named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Public Education Initiative
Provides accessible summaries and resources on BPD to reduce stigma and increase awareness among consumers, families, and the general public.
Research Article Dissemination
Curates and shares peer-reviewed scientific literature on borderline personality disorder, including topics such as hypervigilance, alexithymia, and oxytocin-related social deficits, to promote evidence-based understanding.
activities · 9 groups
What they do
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Mental Health Education and Awareness 3 activities
- Build organizational and community capacityProvides expert educational support to translate neuroscience concepts for public understanding of BPD, sponsors professional development workshops, and supports the establishment of local affiliates to expand organizational reach and impact.
- Conduct public and professional outreach on BPDHolds workshops and presentations at national and international conferences (e.g., American Public Health Association, International Society for the Study of Personality Disorders) and delivered a TEDx talk to raise awareness and reframe BPD through biological understanding and human connection.
- Organize BPD education events and workshopsOrganizes and conducts events, seminars, symposia, and lectures locally, nationally, and internationally—including at professional conferences—to educate mental health professionals, families, and the public about BPD and reduce stigma.
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Mental Health Research and Services Funding 2 activities
- Fundraise to support BPD researchOrganizes fundraising initiatives to support research on borderline personality disorder, enabling data collection, conference coordination, and development of evidence-based treatment models.
- Support BPD research initiativesSupports research into the causes, psychobiology, and treatment of BPD, including data collection from helpline callers, coordination of BPD research conferences with NIMH, and development of research projects on BPD in emergency settings, domestic violence, and adolescent populations.
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Healthcare Policy Advocacy 1 activity
- Advocate for BPD policy and fundingEngages in advocacy with Congress, the Senate, NIMH, SAMHSA, and the Surgeon General to promote inclusion of BPD in parity legislation, secure research funding, improve diagnosis and treatment access for teens, and influence national mental health policy and public information campaigns.
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Peer-Led Mental Health Support Groups 1 activity
- Conduct telephone seminars and forums for BPD familiesHosts monthly telephone seminars and TARA Forums to address questions from families and caregivers about BPD, providing ongoing education and peer support opportunities.
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Parenting Education and Support Programs 1 activity
- Deliver family education and empowerment programsOffers 8- to 12-week family education classes, weekend workshops, and psychoeducational programs in New York City using the evidence-based TARA Method to teach coping skills and strategies for supporting loved ones with BPD. These programs, including the BPD Family Empowerment Program, have served over 2,000 family members.
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Disease-Specific Clinical & Patient Education 1 activity
- Distribute educational materials on BPDProduces and distributes educational brochures (including co-developed materials with Marsha Linehan on DBT), videos, podcasts, and informational packets such as Understanding BPD to increase public and professional understanding of BPD and how to access treatment.
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24/7 Crisis and Warmline Support Services 1 activity
- Operate national helpline for BPDProvides a national helpline offering information on the etiology and treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), referrals to qualified clinicians, and customized informational packets to callers across the country. This includes consultation and connection to evidence-based treatment resources.
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Intake and Referral Coordination 1 activity
- Provide referrals to BPD treatment professionalsOperates a national resource and referral center for BPD, connecting individuals and families with qualified treatment providers and support groups such as Recovery, Inc., and maintaining a referral directory currently in development.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Recognize contributions to BPD research and treatmentAwards the TARA4BPD Star Award to researchers for significant contributions to BPD research and treatment, honoring individuals such as Martin Bohus, Sabine Herpertz, and Christian Schmahl.
- Secure media coverage and public education on BPDSecured national media coverage on National Public Radio’s The Infinite Mind, reaching over eight million listeners, marking the first major national broadcast focused on BPD.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2021
revenue
Total revenue$168K
Contributions & grants$168K100%
Program service revenue——
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$112K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$122K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$117K
2 years on record · 2020–2021 · YoY revenue +47.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021
Who runs it
board members · 4
- GAIL SPAHN — DIRECTOR
- GRANT GITLIN — DIRECTOR
- MARY INMAN — DIRECTOR
- TERRY MEEHAN — DIRECTOR
relationships · 34
Who they work with
- American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Partner — Collaborated with TARA4BPD to present research on the familial relationship between BPD and Autism at its 2018 conference.
- American Psychiatric Association Partner — Collaborating on efforts to rename BPD and reclassify it within diagnostic frameworks to reduce stigma and improve insurance coverage.
- Baylor College of Medicine Partner — Home institution of advisory board members Glen Gabbard and John M. Oldham, collaborating with TARA4BPD on psychiatric research and treatment of personality disorders.
- Brooklyn District Attorneys Office Partner — Collaborating on the development of a Domestic Violence Research Project targeting perpetrators with BPD.
- Central Institute of Mental Health Partner — Hosts advisory board members Martin Bohus and Christian Schmahl, collaborating with TARA4BPD on research and treatment innovation for BPD.
- Congress Government — Advocacy engagement with members of both houses to include BPD in congressional reports and increase research funding.
- DANA Alliance Partner — Refers requests for help on personality disorders to TARA4BPD, which in turn refers callers to appropriate treatment and support groups.
- Eric Hollander, MD Partner — Referenced expert in gambling and BPD.
- Harvard Medical School Partner — Home institution of advisory board member Lois W. Choi-Kain, collaborating with TARA4BPD on research and training in evidence-based BPD treatments.
- Heidelberg BPD Center Partner — Recognized researchers from the Heidelberg BPD Center with the TARA4BPD Star Award for their work in BPD research and treatment.
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Partner — Institution of advisory board members Marianne S. Goodman, Erin Hazlett, and Harold Koenigsberg, collaborating with TARA4BPD on BPD research, neurobiology, and clinical care.
- J. Reid Meloi, PhD Partner — Referenced expert in stalking and BPD.
- Journal of the California Alliance of the Mentally Ill Partner — Co-edited a special issue on BPD with TARA4BPD President Valerie Porr, MA.
- Larry J. Siever Partner — Longtime collaborator and scientific advisor who supported TARA4BPD's mission since 1994
- Leiden University Medical Center Partner — Institution of advisory board member Eric Vermetten and former affiliation of Thomas Rinne, collaborating with TARA4BPD on forensic psychiatry and treatment research for BPD.
- Lifenet in NYC Partner — Refers requests for help on personality disorders to TARA4BPD, which in turn refers callers to appropriate treatment and support groups.
- Mannheim BPD Center Partner — Recognized researchers from the Mannheim BPD Center with the TARA4BPD Star Award for their work in BPD research and treatment.
- Marsha Linehan Partner — Collaborated with TARA4BPD to develop a brochure on finding a qualified DBT therapist.
- McLean Hospital Partner — Hosts the Gunderson Personality Disorders Institute led by advisory board member Lois W. Choi-Kain, partnering with TARA4BPD on BPD treatment research and training.
- NAMI Partner — Refers requests for help on personality disorders to TARA4BPD, which in turn refers callers to appropriate treatment and support groups.
- NIMH Government — Refers requests for help on personality disorders to TARA4BPD, which in turn refers callers to appropriate treatment and support groups.
- NMHA Partner — Refers requests for help on personality disorders to TARA4BPD, which in turn refers callers to appropriate treatment and support groups.
- National Institute of Mental Health Government — Liaison and advocacy partnership; TARA advises NIMH on BPD research priorities and policy.
- National Institute of Mental Health Government — Provides support for TARA4BPD's coordination of BPD research conferences.
- Netherlands Institute of Forensic Psychiatry Partner — Current affiliation of advisory board member Thomas Rinne, collaborating with TARA4BPD on pharmacological and trauma-informed treatment research for BPD.
- Ohio State University, College of Medicine Partner — Institution of advisory board member Dr. Emil F. Coccaro, collaborating with TARA4BPD on research related to BPD and aggression.
- Oxford University Press Partner — Published "Overcoming Borderline Personality Disorder, a Family Guide for Healing and Change" by TARA President and Founder Valerie Porr, MA.
- Pennsylvania State University Partner — Institution of advisory board member Kenneth Levy, collaborating with TARA4BPD on research into attachment, emotion regulation, and psychotherapy for BPD.
- Portland DBT Institute Partner — Institution of advisory board member Linda Dimeff, collaborating with TARA4BPD on training family members in Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
- Recovery, Inc. Partner — TARA4BPD refers callers to Recovery, Inc. as a support group for individuals with personality disorders.
+ 4 more
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Biological Reframing to Reduce Stigmamethodology: biological-reframingBy emphasizing the biological roots of borderline personality disorder, the organization reduces stigma and increases empathy and compassion, which in turn improves willingness to engage in treatment and support.
- Cross-Disciplinary Integration to Address Root Causesmethodology: root-cause treatment, cross_disciplinary_outreachBy integrating BPD awareness into under-recognized fields like domestic violence and addiction, the organization addresses comorbid conditions at their root cause—BPD—leading to more effective treatment of associated disorders.
- Diagnostic Reform as a Path to Equitymethodology: stigma_reduction_through_diagnostic_reformBy advocating for diagnostic reclassification and name change of BPD within the American Psychiatric Association, the organization seeks to reduce structural stigma, improve insurance coverage, and ensure parity in care access.
- Evidence-Based Treatment Promotion with Family Engagementmethodology: evidence-based treatment promotion, family-centered education and supportBy promoting evidence-based treatments like DBT, TFP, and MBT and pairing them with family-centered education, the organization improves treatment engagement and outcomes because informed families reduce conflict and support adherence.
- Public Translation of Neuroscience and Research Literacymethodology: public-science-translation, research_literacy_educationBy translating complex neuroscience and research into accessible public education, the organization empowers individuals and families with knowledge, which builds self-efficacy and informed advocacy.