In the wake of several tragic losses in recent months, more than fifty music industry professionals have banded together to launch an industry-wide mental health support initiative, Backline.

Backline is a hub for artists, industry professionals and their families to quickly and easily access mental health and wellness resources. Backline has partnered with leading support organizations and care providers to streamline access to services specifically geared towards the music industry including Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, Anders Osborne’s Send Me a Friend, VA Way, and more.

Backline’s creation was supported by industry professionals including Ben Baruch (11E1even Group), Nadia Prescher (Madison House), Joshua Knight (Paradigm Agency), Jay Sweet (Newport Folk Festival), and Peter Shapiro (Brooklyn Bowl).

The Backline site launches today at www.backline.care. The website will start as a referral-based system where professionals will assess visitors’ needs and lead them to appropriate resources. Backline’s goal is to provide a network of on-demand mental health services available at no (or low) cost for industry professionals, with a focus on addressing the unique challenges and stresses of our space.

Related: Opinion – How To Survive Life As A Touring Musician

Notes Hilary Gleason, CEO of Level, the convening body behind Backline, “There are wonderful organizations who have been doing great work to support the health and wellness of the music industry. What we saw was a gap in making these resources easily accessible. Mental health treatment is not one-size-fits-all, so it is our hope that by bringing these organizations together in one place, and providing case managers to guide visitors through the resources, we can make it simple to get the help you need.”

In the coming weeks, Backline’s educational materials and trained professionals will make their way into tour buses, green rooms, backstage areas, and beyond to begin the process of connecting musicians and touring professionals with the mental health resources they need.

Related: Anders Osborne Is Helping Musicians In Recovery With “Send Me A Friend” Charity [Interview]

Stay tuned for more information, artist testimonials, and other mental health-related content in the coming weeks on Live For Live Music courtesy of our friends at Backline. Until then, head over to the new Backline website to learn more about this important new initiative. You can also follow Backline on Facebook here and on Instagram here.