What will it take to build a mental health system that can keep pace with the challenges ahead? As new risks emerge and the needs of young people evolve, that question is guiding conversations across The Kennedy Forum’s work—from bringing leaders together to elevating mental health in national discussions about technology and education.
Our 2026 Alignment for Progress Accelerator Summit was an opportunity to work through that question together. Held October 29 at Morgan Stanley’s Global Headquarters in New York City, the gathering brought together more than 100 senior leaders to examine what’s changing, identify opportunities for collaboration, and consider practical solutions to improve mental health and addiction care.
Bringing different perspectives to the table
Leaders from healthcare, policy, business, and philanthropy each see different parts of the challenges facing our mental health system. Our Alignment for Progress events bring those perspectives into the same room, creating opportunities to share experience, question assumptions, and find connections across the work.
Through panels and breakout sessions, participants contributed their expertise and considered where working together could make a meaningful difference. With our 90-90-90 goals for 2033 guiding the effort, these gatherings help connect the people and ideas needed to move forward.
A special thank you to our panelists Tammer Attallah, Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Glen Coppersmith, Amy Turner, Dr. Jayme Banks, Dr. Michael Milham, Dr. Zainab Okolo, and The Kennedy Forum Co-Founder Amy L. Kennedy, along with moderator Jamie Ducharme, for sharing their insights and expertise. We’re also grateful to Morgan Stanley for hosting us, our sponsors for their generous support, and everyone who joined the conversation.
Keeping young people’s mental health in the conversation
The questions raised at the summit connect with broader conversations about the environments shaping young people’s lives. In recent contributions to Fortune and The New York Times, Amy L. Kennedy addressed two places where mental health deserves greater attention: online betting and schools.
- Is your child placing online bets? You might be surprised. Young adults are wagering on prediction markets at a rapid pace, but safeguards have yet to catch up. In Fortune, Amy examines how young minds are conditioned early in video games and social media for compulsive scrolling, and targeted for risk through advertising and algorithms. And now, they’re betting billions. See the common-sense recommendations that can help. Read Amy’s perspective.
- What are the best ways to fix schools? When The New York Times asked 30 researchers and academics to weigh in on ideas for improving schools, mental health received surprisingly little attention. In a recent letter to the editor, Amy makes the case that student well-being is essential to academic success. From attendance and learning to long-term outcomes, young people’s success is tied to their mental health. Read Amy’s letter.
Continuing the conversation
We look forward to building on these discussions at the Milken Institute Future of Health Summit, the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, and in Davos during the World Economic Forum.
Thank you to everyone contributing to this work. For more event photos, summit takeaways, new resources, and opportunities to connect, follow The Kennedy Forum on LinkedIn and sign up for our email updates.
