Emotional Relief Fund provides financial assistance to individuals aged 12-25 for licensed outpatient mental health treatment whose household income is at or below 400% the federal poverty level.
Every day, families across the country face an impossible reality: they know their child needs mental health care, but they cannot afford it. One in five children and adolescents' experiences a mental health disorder each year, yet nearly half of adolescents with major depression receive no treatment. Research also shows that half of all lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 14 and 75% begin by age 24, making adolescence and young adulthood the most critical window for intervention. Early treatment does more than relieve symptoms. It improves educational outcomes, strengthens relationships, supports workforce participation, reduces substance use and crisis care, and lowers long-term health costs.
For the families Emotional Relief Fund serves, the barrier is rarely awareness or stigma —it is cost. A quality course of therapy can cost $500–$1,000 per month out of pocket, even for families with insurance. Many are working families who earn too much to qualify for public assistance but not enough to sustain ongoing treatment. Faced with impossible choices, parents delay care, reduce sessions, take on debt, or forgo treatment altogether, allowing symptoms to worsen over time.
At Emotional Relief Fund, we believe no young person should be denied mental health care because of financial circumstances. The earlier we remove financial barriers, the greater the chance to change the trajectory of a young person's life.
Every application represents a young person reaching for help at a pivotal moment. By removing financial barriers during this critical window, Emotional Relief Fund is investing in treatment today and in healthier families, stronger communities, and brighter futures. Our vision is a future where cost is never the reason a young person goes without mental health care—and where every individual has the opportunity to heal before a crisis occurs.
Make mental health treatment financially accessible for young people who would otherwise go without care.
Emotional Relief Fund (ERF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing financial barriers to mental health care for young people ages 12–25. Founded in 2023 by Kate and Kevin Bang, alongside a group of parents who had firsthand experience navigating significant mental health challenges with their own teenagers, ERF was created to address a critical gap in access to care.
Across the United States, the demand for youth mental health services continues to rise, yet cost remains one of the most significant obstacles preventing individuals and families from obtaining needed treatment. Emotional Relief Fund exists to bridge that gap by providing direct financial assistance to eligible individuals whose household income falls below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level. Funds are paid directly to approved mental health providers, helping young people access therapy, counseling, psychiatric care, and other essential behavioral health services.
What began as a community-driven effort has grown into a national organization serving families across the country. Through word-of-mouth referrals alone, Emotional Relief Fund has helped more than 120 young people gain access to life-changing mental health treatment. As awareness of the organization grows, so does the demand for support, with a record number of applications received in 2026 from individuals and families seeking assistance.
ERF is uniquely positioned to provide immediate, tangible support at a critical moment in a young person's life. By removing financial barriers to care, the organization helps individuals access treatment sooner, improve mental health outcomes, strengthen family stability, and create pathways toward long-term well-being.
As demand for services continues to increase, Emotional Relief Fund remains committed to expanding access to mental health care so that no young person is denied treatment because of financial circumstances.
Organization name
Emotional Relief Fund
2022
Tax id (EIN)
88-2988507
Category
Mental Health & Crisis Intervention, Youth Development, Health Care, Human Services, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Foundations, Public & Societal Benefit
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
300 CENTER DR STE G PMB 401CO, US
US