Belmont, CMA unite to tackle music industry's mental health crisis
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The Country Music Association is donating $3 million to Belmont University to launch the new Center for Mental Health in Entertainment.
Why it matters: For everyone from songwriters hustling to keep their publishing deals to high-powered executives whose public-facing jobs bring unique stress, mental health has become a pervasive problem in Nashville's music industry.
- Despite recent progress, gaps in access to care remain an issue.
Driving the news: Industry stakeholders say there's not enough research into the unique needs of people in entertainment.
- Belmont touted the new center as a first-of-its-kind initiative to address the critical need for that research as well as education and community resources.
- It will be led by Debbie Carroll, a licensed clinical social worker and music industry veteran, who previously worked as the vice president of health and human services for MusiCares.
Between the lines: It'll be Carroll's job to "generate original, data-driven insights into the mental health experiences of those working in music, film, television, sports and media," Belmont announced.
Flashback: The Music Health Alliance, a Nashville-based nonprofit, partnered earlier this year with Universal Music Group to establish a music mental health fund to share resources with industry professionals from every rung of the ladder.
- According to a recent survey of the area's music industry, 29% reported struggling with mental health.
What they're saying: "As a trade association, it's our responsibility to care for the people who make this industry thrive," CMA CEO Sarah Trahern said in a statement. "This collaboration with Belmont allows us to take that support a step further — transforming advocacy into meaningful, long-term change."
- Carroll said the new center is a "powerful opportunity to build a culture of care, resilience and innovation for artists and professionals."
What's next: The new Center for Mental Health in Entertainment will be part of the Curb College Music Row campus, which has plans to expand in the coming years.