195 INDIVIDUALS 121 SERVICE PROVIDERS

NEARLY 75% OF PROVIDERS BELIEVE

the number of youth experiencing self-harm or suicidal thoughts has increased in the past 12 months.

Expert Panel

ABOUT 80% OF PROVIDERS

report an increase in youth substance use in the past 12 months.

In November, DMF and the Matto Foundation hosted a panel discussion to discuss the findings of the statewide Wellness Report survey and engage community members on both the challenges and solutions identified.

85% OF PROVIDERS

believe healthy electronic use among youth has decreased in the past 12 months.

Wellness Report Takeaways

The numbers above were consistent with the responses to a number of open-ended survey questions, where respondents were asked to summarize what they believe to be the root causes of the declining mental health status of adults and kids:

• Parenting • Family-structure issues • Device and social media use • Diet, exercise, and sleep

Panel Takeaways

• More community-wide parent education

• More events to meaningfully connect people

• Consider retention strategies for providers, not just recruitment

• Develop education on healthy technology use

• Educators are not trained to be mental health providers

• Re-activate churches and community groups

New Team Member

Whitney Isaacson joined the team this year as an outreach coordinator. She is supporting the DMF Mental Health, Matto Foundation, and Lend A Hand Up missions by facilitating engagement and educational opportunities. By spreading awareness of these initiatives, she serves an important role in establishing partnerships that will move them forward.

• The economy and state of the world

• Lack of community