Strategic Plan
Approved January 16, 2019

The Context

Behavioral health problems in childhood and adolescence take a heavy toll over a lifetime, with significant impacts on rates of economic independence, morbidity, and mortality. Scientific evidence from the past 30 years shows that behavioral health problems can be prevented. The Coalition for the Promotion of Behavioral Health is an interdisciplinary group of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers committed to reducing behavioral health problems in young people. It is working to meet the goals of Unleashing the Power of Prevention, a report published by the National Academy of Medicine. Unleashing the Power of Prevention is also recognized as one of the 12 Grand Challenges for Social Work (Ensure Healthy Development for All Youth) set forth by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. The Coalition for the Promotion of Behavioral Health organizes and leads the activities described in this Strategic Plan.

Overarching Goals

The primary goals of the grand challenge to Ensure Healthy Development for All Youth and the Unleashing the Power of Prevention report are to: 1) reduce the incidence and prevalence of behavioral health problems in the population of young people from birth to age 24 by 20%; and 2) reduce racial, socioeconomic, and other disparities in behavioral health problems by 20%. These goals were initiated in 2016 and are to be met by 2026.

Specific Goals, Action Steps, and Strategies

Seven goals and corresponding action steps are necessary to reach the overarching goals of reducing the prevalence, incidence, and inequities of behavioral health problems by 20% by 2026.