Most mental health funding and research goes to crisis response and substance use disorder treatment, not the root causes of mental health conditions. SOAR is the first study to examine biological, psychological and social factors of these issues in both individuals and within families, including children 12 and up.
The SOAR Study could lead to breakthroughs that will help us treat and prevent mental health disorders, creating healthier individuals across the globe.
Ohio is at the center of the opioid, substance use and mental health crises, witnessing some of the highest rates of overdose and suicide deaths in the country. Nearly 25% of Ohioans live with a mental health issue and 1 in 13 live with a substance use disorder.
Ohio’s 88 counties offer a unique cross section of social, economic, geographic, racial and ethnic diversity, including one of the most diverse immigrant populations in the United States. Also, thousands of active-duty military personnel, families and veterans live here. This offers us a chance to learn from various groups of people who might be impacted by mental health challenges.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, the Ohio Legislature and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services provided an initial round of funding of $20 million as well as challenged Ohio’s mental health researchers to find new ways to approach mental health prevention, treatment and resiliency.
Led by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine, partners across all four corners of the state will be participating in the project. Read more about the SOAR Study organizations.
In the initial phase of SOAR, two studies will run concurrently: the SOAR Wellness Discovery Survey and the SOAR Brain Health Study.
The online survey will take about 50-60 minutes to complete. You can take the survey on your phone or laptop and submit as needed. If completing the survey online is a challenge, there are options to participate over the phone.
The survey will touch on topics such as suicidal thoughts and behaviors, substance use, mental health challenges, and ongoing stress or distress. It will also ask about difficult or traumatic experiences in your life and positive experiences that helped you through them.
To collect data from Ohio family members, we’ll use brain scans, blood work and other tools that measure sleep and physical activity. For example, each participant will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to capture 3D images of the brain. MRI scans are painless, safe and don’t use radiation.
All collected information is kept confidential and will be securely stored.
SOAR has partnered with hospitals and academic collaborators across Ohio, both in urban and rural areas, to allow easier access for families to participate. A large mobile testing unit will also travel to various regions of the state that have historically been underserved, including the Appalachian region. We’ll post information on our website about where the mobile testing unit might be heading next.
Families will be kept informed through regular newsletters and this website for years to come. Results from the study will emerge as we combine the data across the estimated 15,000 wellness survey participants and the 1,200 families who will volunteer in the brain health study.
Yes, you and your family members will all be paid for time spent participating in the SOAR study.
You can find out more information by contacting us by email at SOARstudies@osumc.edu or by phone at 614-388-8223.