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Cleveland Clinic has announced the launch of the Mental Health Research Center of Excellence, in collaboration with the MQ Foundation and its partner organization MQ Mental Health Research, global nonprofits dedicated to advancing research that detects, prevents, and treats mental illness.
Supported by a $1 million grant from the MQ Foundation, with additional funding from Cleveland Clinic, the five-year initiative will focus on prevention and early intervention in youth mental health conditions, including depression, suicidal behaviors, and mood disorders. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to improving mental health outcomes for children, adolescents and young adults, through research and innovation.
“Investing in mental health research is an investment in stronger, healthier communities,” said Michael Horvitz, President of the MQ Foundation and a trustee of Cleveland Clinic. “This partnership is an important step in addressing decades of chronic underfunding in this field. By starting here in Cleveland, we hope to show what’s possible and inspire others to join us in expanding this effort to leading medical institutions across the country.”
Tatiana Falcone, M.D., a pediatric and adolescent psychiatrist at Cleveland Clinic Children’s, will serve as principal investigator for the initiative. Dr. Falcone will lead a cross-disciplinary team of clinical and non-clinical researchers focused on uncovering new insights into the neurological factors that influence youth mental health.
The study will specifically explore the neurological basis of hopelessness and its connection to mental health risks among young people ages 14 to 24. Using advanced neuroimaging techniques, researchers aim to identify biomarkers that may help predict risk levels and guide more personalized treatment approaches. The research will also evaluate the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS), an evidence-based intervention designed to reduce feelings of hopelessness and improve mental health outcomes for at-risk youth.
“This initiative marks an important step forward in youth mental health research,” said Dr. Falcone. “Our work has the potential to enhance how we identify and treat suicide risk in young people, leading to more targeted, effective, and ultimately lifesaving care.”
By combining Cleveland Clinic’s clinical and research expertise with MQ Foundation’s commitment to advancing mental health research globally, this initiative seeks to accelerate progress and establish a scalable model for expanding youth mental health research nationwide.
Cleveland Clinic: Jenna Homrock, Homrocj2@ccf.org
MQ Foundation: Alissa Neil; aneil@mqfoundation.org
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 82,600 employees worldwide are more than 5,786 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,700 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,728-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 280 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2024, there were 15.7 million outpatient encounters, 333,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 320,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 112 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at x.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources are available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
The MQ Foundation’s (MQF) mission is to fund and proliferate vital research needed to detect, prevent, and treat mental illness. We fund cutting-edge research that has the potential for fast, real-world application, but often falls outside the scope of most funding sources because it is deemed too new or untested. Unlike conventional funding that defines research narrowly to the medical and psychological fields, we believe the complexity of mental health requires a collaborative multi-disciplinary approach that includes medical and biological sciences, social sciences, design, technology, and the arts. The MQF works in close collaboration with its main beneficiary, the UK-based MQ Mental Health Research (MQ). Together MQF and MQ have invested $40 million in new research projects since 2013 that have subsequently attracted an additional $58 million from government and private sources.
