monterey County and one of the most significant philanthropic commitments nationwide over the past decade.

The extraordinary gift will be devoted exclusively to creating an innovative approach to child and adolescent behavioral health. Elliott chose the name Ohana — Hawaiian for “family”— for the unprecedented venture that will include everything from a bricks-and-mortar Ohana House to early intervention, comprehensive support for young people and their families, and partnerships with an extensive collection of community organizations.

Elliott had expressed interest in making a transformational gift to Montage Health, and after being presented with several options, she chose behavioral health services for children and teens.

Statistics bear out the need:

  • 1 in 13 California children suffer from a mental illness that limits participation in daily activities, according to the California Health Care Foundation.
  • A survey in 2014-2017 by the California Department of Education found that nearly 1 in 3 Monterey high school students suffered depression-related feelings.
  • California has fewer than 1,050 child psychiatrists to serve more than 9 million children and teens.
  • 44 of California’s 58 counties — including Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz — have no child/adolescent psychiatric beds, according to the California Hospital Association.

All the Ohana efforts will be focused on innovation, creating a new model of child and adolescent behavioral healthcare with elements that can be replicated in other communities since the issues faced in Monterey County know no borders or bounds.

Read the full article about transformative philanthropy for mental health by Api Podder at My Social Good News.