Arcade Therapeutics Makes Anxiety-Relief Game Available to YMCA of Montclair Members in Support of Mental Illness Awareness Week and World Mental Health Day

Montclair, NJ, October 7, 2025 — Arcade Therapeutics announced today that YMCA of Montclair members will have access to its clinically validated, mobile casual game, StarStarter for Anxiety. The initiative coincides with Mental Illness Awareness Week (Oct. 5 – 11) and World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10), and highlights the company’s commitment to innovative approaches for expanding engagement of its mobile game through community organizations.

Information about StarStarter—available at no cost to YMCA of Montclair members for the next six months—will be made available as part of community wellness resources.

Anxiety impacts one in three Americans, yet half of those affected never seek treatment due to stigma, cost, or lack of access. By introducing resources like StarStarter in familiar, community settings, Arcade aims to lower barriers to care and provide community members with approachable, early-stage support that complements existing wellness programs. 

Developed using neuroscience and clinical research, StarStarter leverages a game-based approach to retrain subconscious responses linked to anxiety. In clinical trials, 90 percent of users experienced a reduction in symptoms, averaging a 33 percent improvement within just 30 days. 

“The time is now to think differently about how we approach mental health, to better engage with communities using digital tools,” said Raj Amin, Co-founder and CEO of Arcade Therapeutics, and member of the YMCA of Montclair. “We’re proud to partner with the YMCA of Montclair as a trusted whole health advocate to offer this new way for members to engage in mental health through a format that’s approachable, engaging, and evidence-based.”

For over 134 years, the YMCA of Montclair has been a trusted anchor for families across northern New Jersey, serving more than 14,000 members in 11 communities with programs that nurture youth, promote healthy living, and foster social connection. Beyond fitness, the Y is embracing a whole-person approach to wellness—creating accessible spaces where mental health support is normalized, stigma is reduced, and community members can connect to resources that help them thrive.

“When our Y community member Raj Amin approached us with an opportunity to offer access to the mental health tool his company developed, we felt this couldn’t come at a better time,” said Buddy Evans, President & CEO, YMCA of Montclair. “We believe in the importance of supporting all aspects of health, including mental health. In October, as we recognize both Mental Illness Awareness week and World Mental Health Day, we will be sharing information about this app which will be offered as a free benefit to YMCA of Montclair members for the next six months.”

About Arcade Therapeutics
Arcade Therapeutics is a digital mental health company dedicated to lowering barriers to early engagement in mental health using the power of therapeutic games. Arcade’s evidence-based approach to treatment is based on decades of research and 7 NIH-backed clinical studies, including a most recent study published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders. Additionally, Arcade was co-awarded a $3.8M NIMH grant with UT Austin to develop an upcoming game treatment for Major Depressive Disorder. Arcade has been named to the Digital Health NY 100 list in 2024 and 2025, and named a Tech for Global Good Laureate at The Tech Interactive Museum.

Media Contact for Arcade Therapeutics:
Mimi Fernandez, mimi@birdxbird.biz
(917) 428-1321

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