Maria Fernanda Resende Quartiero

Maria Fernanda addresses the social stigma surrounding mental health through data‑driven systemic solutions and effective communication, sharing knowledge and fostering inclusive dialogue across communities throughout Brazil.

Mental health is a growing global concern, and Maria Fernanda believes Brazil faces a particularly deep and widespread burden. Motivated by inadequate infrastructure and cultural taboos surrounding the subject, she founded Instituto Cactus (IC), grounded in the conviction that mental health forms the basis of the human experience. The balanced management of emotions—both positive and negative—reveals mental resilience as an essential pillar of human well‑being.

Despite the global momentum around mental health, conversations in Brazil remain scarce, overly technical, and conceptually broad, rendering information inaccessible to the general public and reinforcing a culture of avoidance. Instituto Cactus seeks to break these barriers by adopting an integrated approach that engages public, private, and social sectors, opening mental health dialogue to society at large. The organization is pioneering access to mental health resources in Brazil, working to normalize the topic and encourage all sectors to take proactive initiative—ultimately motivating more people to seek help.

IC’s work is strongly guided by data analysis aimed at identifying the root causes of limited access. Through large‑scale data collection, the organization identified two priority groups that are disproportionately affected: women and young people, especially within school environments. Without restricting itself to these groups, IC prioritizes equity in access to information and services while embracing a holistic approach to strengthening Brazil’s mental health ecosystem as a whole.

IC operates through four core pillars: strategic philanthropy, advocacy, communication, and consulting. Within advocacy, it employs both a top‑down strategy—supporting legislators in designing laws and influencing national mental health policy—and a bottom‑up strategy—providing tools and data to strengthen mental health management within the Unified Health System (SUS). Maria Fernanda’s contributions include mapping mental health practices in schools and supporting the development of Law 14.819/2024, which established the National Policy for Psychosocial Care in School Communities.

Beyond advocacy, IC invests in broad public‑facing communication efforts. Through digital channels and initiatives like the webcast “Mental Health is for Everyone,” the organization promotes accessible and educational discussions aimed at eliminating stigma and expanding engagement. In 2023, IC co‑created a new Youth Mental Health category within the prestigious Prêmio Espírito Público (Public Spirit Award), highlighting innovative public initiatives and promoting knowledge exchange.

Maria Fernanda’s work stands apart from traditional mental health initiatives by embracing a model of “new philanthropy,” combining conventional giving with an entrepreneurial mindset to address systemic social inequalities. Instead of operating clinical services, IC strategically invests philanthropic capital in preventative measures and the production of accessible information, addressing systemic failures in Brazil’s mental health infrastructure. Alongside influencing public policy and combating stigma, the Institute financially supports organizations across the country, strengthening a nationwide network of mental health initiatives. Continuous cooperation with public and private sectors ensures exponential, measurable impact.

To support decision‑making that leads to structural change, Maria Fernanda established an advisory board that guides IC’s strategic direction and assesses risks of new projects. Her future goals include expanding fundraising efforts, monetizing strategic data products, and enabling national and international expansion. Since its founding in 2019, IC has positioned Maria Fernanda as a trusted and influential voice in mental health, especially in support systems for women and young people.

Mental well‑being is shaped not only by psychological and emotional factors but also by essential conditions such as physical health, social support networks, and living environments. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as a state in which individuals recognize their abilities, cope with normal life stress, work productively, and contribute to their communities—more than the mere absence of illness.

Mental health challenges have grown into a global public health crisis: an estimated 25% of the world’s population will experience a mental disorder in their lifetime (WHO). Increased exposure to social media, long working hours, and modern social pressures have further burdened mental well‑being. Lack of infrastructure, insufficient public funding, enduring stigma, and persistent prejudice exacerbate the problem.

Women are disproportionately affected. According to Brazil’s Ministry of Social Security (2024), nearly half a million work‑leave requests due to mental health issues were filed in 2024—Brazil’s highest number in a decade. Similarly, young people are increasingly vulnerable due to limited mental health education, insufficient infrastructure, and dependence on government policies to ensure accessible psychological services in schools and communities. Rising exposure to social media and intense social pressures heighten risks of self‑harm, depression, and suicide (KidsRights & Erasmus University Rotterdam, 2025).

Brazil’s Education Census (Inep) shows that only 15% of public schools offer psychological support. Lacking these essential services, adolescents face significant challenges in emotional, social, and cognitive development. These barriers hinder academic success, healthy social relationships, and overall well‑being. UNICEF Brazil estimates that one in six adolescents aged 10–19 experiences a mental disorder, contributing to school disengagement, dropout rates, and social isolation—factors that reduce access to higher education and complicate the transition to adult responsibilities.

Teachers are also deeply affected. In 2024, 3.5 million leave‑of‑absence requests were made by educators; 472,000 were approved due to mental health concerns—representing a 68% increase compared to 2023 (INSS). These indicators highlight the urgent need for targeted mental health investment.

Stigma and lack of open dialogue across essential sectors—such as schools, private companies, and government institutions—further restrict progress. Discussions remain confined to mental health professionals, excluding those in need and limiting care to severe or crisis‑level cases.

Maria Fernanda founded Instituto Cactus to foster a collaborative community in which diverse perspectives come together to address the systemic challenges of mental health in Brazil. IC partners with aligned institutions, organizations, and leading experts to develop targeted projects for implementation across both public and private sectors. Its work has advanced significantly by operating within four main domains: strategic philanthropy, advocacy, communication, and consulting.

Throughout its operations, Instituto Cactus identified a lack of up‑to‑date and consistent information on mental health in Brazil—an obstacle to understanding the reality experienced by the population and developing effective responses. To address this gap, IC, in partnership with AtlasIntel, led the creation of the Mental Health Panorama, a continuous monitoring tool designed to periodically collect data on the mental health of Brazilians. The methodology was overseen by a specialized Scientific Committee, ensuring the use of internationally validated questionnaires adapted to the national context and producing robust, culturally sensitive data. The Panorama raises awareness, combats stigma, supports academic production, promotes innovation, and contributes to the development of more effective public policies.

Within this initiative, IC developed the Atlas Mental Health Index (iCASM), a pioneering indicator that measures and monitors the mental health of Brazilians aged 16 and older. Data collected in 2024 established a solid baseline for future comparisons, strengthening continuous monitoring and enabling the identification of trends, assessment of impacts, and more precise decision‑making. The Panorama helped shape public discussions, identify youth risk factors, and influence institutional and policy approaches.

IC also expanded its role in innovative national initiatives, notably the nationwide scale‑up of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Promotion Panel, developed with Vital Strategies. The Panel supports public administrators in formulating effective policies for children and adolescents by integrating public data from health, education, public safety, and social assistance. Using 29 indicators, it produced the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Promotion Index (IPSM), which identifies the most vulnerable territories and guides evidence‑based policy decisions. After a pilot in Fortaleza in 2022, the initiative expanded nationally between 2023 and 2024 with support from RD (RaiaDrogasil). Widely publicized in the media and at technical events, the Panel has positioned itself as a strategic tool for addressing mental health challenges in Brazil.

By using integrated data to guide preventative mental health policies, a shift occurs from reactive treatment to proactive care, ensuring that resources reach the most vulnerable communities. Interactive dashboards promote transparency, accessibility, and accountability, enabling more equitable resource allocation and supporting the well‑being of at‑risk groups. A new data lake was also developed to integrate public data sources, enabling more robust analyses and strengthening institutional accountability.

Awareness campaigns and public communication are central to IC’s work. Through its social media channels, IC mobilizes civil society and policymakers around the importance of mental health prevention and promotion, aiming not only to inform but also to educate. A key initiative is the webcast “Mental Health Is for Everyone,” which promotes accessible discussions using clear language and straightforward concepts. Experts share personal stories and explore themes such as workplace well‑being, diversity, and public policy. The episodes have gained thousands of views, fostering collaboration with experts and organizations and expanding IC’s network. By making complex topics more approachable, the webcast supports engagement from diverse audiences.

IC also partnered with the organization Vamos to co‑create a new Adolescent Mental Health category for the Prêmio Espírito Público, reaffirming the Institute’s commitment to strengthening initiatives for this age group. The category highlights innovative projects that address the complexity of adolescent mental health and promote effective preventative solutions.

IC also works directly with young people. In 2024, it created the Instituto Cactus Youth Committee, a pioneering initiative to bring youth perspectives into central mental health discussions. The committee is composed of 16 young people from across Brazil who contribute to campaigns, projects, and content. For 2025, the committee plans to expand its geographic and thematic representation, strengthen youth‑led activities, and increase content production on TikTok and YouTube.

Recognizing mental health as a multifaceted issue, IC established an advisory board to ensure that decisions and initiatives are supported by a wide range of perspectives. This expertise helps consolidate a strong foundation for future initiatives and promotes meaningful dialogue across public, private, and academic sectors.

Finally, in advocacy, IC advances mental health awareness and preventative measures through top‑down and bottom‑up approaches. The top‑down approach involves supporting national lawmakers in developing mental health policies, participating in public hearings, informing the media, mobilizing civil society, providing data for policymakers, and monitoring the progress of mental health legislation. The bottom‑up approach focuses on improving existing public policies by offering tools, indicators, and local data to municipal and state governments to support mental health management within SUS. One major result is Law 14.819/2024, which established a national policy for psychosocial care in schools. With more than 47 million students enrolled in basic education across Brazil, this law ensures that schools are prepared to provide early psychological support, promote preventative care, and adopt structured mechanisms to identify and address mental health challenges.

This achievement reinforces the importance of building school environments equipped to address emotional and behavioral needs. Mental health has increasingly become a central topic in legislative, academic, and media discussions, reducing stigma and strengthening public debate. IC has also produced educational and technical materials for managers and civil society to promote intersectoral policies and concrete actions for mental health care.

Maria Fernanda was born in Minas Gerais as the eldest of three siblings and grew up in a loving family. Her father’s work required the family to move frequently, leading her to live briefly in Rio de Janeiro before moving to São Paulo at age ten. Raised in a religious environment, she listened attentively to stories her grandmother shared about social‑aid initiatives within the Catholic Church. These stories inspired her desire to compassionately and effectively meet the needs of vulnerable communities.

Throughout her life, Maria Fernanda supported social projects that offered immediate assistance and visible results. Over time, she became aware of deeper systemic issues, awakening a determination to address root causes and create lasting change. Through her research, she recognized mental health as a vital yet underexplored field in Brazil—essential for collective well‑being. Her nephew’s disability and the institute her sister founded to support him shaped her perspective further, highlighting the lack of supportive environments for healthy and resilient development.

Inspired by the women she admired and influenced by her role as a mother, Maria Fernanda realized that mental health discussions were absent in school environments. She took on a new challenge: researching and compiling data to build a comprehensive understanding of the issue. Frustratingly, data was scarce, restricted, and neglected. From this gap, Instituto Cactus was born.

With her husband’s support, Maria Fernanda formalized the initiative. Today, she faces a new challenge: the rise in mental illness cases driven by social isolation and excessive technology use. These trends highlight the urgent need for inclusive and comprehensive efforts to promote mental health and build accessible awareness around the essential role of psychological care. Instituto Cactus’s work has become crucial in this context. Through innovative approaches, multisectoral dialogue, and data‑driven initiatives, Maria Fernanda positioned IC as a catalyst for change, promoting a more empathetic and less stigmatized narrative around mental health.

The dedication and unity of the Instituto Cactus team have led to significant advancements in how mental health is understood in Brazil. Through educational activities, the Institute encourages individuals to take ownership of their stories. Today, Maria Fernanda and her team have become a national reference in the field.