Healthy Minds Policy Initiative Brings State Policy Expertise to Path Forward Coalition

Washington, D.C. — Path Forward, a national coalition working to expand access to mental health and substance use care, today welcomed Healthy Minds Policy Initiative as its newest member. Healthy Minds Policy Initiative is a mental health policy and research organization focused on Oklahoma and is one of only a small number of dedicated mental health policy institutes in the United States.

Healthy Minds focuses on access to treatment, behavioral health workforce development, child and family mental health, and alignment of state policy with local needs. Since its founding in 2019, the organization reports its initiatives have reached more than 862,000 Oklahomans and helped secure more than $80 million in additional resources for the state’s mental health system.

“Sustainable system change requires both federal policy change and effective implementation at the community level,” said Anna Bobb, executive director of Path Forward. “Healthy Minds connects federal policy with providers and patients in Oklahoma, providing invaluable perspective on the reach and effects of the reforms we advance on the ground.”

“Our work with Oklahoma policymakers and system leaders has shown how practical, state-focused solutions to mental health challenges can overcome partisan gridlock and drive change,” said Zack Stoycoff, president and CEO of Healthy Minds Policy Initiative. “We are excited to collaborate with and learn from Path Forward partners as we build further momentum on this issue nationwide.”

Healthy Minds joins coalition members: the American Psychiatric Association, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, and the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.

About Healthy Minds Policy Initiative

Healthy Minds Policy Initiative is a non-profit, non-partisan policy organization that publishes research and analysis on mental health and substance use issues in Oklahoma, advocates for policy solutions that increase Oklahomans’ access to care, and convenes community partners to build stronger local mental health systems. The organization was founded by the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation and has offices and staff members in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. 

Learn more at healthymindspolicy.org.

About Path Forward

Path Forward is a coalition of healthcare purchasers, clinician organizations, health systems, philanthropies, and health-related nonprofits working to expand access to mental health and substance use care. Coalition members coordinate policy engagement and support implementation focused on integrated care, workforce capacity, and measurement-informed care.