History of the Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation
In 1993, Joseph Klingenstein’s eight grandchildren established the KTGF, initially to focus on the need for further research in childhood and adolescent depression. The Foundation later included funding for research in child and adolescent ADHD.
In honor of Donald Cohen, the chair of the KTGF’s advisory committee and longtime Director of the Yale Child Study Center, a program was created at medical schools to teach students about child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health. Its goal was to produce more child and adolescent psychiatrists and to improve the mental health awareness of all doctors who treat children. Fourteen medical schools now participate in this program.
For over 20 years, the KTGF’s fellowship program has been at the center of our work. We are vitally interested not only in our fellows’ scientific achievements, but in their careers and personal development. We connect our fellows with one another and with the more senior researchers and providers who make up our advisory committee.
Given the complexity of many mental health conditions and the lack of mental health resources in a large number of communities, the Foundation wants to improve access to mental healthcare for children. In 2015, the Foundation began targeting access to mental health care. We later added an access to mental health care RFP aimed at funding researchers further along in their careers.
Sally Klingenstein Martell was KTGF’s founding Executive Director, a role Eliot Brenner, Ph.D. assumed in 2019. Andy Klingenstein is the Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair. Additional trustees include other members of the third generation of the Klingenstein family.