Boys & Girls Clubs of America and The Cigna Group Foundation Advance Youth Mental Health Together

Each year, more than four million students spend their after-school hours at Boys & Girls Clubs. These are more than after-school spots. They’re safe spaces where youth can build meaningful relationships, develop essential skills, and connect with caring adults to support them through everyday challenges.

Through our partnership with The Cigna Group Foundation, BGCA is strengthening our commitment to youth mental health by increasing trauma-informed practices, developing new resources with input from teens, and creating opportunities for employees to engage directly with local Clubs.

For Jayla, a teen from Boys & Girls Club of North Central Illinois, that support makes a lasting difference.

“If I could describe the Boys & Girls Club in three words, it would be happiness, support and home. To know that someone dedicates their time to find a way to help you and help your needs, that makes you feel so seen.”

Expanding Mental Health Resources for Club Youth & Staff

Mental health continues to be a priority for both Boys & Girls Clubs and the young people we serve. With support from The Cigna Group Foundation, we’re providing Club professionals with evidence-informed training, resources and support to help create environments where youth feel safe, connected and ready to learn.

Since our partnership began in 2024, new trauma-informed education and resources have reached 90% of Clubs, representing more than 11,000 staff members nationwide.

A key part of this effort has been developing new tools designed with and for young people. More than 250 Club teens helped pilot the new Teen Mental Health Guide, which offers practical strategies for building healthy coping skills, managing emotions and supporting overall well-being.

Additionally, the Behavioral Support Toolkit and Regulation Station Guide were created to help Club staff build supportive spaces and grow skills that encourage self-regulation and resilience among youth. After being piloted in 11 Clubs and featured at national and regional conferences, these resources are now being rolled out across nearly 5,500 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide.

Bringing Support to Local Club Communities

Creating meaningful change requires more than programs and resources. It requires people.

Through this partnership, employees from The Cigna Group have engaged directly with local Boys & Girls Clubs, contributing their time and talents to support young people and Club communities.

Since 2024, The Cigna Group employees have volunteered more than 2,000 hours at Clubs across the country, including assembling mental health curriculum boxes and wellness kits, building bikes, hosting community events, and packing STEAM kits for Clubs in rural areas.

According to Rachel Kalukango-Harris, director of trauma-informed practice at Boys & Girls Clubs of America, these efforts are helping create long-term impact.

“The future of trauma-informed practices looks like every organization embedding these practices into daily operations – it looks like young people leaving our spaces with healthier relationships, stronger coping skills, and the support they need to thrive.”

Rachel continues, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together, and our goal is to go far with our impact, and The Cigna Group Foundation has been able to do that with us.”

How Employers Can Help Strengthen Youth Mental Health

Supporting youth mental health benefits families, communities and workplaces alike. Many employees are also parents and caregivers, and when young people face mental health challenges, the effects often extend well beyond the home.

Partnerships like the one between Boys & Girls Clubs of America and The Cigna Group Foundation demonstrate how employers can make a meaningful difference. By combining sustained investment, trusted community expertise, employee engagement and a shared commitment to young people, companies can help build stronger support systems for youth while creating positive community impact.

“When two organizations come together around a shared purpose, it allows us to create a platform that reaches thousands of kids,” said Josh Michelson, executive vice president and chief strategy and innovation officer at The Cigna Group and member of the board of directors of Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago.

“Our partnership is at a national level to create infrastructure, tools, access and support. But it’s also about bringing yourself to a Club to be there with the kids and show them that an adult cares about them.”

Together, our organizations are helping ensure that more young people have access to the support, relationships and resources they need to reach their full potential.

Learn more about how partnerships can help advance youth mental health and well-being by downloading The Cigna Group Foundation’s full report.