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Mental Health and Well-being

We believe that every person deserves the opportunity to have good mental health.  


Good mental health is a platform for a full, healthy, productive life – and it matters at every stage of life. In the early years – even in infancy – children develop social and emotional capacities that last a lifetime. In adulthood, emotional well-being allows us to connect with family and friends, meet the challenges that life sends our way, and contribute to our workplaces, civic spaces, and communities. In adolescence – the period between 10 and 25 – young people’s sense of belonging, connection, and emotional well-being allows youth to learn, thrive, and grow into their identities and their place in our communities.


We asked community members who attended our Journey to Health Justice event in February 2023, What does mental health mean to you? Cincinnati artist Brandon Black created this piece from their responses.

Many factors influence mental health – and cause or compound mental health challenges and serious mental illness. At Interact for Health, we work with partners and grantees to catalyze safe and supportive spaces for youth – at school, home, and the community. And, Interact for Health is working with partners to convene a regional, cross-sector collaborative, to improve mental health systems with a ten-year strategy to make our region a leader in supporting the well-being of our young people.

This work is urgent and necessary. Nationally, one in five people experience mental illness, and 1 in 6 among youth aged 6-17 (1). Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-14 (1). One in 6 adults in the Greater Cincinnati region report that their mental health is not good on at least half of the days in the last month, which is slightly higher than the national average. (2) (3). People who identify as LGBTQ+, people living in poverty, young adults, and people living in rural communities are more likely to experience frequent mental distress due to a variety of factors such as discrimination, lack of access to appropriate services, or environmental stress (2). 

Interact for Health partnered with Cohear to facilitate a series of focus groups to get recommendations and input on what good mental health means from everyday experts in our community:

"When I think about having good mental health, it's staying... steady or constant through life's ups and downs... Having good coping mechanism with... the down... for me personally, the goal is for the downs to not be so down." -T, rural community focus group

"I think mental health is the basis of all health." -D, Black community focus group

"For me, being well is being comfortable where you are and how you are. Mental health is the same. Just being good with your family and with yourself and with your community." -LR, Latino community focus group

There are steps we can take to make this vision a reality and reverse the trend of widespread mental health challenges. Interact for Health is working with community partners on the following priorities:

  • Strengthening systems and supports for young people in schools, at home, and in communities, with youth leading the change.
  • Improving the behavioral health system through policy advocacy, which includes addressing the workforce shortage and investing in evidence-based prevention strategies.
  • Building a shared understanding that the most effective ways to improve health outcomes involves improving the conditions that influence mental health and well-being.

We know our region can lead the nation in creating a culture of well-being. We’ll get there through community-driven action, collective effort across many organizations, and changes in policies and systems.

To learn more about how and why we focus on mental health, click through to information about our strategic planning process.

To find out about possible grants, visit our Open Funding Page.

If you or someone you love is experiencing a mental health crisis, text or call 988. For other practical resources on promoting mental health, preventing substance misuse, or finding a mental health care provider, visit our Mental Health Resources page. 

For more information about our mental health work with young people in schools and communities, contact

Deanna Hillard, Program Manager Youth Mental Health

dhillard@interactforhealth.org

For more information about our work removing systemic barriers in mental health, contact

Lisa Myers, Senior Program Manager of Mental Health Systems

lmyers@interactforhealth.org

References: 

1 Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. 2021. SAMHSA. https://www.nami.org/mhstats

2 Interact for Health 2022 Community Health Status Survey. https://www.interactforhealth.org/upl/img/frequent_mental_distress_01-10-23.png

3 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. (2023). Frequent Mental Distress. Retrieved from https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/explore-health-rankings/county-health-rankings-model/health-outcomes/quality-of-life/frequent-mental-