by: Andy Jesson, AOF Policy & Communications Intern
Mental illness, substance use disorder, suicide and accidental overdoses all remain serious barriers to the overall well-being of Ohioans in 2024. CDC data ranks Ohio 5th in the nation in aggregate drug overdose deaths and 7th in death rate. Additional research by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows the prevalence of depression/anxiety and suicide rates in Ohio are slightly higher than the national average, and have risen over recent years. Overall, an average of 19 Ohioans each day die from an accidental overdose or suicide. Governor DeWine has made tackling the issues of mental health and substance use key aspects of his administration’s objectives, and a monumental announcement last week demonstrates the state’s long-term commitment to bettering the behavioral health landscape throughout the state.
On January 19th, Governor DeWine and The Ohio State University announced the launch of a new study researching risk and resiliency factors behind mental health and substance use disorder among Ohioans. The SOAR (State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience) study begins with $20 million in funding from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and is being touted as the first study in the nation that will examine a statewide, multigenerational population in pursuit of improved outcomes regarding mental health and substance use.
The SOAR Study team is being led by Dr. K. Luan Phan, the Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Ohio State. When asked about the study, Dr. Phan said “SOAR is our effort to do for addiction, mental illness and mental health, what the Framingham Heart Study researchers did for heart disease and heart health.” The Framingham Heart Study was first launched in the late 1940s and is credited with uncovering many major heart disease risk factors.
The SOAR study is set to begin with two main projects completed simultaneously, the SOAR Wellness Discovery Survey and the SOAR Brain Health Study. The SOAR Wellness Discovery Survey is set to engage with as many as 15,000 Ohioans across the state to understand the breadth of mental health and substance use. Through the survey, researchers hope to identify risk factors as well as strengths and skills individuals use to overcome adversity. The SOAR Brain Health Study centers on depth, and will examine the biological, psychological, and social factors contributing to mental illness, substance use disorder, drug overdose, and suicide among Ohioans.
Due to its complex and encompassing nature, the SOAR study is expected to last at least a decade, if not longer. Though it is being led by researchers at The Ohio State University, universities across the state are working in collaboration with OSU to achieve the most comprehensive results possible. The end goal of SOAR is the creation of a roadmap to improve mental health and save lives. The official SOAR website can be found here.
Map of Universities Working in Collaboration on SOAR