Mission

To promote youth mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and improve access to culturally competent care by building a sustainable, youth-led network across schools, universities, and training institutions in the Big Bend region.

Vision

A connected, multigenerational mental health ecosystem where youth from diverse backgrounds feel empowered, supported, and equipped to thrive — with strong bridges between education, healthcare, and community systems.

Founding TYMHC

“I grew up in Tallahassee — I went to school here from pre-K through 12th grade — and I’m now a psychiatry resident serving the same community that raised me. Over the years, I’ve seen young people and families struggle not just with mental health challenges, but with something deeper: a lack of awareness of the resources already around them. There’s no shortage of effort or care in our town — what’s missing is connection.

At the same time, I’ve come to realize how uniquely positioned Tallahassee is to lead the way in reimagining youth mental health. We have multiple high schools with active, passionate student bodies advocating for mental wellness. We have three undergraduate institutions — Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and Tallahassee State College — all with diverse student populations and campus-based mental health initiatives. We have graduate and professional programs in counseling, social work, and medicine. And now, we have two growing psychiatric residency programs — one at FSU (in partnership with TMH and Apalachee Center), and another at UCF/HCA Florida Capital Hospital (in collaboration with Capital City Psychiatry).

With so much talent, passion, and infrastructure already in place, I saw an opportunity: to build something that could unify this ecosystem — a platform where students, clinicians, educators, and advocates could actually talk to each other, share ideas, mentor across generations, and build together. That idea became the Tallahassee Youth Mental Health Collective.

TYMHC is more than a project or a program. It’s a shared space for youth-led leadership, intergenerational mentorship, and community-rooted mental wellness. It’s a way for all of us — from high schoolers to psychiatry residents — to connect with one another and with local organizations like NAMI Big Bend, 211, and others serving the Big Bend region. My hope is that TYMHC becomes a trusted hub for collaboration, resource-sharing, and meaningful change — led by the very people most impacted by the mental health challenges we aim to address.”

-Aneesh Rahangdale, Founder of TYMHC

What Makes Us Different

TYMHC centers youth leadership, intergenerational mentorship, and systems-level collaboration.

We believe real change happens when high school students, college leaders, graduate trainees, and clinicians work together to reimagine mental wellness — not as a siloed service, but as a shared responsibility.

Through our Youth Mental Health Council, members don’t just participate — they grow. We’ve designed a mentorship ladder that supports upward mobility across educational and career stages, empowering young people to step into leadership, guide peers, and ultimately shape the mental health systems they move through.

The Collective & The Council

The Collective is our broader nonprofit network — connecting educational institutions, mental health providers, and community members across the region.

At its heart is the Youth Mental Health Council, a dynamic leadership body made up of students and early-career professionals from diverse backgrounds. Council members co-design initiatives, lead programs, and serve as trusted peer advocates in their schools and communities.

Who We Serve

We work with — and for — young people and families across the Big Bend region, especially those from historically marginalized or underserved communities.
Our network includes high schoolers, college students, graduate trainees, early-career professionals, families, educators, and local mental health advocates.