Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. President at Ohio State University | Official website
Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. President at Ohio State University | Official website
The State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience (SOAR) Study has entered its next phase, now enrolling participants across western Ohio at Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center. This research initiative is led by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, aiming to uncover the root causes of persistent emotional distress, suicide, and drug overdose.
Inspired by the Framingham Heart Study, the SOAR Study will investigate mental illness, addiction, resilience, and mental wellness. It involves collaboration between government entities, academia, and the private sector in an innovative mental health research effort with two interconnected projects.
The Wellness Survey aims to assess the mental health of 15,000 Ohioans through an online survey across all 88 counties. Meanwhile, the Brain Health Study involves in-person visits using MRI scans with 1,200 families at various sites in Ohio.
“Mercy Health is proud to host SOAR at St. Rita’s Medical Center to further extend the reach of this important research among the western Ohio community,” stated Ronda Lehman, president of Mercy Health – Lima. “By supporting this important research, we hope that as an industry we can better understand the root causes of addiction and mental health challenges.”
The project is funded by a $20 million grant from The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS). The SOAR Mobile MRI unit based at Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima is currently enrolling participants aged 12 and older.
John J. Warner from the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center remarked on SOAR's transformative potential: “SOAR is taking a transformational step toward redesigning the future of mental health care to benefit all Ohioans.”
The study will explore various factors leading to or protecting against persistent distress and related issues like substance use and suicide. By examining family generations' patterns of risk and resilience transmission, investigators aim to help families "break the chain" associated with these risks.
Led by principal investigator K. Luan Phan from The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Heath in collaboration with state institutions including Northeast Ohio Medical University and other public universities in Ohio.
Alerts Sign-up