Don't MiND Me provides scholarships for specialized treatment to those suffering with severe mental illness and insufficient payment options.

Our DIRECT IMPACT funding offers access to critical care for long term treatment and recovery programs, making an equitable opportunity for those who struggle within our skewed insurance and health care system.

Our annual 'Crisis Intervention Scholarship Fund' has been awarded to 3 stellar innovative primary mental health treatment & substance use disorder programs throughout California; Mental Health Center of San Diego + Healthy Life Recovery + Mental Health Treatment and Stabilization Center of Sacramento, where their focus is on taking the needed time to allow proper diagnosis, healing and a solid recovery plan.

  • “One night in August 2024, I suffered a major mental health breakdown. After some soul searching and some advice, I rented a lift ride and committed myself to a psych hospital in Glendale California. I ended up spending six nights and seven days there. When I got out, I reached out to my friend Mädchen Amick from the Don’t Mind Me Foundation. I let her know what was going on, and she invited me to come work their mental health fundraiser the following year in Palm Springs, CA. Towards the beginning of May 2025, I was still suffering from some side effects due to not getting the aftercare treatment needed. I called Mädchen for some advice on dealing with county mental health clinics. She flat out asked me, “Skip are you still having problems?” and I said yes. She then reached out to the people at Healthy Life Recovery San Diego. I immediately received a phone call from them, and they had me come down to look at their facility. Mädchen called me later that night to let me know that Don’t Mind Me was going to provide a scholarship for me and to go to San Diego to spend as much time needed for aftercare. Through the Don’t Mind Me: Crisis Intervention Scholarship Program, I ended up spending nearly a month down in San Diego getting intensive one-on-one therapy, group therapy, physical therapy, and so much more. I am now back at home, with a full-time aftercare program in place. I don't know where I would be today without the Don’t Mind Me Foundation. As of this writing today, in October 2025, I will now be going to school to be a Peer Support Specialist. The whole Don’t Mind Me team is there for all the right reasons across the board. I will be forever grateful to The Don’t Mind Me Foundation, and now as a part of their team, I'm looking forward to advocating alongside them, as well as, working their events moving forward. I can only hope that one day I can pay it forward to them. I'm very excited to also know that their goal of building a state-of-the-art facility in Palm Springs, CA is not too far away.”

    — Mark “Skip” B.

  • "I would like to take a moment of your time to express my appreciation and gratitude for your foundation. At the time of meeting Mädchen, I was experiencing a lot of uncertainty about whether I would be able to complete the Healthy Life Program in San Diego. Unfortunately, my insurance ran out at the very end of my treatment. This was very discouraging as I had worked so hard to almost complete the full program just to be sent away without a certificate of completion. Thankfully, through family, I became connected to Mädchen. Through a grant, provided by the foundation, the remaining amount was taken care of. This gave me the opportunity to use that time to work on setting myself up for success for the coming months being back at home. I was able to provide my job with adequate notice that I’d be leaving and also set up a new job back home. All of these are the things I was able to accomplish thanks to the help the Don’t Mind Me grant offered me. I’ll forever be grateful for this experience."

    — Amelia A.

  • “My son is a single father and has raised his son the best he knew how, giving him the opportunities, all parents want their kids to have. He watched his son grow and change into a difficult, moody young person who became dependent on drugs and alcohol. My son knew there could be underlying problems but didn’t know where to turn, as his son refused to go to counseling. In the meantime, his son continued to drop out of sports, school and even family social events. As time went on it was obvious that he was suffering from more than addiction as he had been in and out of rehab several times. As a family, we tried to find help but the kind of help he received did nothing to diagnosis his mental health problems, in fact he was getting worse. It broke our hearts to see him spiraling down until in February of 2023, I learned of the “Don’t Mind Me” foundation. One day, I had the opportunity to talk with David Alexis, one of the founders of Don’t Mind Me about his son’s struggles with a mental disorder. Then I told him of my grandson’s struggles with addiction and mental issues of some kind, a subject I found difficult to share with anyone. He immediately responded with acceptance and understanding and related some of his own experiences with his son. He introduced me to his wife Mädchen Amick, also a founder of Don’t Mind Me, who spent time with me and my husband sharing information and their experience with and knowledge of mental health. Together they generously decided to offer our grandson a long-term scholarship through their foundation. This gave him the opportunity of a full-time daily program at MHC in San Diego where he has been receiving treatment for the past four months. We recently saw him and cannot believe the difference this recovery program has made. He is re-entering society with a positive attitude, is very conversant and over all, has gained self-confidence. We realize this is not a quick fix situation and he knows this as well. His being able to stay in this environment, learning about his mental health and working towards learning to live a sober life, is an opportunity for him that we as a family will always be grateful for. We owe a debt of gratitude to Mädchen Amick and David Alexis for the gift they have given to our grandson and the work they continue to do to help the next person in need, through their Don’t Mind Me Foundation."

    — Anonymous

  • “Three years ago, we met our adopted niece. When we first met her, she was living on her own. She was a cutter. She was an alcoholic and a drug addict. And she felt unlovable. She called us and said “I’m gonna commit suicide.” By the next day, Mädchen got her admitted into a hospital to stabilize and then into Mental Health Center of San Diego on the Don’t MiND Me scholarship. We went from thinking she’s going to kill herself, to she’s going to live. It was a miracle.”

    — Anonymous

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