A new local initiative kicked off this fall with a comprehensive survey of middle and high school students aimed at strengthening the community’s ability to fight mental health issues among young residents.

About 70% of students participated in the survey, called the “2023 Student Well-Being Survey,” said Sarah Seppa, St. Luke’s Wood River director of community health and engagement. The results will be presented and discussed at a series of community meetings on Dec. 7 and 8 in Ketchum, Hailey and Carey. The public is invited to come together to strategize how to boost youth mental well-being.

The “Youth Behavioral Health Initiative” is a collaboration between the Blaine County School District, St. Luke’s Health System and Communities for Youth. It’s a prevention-focused effort “to build community capacity to recognize and address risk and protective factors in young people’s lives,” said Megan Smith, founding director of Communities for Youth and an associate professor for the Boise State University School of Public and Population Health.