New York, Sept. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) today announced that the 2025 Pardes Humanitarian Prize in Mental Health will be awarded to MotherHope Indonesia, a pioneering grassroots foundation dedicated to maternal mental health awareness and care in Indonesia. The Honorary Prize will be awarded to Tamar & Milton Maltz, whose visionary philanthropic leadership has advanced groundbreaking mental health research and advocacy. The awards will be presented at ceremonies in New York in October.
Established in 2014, the Pardes Humanitarian Prize in Mental Health is awarded annually to individuals or organizations whose extraordinary contributions have improved the lives of people living with mental illness and advanced the understanding of mental health. It is named in honor of the late Herbert Pardes, M.D., the internationally renowned psychiatrist, outspoken advocate for the mentally ill, and the award’s first recipient.
Pardes Prize 2025: MotherHope Indonesia
MotherHope Indonesia, has become a pioneering voice in Asia for maternal mental health. Through advocacy, peer support, education, and collaborations with health professionals, MotherHope is transforming public attitudes and access to care. Founded in 2015 by Nur Yanayirah, who experienced postpartum depression, MotherHope provides compassionate peer support and safe spaces for women and families affected by perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. The organization promotes perinatal mental health literacy, connects families to professionals, and advocates for integrating mental health into maternal health systems. Its innovative model has not only changed lives in Indonesia but also inspired broader efforts across Asia.
“MotherHope Indonesia demonstrates the profound impact that a grassroots movement can have in breaking stigma and providing hope for families living with mental illness,” said Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. “Their pioneering work in maternal mental health in Indonesia is a model of compassion, resilience, and community-based leadership that is changing lives.”
Honorary Pardes Prize 2025: Tamar & Milton Maltz
Tamar and Milton Maltz are generous philanthropists whose vision and leadership have strengthened the global mental health ecosystem. Their longstanding leadership and generous support of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation have helped advance critical research and accelerate progress in understanding and treating mental illness. They were instrumental in founding the Lieber Institute for Brain Development/Maltz Research Laboratories, advancing discovery and treatment, and have long fostered opportunities and inclusion for people living with mental illness. Over the years, they have championed initiatives that reduce stigma, expand access to care, and create supportive communities for individuals and families affected by mental illness. Through the Maltz Family Foundation, they have also supported education, arts, and cultural institutions, extending the reach of their impact beyond science to strengthen resilience and understanding in society.
“Tamar and Milton Maltz are an exceptional choice to receive the Honorary Pardes Humanitarian Prize in Mental Health for their efforts to make the world a better place and for their unparalleled leadership in advancing mental health research and increasing understanding and acceptance of people living with mental illness,” Dr. Borenstein added. “We are especially proud to recognize them not only for being generous philanthropists to humanity, but also as valued members of the BBRF Board of Directors.”
About the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) awards research grants to develop improved treatments, cures, and methods of prevention for mental illness. These illnesses include addiction, ADHD, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders, OCD, PTSD, and schizophrenia, as well as research on suicide prevention.
Since 1987, the Foundation has awarded more than $475 million to fund more than 5,700 leading scientists around the world. 100% of every dollar donated for research is invested directly in research grants. BBRF operating expenses are covered by separate foundation grants. BBRF is also the producer of the Emmy®-nominated public television series Healthy Minds with Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, which aims to remove the stigma of mental illness and demonstrate that with help, there is hope.
- 2025 Pardes Humanitarian Prize Recipient
- 2025 Pardes Humanitarian Honorary Prize Recipient