The Country Music Association Extends Its Commitment to Mental Health with Multi-Million Dollar Investment

Nashville-Based Trade Organization Donates $3 Million to Belmont University to Support the Launch of Center for Mental Health in Entertainment

NASHVILLE—The Country Music Association (CMA) today announced a significant investment for mental health resources, reaffirming its multi-year commitment to the well-being of music industry professionals. As part of this ongoing effort, CMA has made a $3 million donation to Belmont University to support the launch of the Center for Mental Health in Entertainment, a pioneering initiative designed to address the mental health needs of entertainment professionals. Additionally, CMA has renewed its financial support to aid five leading organizations delivering essential mental health services across the music industry in 2026—Amber Health, ECCHO Live, Music Health Alliance, MusiCares®, and Porter’s Call.

Building on investments first established during the COVID-19 pandemic, CMA’s ongoing support underscores the importance of ensuring music professionals have access to essential care and wellness services. CMA’s role as Country Music’s premier trade association has long been to protect, invest in, and amplify the Country Music community, whether through disaster relief following the 2010 Nashville flood, more than $30 million invested in music education through the CMA Foundation, or critical support during the pandemic. Mental health is no exception.

MusiCares’ recent Wellness in Music survey revealed that 11.4% of respondents reported suicidal ideation in the past year—more than double the U.S. general population—while the majority continue to struggle with financial insecurity and limited access to preventive health care. Seventy-eight percent of survey respondents reported earning less than $100,000 annually, most said they cannot cover basic expenses through music work alone, and many directly tied their anxiety and depression to financial stress.

“We feel strongly that as a trade association, it is CMA’s responsibility to ensure our industry has the resources, access, and understanding to navigate mental well-being,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “This is not new work. It builds on years of investment and direction during the pandemic, expanded healthcare access, and countless moments where we’ve rallied for our community. By prioritizing the mental health of the people who make Country Music possible, we are safeguarding the future of our genre. Through our programming, partnerships, and industry convenings, we will continue to keep well-being at the center of CMA’s work.”

Through its gift to Belmont University, CMA is helping to support the establishment of the new Center for Mental Health in Entertainment on Nashville’s Music Row—a first-of-its-kind initiative that will serve both students and industry professionals through research, education, and community outreach. The donation will fund both programming and the creation of an endowed chair and executive director position, to be held by esteemed industry leader Debbie Carroll. In this role, Carroll will guide the Center’s strategic vision and impact, drawing on her decades of experience supporting mental health within the music community to foster lasting, systemic change across the entertainment industry.

Additionally, CMA is renewing its six-figure investment in mental health resources across the broader music industry. This continued support extends to five trusted organizations in 2026—Amber Health, ECCHO Live, Music Health Alliance, MusiCares, and Porter’s Call—that provide direct care, counseling, and wellness programs for artists, songwriters, touring crews, managers, and countless others who power the business. Through these partnerships, CMA is helping ensure that mental health care remains accessible, compassionate, and tailored to the unique needs of music professionals, strengthening the well-being of the entire creative community.

In 2025, CMA’s mental health investment helped thousands of music professionals access critical care, counseling, and wellness resources through its partner organizations. Together, these programs delivered thousands of hours of counseling, on-site wellness support, and crisis care—ensuring that artists, crews, and industry professionals had access to vital resources when they needed them most. Collectively, their work is changing the conversation around mental health in music.

Tags: CMA, country music, mental health, music industry, Belmont University, wellness, mental health resources, artist support