Last updated: August 4, 2025

Please review this entire page carefully. Significant updates have been made to the USVI Mental Health Fund (the “Fund”), which now covers a wider range of treatment options. We have aimed to anticipate common questions and clarify procedures.

We have created a checklist to assist you and your mental health provider in preparing a treatment plan that meets all criteria for approval.  Please consult the checklist before applying to avoid delay.  The checklist can be found HERE. 

Summary of Important Changes to the USVI Mental Health Fund

Before beginning any treatment, please review the following:

• Advance Approval Is Required: The Fund will only pay or reimburse for services that have been approved in writing in advance.
• Prospective Only: The Fund does not cover prior expenses unless explicitly pre-approved.
• Provider Submission: Treatment plans must be submitted by a licensed mental health provider (“Provider”) and include diagnosis, frequency of visits, rates, and any recommended adjacent therapies.
• Multiple Plans Allowed: You may submit more than one plan (e.g., for different therapies), but each additional therapy must be approved in advance.
• Annual Cap: Each person may receive services valued at up to $50,000 USD per year (July 1 – June 30).  Payments in foreign currencies will be converted toward this limit.
• Expanded Treatment Options: If recommended by your treating therapist/Provider, the Fund may cover a variety of adjacent modalities (e.g., trauma-informed yoga, art/music therapy, equine-assisted therapy, educational/vocational programs, couples therapy, and select fertility-related services). These additional services will only be reviewed if recommended by your Provider and tied to your overall mental health plan.
• Changes Require Approval: Switching providers or modifying plans requires prior approval and a new treatment plan.
• Submission Processing Timeline: Applications that are submitted via the secure portal – https://secure.usvimentalhealthfund.com – before Sunday at 11:59 PM ET are received the following Monday. Processing may take up to three weeks.

Please remember until a treatment plan has been approved in writing, the Fund will not pay for any programming or reimburse you for past expenses. This is a prospective program that is intended to meet you current and future needs.

Fund Background

The Fund was created from a $75 million settlement in September 2023 between JPMorgan Chase (“JPM”) and the U.S. Virgin Islands (“GVI”), related to JPM’s alleged facilitation of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking activities. $10 million of this settlement is allocated for the Fund to support survivors with mental health care.

The Claims Administrator in both the JPM Class Action and the DB Class Action, Simone Lelchuk, is administering the Fund.

Who May Apply to the Fund

If you fall into one or more of the below categories, you are eligible to apply to the Fund:

• Participating Claimants of the settlement of Jane Doe 1 v. JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPM Class Action”)¹
• Participating Claimants of the settlement of Jane Doe 1 v. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, et al. (“DB Class Action”)²
• A Class Member of the JPM Class Action
• A Class Member of the DB Class Action
• A participant in the Epstein Victims' Compensation Fund

Application Process

The Claims Administrator is currently accepting applications to the Fund. Once an application is approved, the Claims Administrator will make payments for approved treatment plans per the below guidelines until June 30, 2028. You can find the necessary application form here. A PDF copy of the application is available here to assist you in gathering the required materials for your submission.

It is critical that all the items required are submitted for your application to be considered and approved. No treatment or modality will be reimbursed unless and until your application is complete and the Claims Administrator has given you written approval for all or part of your treatment plan. The failure to provide a W-9 from your Provider or complete payment instructions will delay approval of a treatment plan. Absent extenuating circumstances, no claims will be paid prior to approval and the Claims Administrator requires approximately three weeks to review your materials before deciding (including advising you if something is missing from the required list of items). Please note that the Claims Administrator only receives applications on Mondays and submissions, using the Application tab on the website, should be submitted before Sunday at 11:59PM ET to be received the following Monday.

Your application to the Fund must include:

• A signed letter on your Provider’s letterhead outlining:
  • General Diagnosis
  • Treatment period (e.g., 6 months, 1 year, etc.)
  • Frequency (e.g., number of sessions per week, per month, etc.)
  • Rate per session the Provider charges
  • Representation from the Provider that the rate being charged is the rate charged to other patients of the Provider’s practice.
  • Wire transfer instructions - for the Provider if payment will be made directly to the Provider, or for the applicant if the applicant will be reimbursed after proof of payment to the Provider. In both instances, the name of the financial institution, the address of the financial institution, the name of the account holder, the account number, and the routing number or SWIFT code must be provided.
  • Provider’s signed IRS Form W-9 (if US based)
  • Currency (US Dollars, Euros, Pound Sterling, etc.)
  • If applicable, recommended adjacent therapies and the associated providers.

Your Provider must supervise all adjacent modalities. Adjacent therapies must be specified in detail, with all relevant provider and payment information. For example, your Provider may write a treatment plan for you that recommends talk therapy X times per month and, by way of example, EMDR treatment as an adjacent modality. Your Provider must identify in the treatment plan the provider of these adjacent modalities and as part of your application you must include the same information as is required from the Provider regarding payment instructions, frequency of appointments, the rate charged, and that in the Provider’s professional opinion, this adjacent modality is appropriate for the applicant. Alternatively, you may submit multiple complementary treatment plans for consideration by the Claims Administrator.

The Claims Administrator understands that individual needs may change over time and that treatment plans will evolve. The Claims Administrator encourages both applicants and Providers to put forth a treatment plan that can be realistically met and considers contingencies like vacations, emergencies, and holidays. It is preferable that sessions are recommended as X times per month as this provides the utmost flexibility and will avoid non-payment for non-compliance with an approved treatment plan.

Please note, that the treatment plan may be amended subject to the Claims Administrator’s approval. While your treatment plan may recommend services that cover a period beyond June 30, 2028, the Fund will only pay for treatment as approved through June 30, 2028 (the current expiration date of the Fund).

The Claim Administrator understands that engaging with a new provider about direct payment from a Qualified Settlement Fund created to provide mental health benefits for the victim/survivors of Jeffrey Epstein may be awkward and involve more disclosure than you are comfortable with at the beginning of a professional relationship. To address this issue, the Claims Administrator will reimburse victim/survivors with approved treatment plans directly if the invoice is first paid by the applicant.  Once you have an established relationship with a Provider, the Fund can then reimburse the Provider directly.

If you are establishing a new relationship with a Provider, the Fund will reimburse you for your initial visit with the Provider once a treatment plan is approved. The Claims Administrator recognizes that a victim/survivor may not feel that a Provider is a good fit and therefore will consider reimbursement for a second consultation with a new Provider if this is explained in the application.

Payment Details

• Payments are made monthly by wire transfer (to the Provider or applicant). If invoices are submitted more frequently, the invoices will be held until the end of the current month.
• Submit payment requests after the first of each month for the prior month’s services.
• You must confirm services were received / provided.  Missed or cancelled appointments will not be reimbursed.
• Payments are processed on a rolling basis, typically handled weekly.
• The Fund cannot reimburse you for services rendered or programming paid for prior to approval of a treatment plan.

Additional Information

• Email is not secure; only use the secure portal for submissions. We value your privacy, and we will delete any emails received and redirect you to submit via the portal.
• Treatment plans can evolve. The Administrator encourages realistic, flexible plans.
• Treatment beyond June 30, 2028, may be included in plans, but only services through that date will be funded.
• There is a three (3) week approval period and approval is not guaranteed. Plan for any programming with deadlines.

Newly Covered Adjacent Modalities (Effective July 1, 2025)

The expansion of the types of treatment covered by the Fund is in direct response to the comments received from all of you (thank you!).

The below is not an exhaustive list and is merely an example of adjacent modalities, if you have questions about additional modalities, please reach out to the Claims Administrator.

Any of the below, or other adjacent modalities, must be recommended by your treating Provider and paired with at least monthly traditional talk therapy.

Please do not submit applications piecemeal as this will delay approval. Gather all required materials and submit the entire application at once.

All the below in addition to talk therapy is limited to the annual $50,000 USD cap.

1. Educational Programs: Tuition, seminars, coaching, etc.
   1. Including up to three (3) application fees and course supplies.
   2. All tuition must be paid directly to the educational institution and will be paid on a semester or quarterly basis; ancillary expenses will be reimbursed directly upon proof of payment.
   3. The Fund will require confirmation that a course or program has been completed prior to disbursing funds for the following academic term.
   4. Your Provider should identify the name of the program recommended or the degree sought in the treatment plan with likely educational institutions and the cost per semester, quarter, or credit, as applicable.
2. Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy: Must involve licensed mental health professional and equine specialist.
   1. Your Provider should identify the recommended program and provider in the treatment plan and the application must include all required materials regarding credentials, payment instructions, W-9, rate per session, and confirmation that the rate charged is the same rate charged other clients of the practice.
   2. General riding lessons or general riding sessions do not meet these criteria.
3. Music Therapy: Supervised by licensed mental health professional certified in music therapy.
   1. Your Provider should identify the recommended program and provider in the treatment plan and the application must include all required materials regarding credentials, payment instructions, W-9, rate per session, and confirmation that the rate charged is the same rate charged other clients of the practice.
   2. General music lessons do not meet these criteria.
4. Art Therapy: Supervised by licensed mental health professional certified in art therapy.
   1. Your Provider should identify the recommended program and provider in the treatment plan and the application must include all required materials regarding credentials, payment instructions, W-9, rate per session, and confirmation that the rate charged is the same rate charged other clients of the practice.
5. Trauma-Informed Yoga: Must be supervised by a certified trauma-informed yoga teacher.
   1. Your Provider should identify the recommended program and provider in the treatment plan and the application must include all required materials regarding credentials, payment instructions, W-9, rate per session, and confirmation that the rate charged is the same rate charged other clients of the practice.
   2. Individual yoga classes, gym memberships, personal training, barre or ballet classes, or any other gym-based programming do not meet these criteria.
6. Prescribed Supplements/Compounded Medications:
   1. Must be FDA-approved and prescribed by a medical doctor (not a licensed mental health professional who is not a medical doctor) for a mental health related issue. The application must include all required materials regarding credentials, payment instructions, W-9, rate per session, and confirmation that the rate charged is the same rate charged other clients of the practice.
7. Family/Couples Therapy: Must involve the applicant in every session.
   1. Your Provider should identify the recommended program and provider in the treatment plan and the application must include all required materials regarding credentials, payment instructions, W-9, rate per session, and confirmation that the rate charged is the same rate charged other clients of the practice.
   2. Individual sessions for family members do not meet these criteria.

Contact & Resources

• Application & Instructions:  available on this website – https://www.usvimentalhealthfund.com
• PDF Application
• Contact Claims Administrator:
  • Simone Lelchuk — simone@simonelelchuk.com
  • Elise Frejka (Counsel) — efrejka@frejka.com | (212) 641-0848

¹All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the JPM Class Action Stipulation of Settlement.
²All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the DB Class Action Stipulation of Settlement.