Technology to shift perceptions on emotional wellbeing
Summary
In 2022 The Mental Health Coalition (MHC) committed to developing unique measurement strategies to test and learn how to positively impact people’s mental health in at least three key areas: BOPIC mental health, belonging and suicide prevention, youth and young adults. In partnership with Meta and NAMI, MHC seeks to indirectly impact 76 million people over the next year through social media messaging that positively impacts people’s emotional well-being and willingness to seek resources.
Approach
The Mental Health Coalition commits to using social media and technology to positively impact people’s emotional well-being and willingness to seek resources.
MCH has proven with our recent digital study the ability to change perceptions around mental health with a large audience (people ages 18-34) . The study also found that these learning are scalable. Through MHC’s long-standing partnership with Meta along with our group of expert advisors, MHC intends to develop unique measurement strategies to test and learn how to impact people’s mental health in at least three key areas over the next year.
MCH’s expert advisor includes Dr. Marc Brackett, Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, a pioneer in social emotional learning. The National Alliance for Mental Illness, a nonprofit committed to building better lives through education, support, and advocacy. In addition to support from one of the largest social media companies Meta, and a group of diverse creative agencies including Code 3 and Provoc. With this unique cross sector team MCH can build meaningfully digital programming that will change attitudes around mental health and drive users from across the country to mental health support.
MCH commits to take these learnings to key populations, test several different strategies of messaging and delivery methods and publish all of the results in a free and open framework that can be used for all to replicate.
Action Plan
MHC commits with its partners to test and learn in at least three key areas over the next year. The three key areas are: BIPOC mental health, belonging and suicide prevention initiative for youth and young adults.
Q4 2022
Publishing data findings from the pilot initiative in collaboration with META focused on BIPOC communities
Work with partners to design an initiative focused on increasing a sense of belong, giving young people tangible tips to foster connection, which is a proven preventative measure in reducing suicide
Q1 – Q2 2023
Alongside with NAMI launch a campaign that combines the messaging learnings from the initial pilot with additional components for users to take the next step for care
Q3 – Q4 – 2023
Summarize data and publish the results of the campaign with NAMI.
Finally, MHC hopes to take the results of the 4+ efforts to develop a framework for future impact that can be scalable and replicable amongst MHC’s 34 non-profit partners and beyond, driving lasting impact with youth.
Background
Mental health is a longstanding public health crisis confronting humanity. According to WHO 1 in 4 people globally will need mental health care in their lives, however, 4 in 4 live with it. Two thirds of people with mental health conditions never seek professional help and ‘live in the shadows’.
Youth today increasingly live their lives online, and technology can be used to bolster rather than hinder mental wellbeing. While the use of technology has a variety of substantial benefits, concerns have been raised regarding the negative influence of technology use, particularly social media, on the mental health of young people.
A 2018 Pew Research Center found that 97% of teens use a social media platform.
In partnership with Meta, the mental health coalition has set forth on a series of measurable messaging campaigns to help people aged 18-34 to recognize the symptoms of mental health, acknowledge its importance and seek culturally appropriate resources and care when necessary.
A recent digital study looking at the first part of this messaging work has shown that MHC’s content and resources has meaningfully changed how over 500,000 Americans felt about the importance of their mental health and their willingness to seek mental health support. The study specifically showed a controllable ability to increase people’s understanding of their emotional well-being and the importance of taking care of it. Secondly, it increases people’s willingness to seek vital resources for emotional wellbeing.
Progress Update
The Mental Health Coalition, (MHC) has made significant strides towards our core mission: to end the devastating stigma surrounding mental health and empowering access to resources for all.
The digital programs that MHC has focused on in 2022- 2023 include providing culturally relevant resources to BIPOC communities, fostering a sense of belonging in youth, and suicide prevention resources for young adults and parents of teens.
Through our diverse digital initiatives, in 2022 alone, we reached over 82 million people and measured a quantifiable shift in individuals’ perceptions of mental health. Thus far, MHC’s digital initiatives have changed nearly 2 million people’s beliefs about mental health for the better and increased their willingness to seek resources. MHC expects these numbers to grow when they receive the findings from their work focused on suicide prevention.
MHC plans to publish all of the results in a free and open framework that all can use to replicate. MHC hopes this report will be used by other mission driven organizations to build campaigns and programs that change stigma and attitudes toward mental health.
Partnership Opportunities
MHC is well positioned with our current partners and funding to implement the first part of this commitment related to multiple messaging initiatives with key partners across META platforms (FB & IG) , if we wanted to scale this work to other technology additional financial support would be required. Additional funding to help MHC implement an open framework of best practices and support to promote that information so as many organizations as possible is needed
While the organizations directly involved in the effort will receive media support and creative support, MHC believes these learnings can be used by all mental health organizations. Since MHC will be producing and publishing results in a free and open framework, learnings can be adapted by MHC partners as well as other organizations looking to build out digital initiatives. MHC will also have some demographic information available, which organizations can use to focus on specific communities.