Everyone needs to confide in some one without fear of judgement, who might understand, and may help guide us through.

Closegap is a 501(c)(3) non-profit technology company focused on making mental health resources accessible to all K-12 students.

Closegap is a nonprofit that makes it easy for schools to support the emotional health of K-12 students through daily mental health check-ins. These check-ins help kids express themselves, connect with a trusted adult, or explore self-guided social emotional learning activities. Backed by evidence-based research and developed alongside students, teachers, school counselors, social workers, and administrators, Closegap makes daily check-ins fun for students, while giving educators the information they need to provide support in real time. By combining crisis & early intervention, real-time support, mental health monitoring, and a safe, digital space for emotional discovery - Closegap makes it easy for schools to make mental health accessible to all.

THE PROBLEM 
The public perception that mental health issues are rare is incorrect. 49.5% of American youth will have had a diagnosable mental illness at some point before they are 18. 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24. 46% of kids in the United States have experienced at least one traumatic event. Our current system of care is inadequate. Only 50% of kids who have a mental health condition receive treatment and the average delay between the onset of symptoms and an appropriate intervention is 10 years. 

This has devastating effects on our young people and the economy. The 2nd leading cause of death for people ages 10-34 is suicide. 37% of students with a mental health condition age 14 and older drop out of school. 70% of youth in state and local juvenile systems have a diagnosable mental illness. Depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion each year in lost productivity. Those in positions to create more opportunities for youth to develop healthy attachment security and a sense of safety do not currently have access to the tools they need to do so. Children aren’t taught about emotion regulation skills, self-reflection, and how to build a reliable sense of self-esteem. Children are not supported enough when struggling with suicide ideation/self harm and trauma. We're failing children and we must do better. 

THE SOLUTION 
Schools are the most accessed mental health delivery system by children and adolescents. Of students receiving mental health services, most receive those services in schools. Students of color disproportionately receive services only at school. Schools represent an enormous opportunity to strengthen our mental health safety net around youth. By combining early & crisis intervention, real-time support, and a safe, digital space for emotional discovery, Closegap makes it easy for K-12 schools to support the emotional health of their students.

HOW CLOSEGAP IS LEADING THE WAY
Closegap created the first digital emotions check-in for schools. Now being used in over 2500 schools in all 50 states and 25 countries, Closegap is the first choice for students when it comes to sharing what they're experiencing with the important adults in their lives. Closegap grew its userbase by 12x last school year, now serves over 160,000 students, and has captured over 2.5 million check-ins since launching in September 2019. After implementing Closegap, educators have uncovered cases of self-harm, bullying and trouble at home that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. For more impact stories, please visit https://www.closegap.org/case-studies. 

You can find the mental health stats cited here and many others at nami.org. 
