The Sycamore Institute was honored this month to receive a top award for its work on youth mental health from NAMI Tennessee, the state affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The Mental Health Leadership Award recognizes a changemaker whose leadership has advanced mental health advocacy, policy, or systems-level change across Tennessee.
This recognition highlights Sycamore’s commitment to supporting informed decision-making through rigorous research, nonpartisan analysis, and the development of policy options that shape meaningful conversations around mental health statewide.
“It’s hard to imagine a stronger validation of the impact that Sycamore’s impartial insights and analysis make on Tennessee,” said Brian Straessle, President of the Sycamore Institute. “Thank you to NAMI Tennessee for highlighting how Sycamore equips policymakers and advocates to do their work better. Mental health touches every corner of public policy, and our team is dedicated to providing trusted insights that help leaders make decisions that improve lives and expand opportunity for all Tennesseans.”
The award was presented at the 39th Annual NAMI Tennessee State Conference, where organizations and individuals from across the state were celebrated for their contributions to mental health and well-being.
The Sycamore Institute is an independent, nonpartisan organization that helps Tennesseans identify, understand, and solve big challenges with impartial analysis of data and evidence. With leadership and staff from across the political spectrum, Sycamore provides accessible, reliable information in pursuit of sound, sustainable policies that improve the lives of all Tennesseans.
