Hopeful Empowered Youth (HEY!) launches 10-year strategy
Youth-led plan for mental wellness is the result of unprecedented regional collaboration
Hopeful Empowered Youth (HEY!) launched as an organization by sharing its Youth Mental Wellness Needs Assessment and its 10-year strategy to improve youth mental health in the Greater Cincinnati region.
The bi3 Fund fueled HEY! through $1.1 million in grants and worked with Interact for Health to rally other regional funders to commit to the effort, bringing a total of more than $5 million in support from all 13 contributing organizations. In addition to funding efforts, bi3 and Interact for Health dedicated hundreds of hours, leading the development and execution to get HEY! off the ground and positioned for future success.
The collaborative worked with community groups, healthcare providers, educators, policymakers, families, and—most importantly—youth and their families to form the strategy following several months of development and research.
Finding solutions: HEY!’s 10-year strategy
“We can’t apply the same old solutions and expect different results. Bringing diverse voices together to understand the problem better and then leaning into those with lived experience—in this case, youth voices—gives us the best opportunity to create a culture where our youth feel supported and can thrive well into the future.” – Jill Miller, bi3 President & CEO / HEY! Funder
In developing its 10-year strategy, HEY! took a unique approach, leaning into the region’s youth to help establish the solutions that will make the most impact. Working with a steering committee of community leaders, they hired youth fellows to serve as key decision-makers in every stage of the planning process. Working directly with youth leaders to develop programs, HEY! members inspire practice changes, build community momentum, and mobilize resources toward shared strategic priorities. The HEY! youth steering committee even led the development, and selected the name “HEY!” and its brand character.
“Actively involving youth in not only the planning, but the implementation, and then working together with these adults is amazing and inspiring. We’re going to prioritize mental health and work on erasing stigma.” — Quinn Merriss, HEY! Youth Fellow
Like many communities, Greater Cincinnati continues to face a youth mental health crisis. Earlier this year, HEY! conducted extensive research, completing a Greater Cincinnati Youth Mental Well-Being Collaborative Needs Assessment that engaged hundreds of key stakeholders. While the region is a national leader in youth behavioral healthcare, siloed funding, lack of insurance reimbursement, decreased social connections, and a shortage of access to clinical care continue to serve as barriers to youth and their families.
“Our vision is that the youth of Greater Cincinnati feel valued and supported by the community and have a say in changing the systems around them that enable them to thrive.” — Clare Zlatic Blankemeyer, HEY! Executive Director
What’s Next?
Over the next 10 years, HEY! aims to grow youth’s sense of belonging and agency, increase the number of trusted adults in youth’s lives, and improve youth behavioral health. Continuing to lean into youth voices, HEY! will develop specific tactics in the identified focus areas: schools, communities and caregivers, and treatment. The goal is for mental well-being to be a pillar of educational services, for youth to feel safe and supported in their communities, and for all youth to have access to evidence-based, holistic, and culturally responsive care when needed.
