Expanding a Mission to Support Children: The Kids Mental Health Foundation

In 2018, Nationwide Children’s Hospital created The On Our Sleeves® Movement for Children’s Mental Health to break stigmas around the topic of kids’ emotional well-being. Approximately 1 in 5 children have a significantly impairing mental health concern, and half of mental illness starts by the age of 14.

Nationwide Children’s has more than 1,000 staff members dedicated to behavioral health, and they wanted to make an impact not just for their patients, but for children around the United States. With their expertise, On Our Sleeves created content and resources that reached more than 15 million people – and became the leading organization promoting mental health for children in the United States.

On Our Sleeves evolved, too. It conducted research on the effect of children’s mental health in their parents’ workplaces and created educational materials for educators, caregivers and businesses. It partnered with other mental health providers and organizations.

“All of our efforts showed us how much more there was to do,” said Tim Robinson, CEO of Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “There’s an opportunity to support even more people.”

So, on April 23, Robinson and other Nationwide Children’s leaders announced the evolution of On Our Sleeves into The Kids Mental Health Foundation. The Foundation allows an expansion of On Our Sleeves’ original mission, and On Our Sleeves remains a signature Foundation program.

The Foundation will help promote the idea that children’s mental health should be viewed with the same seriousness as physical health, said Whitney Raglin Bignall, PhD, the associate clinical director of The Kids Mental Health Foundation. Parents know that a car seat can protect their children in a crash, or how to treat a skinned knee.

But they may not know how to help a child with anxiety or stress.

“Rather than feel powerless in moments of adversity, we can equip our children with skills to navigate it,” Dr. Bignall said during the Foundation’s announcement event. “We want to make sure they are mentally well, along with being physically well. All while helping adults build healthy, empathetic, communicative relationships with the kids in their lives, so no child ever feels alone.”

Dr. Bignall also revealed some new statistics from The Kids Mental Health Foundation as part of the announcement. A recent, Foundation-administered survey found that 70% of parents are concerned about their children’s mental health; and 38% are very concerned.

“Think of the tens of millions of parents our survey suggests are work or at home very worried about their children’s mental health,” Dr. Bignall said. “That’s why I’m here. That’s why the Kids Mental Health Foundation is here.”

As part of the announcement, The Kids Mental Health Foundation leaders announced plans to create a Clinical Advisory Council, expand its Teacher Kit Program, increase educational resources focused on primary care providers, and offer its Bloom curriculum for employers nationwide. The Foundation also plans to increase national community, education and health care partners.

To follow The Kids Mental Health Foundation and access resources to make a difference in the life of a child, visit KidsMentalHealthFoundation.org.