How Ohana Is Revolutionizing Mental Health By Helping Parents And Kids Build Resilience

A first-of-its-kind program, Ohana was created by nationally renowned youth mental health leaders, and is staffed by experienced and compassionate mental health professionals. | Ohana

What if we thought about mental health the way we think about physical fitness? Not just as the absence of illness, but as a proactive, daily practice—a skill set that can be cultivated. Dr. Susan Swick is leading this charge with Ohana, a groundbreaking initiative in Monterey County, California, aimed at revolutionizing youth mental health through prevention, early intervention, and community education.

Backed by a $105.8 million philanthropic gift from Bertie Bialek Elliot, Ohana isn’t just another mental health center. It’s a movement built on the principle that resilience can be developed, that early childhood experiences shape lifelong mental well-being, and that parents play a pivotal role in fostering mental fitness. The name “Ohana”—Hawaiian for ‘family’—emphasizes the interconnectedness of support systems, reinforcing the idea that no one navigates mental health alone. 

In fact, Elliot made naming the center “Ohana” the only condition of her transformative gift. As she explained: “Young people who are facing emotional and mental challenges, they can’t do it alone. Families can’t do it alone. Even the wonderful staff can’t do it alone. It takes a community — and that’s why I suggested ‘Ohana.’ And I’m so happy and proud to be part of this bigger effort.” Bertie’s vision for Ohana is rooted in prevention: “If you can help young people early, rather than waiting to rescue them later, how great is that?”

The Crisis We Can’t Ignore
The statistics are sobering:

• 50% of lifetime psychiatric illnesses manifest by age 15, and 75% by age 24.

• Over the past 15 years, rates of anxiety and depression among 12- to 24-year-olds have surged by 50%.

• Early intervention can dramatically alter outcomes, potentially preventing or even curing youth mental illness.

Yet, in a world prioritizing academic success and digital connectivity, foundational mental health skills remain overlooked. Ohana reframes resilience as an essential life skill—one that should be taught as widely as swimming or dental hygiene.

Building Mental Fitness: A Paradigm Shift
Dr. Swick’s approach challenges conventional thinking on adversity and overprotection.
"Kids need to face age-appropriate challenges to build resilience," she explains. "Boredom, frustration, and even small failures help develop coping mechanisms that prepare us for the big challenges that are a part of every life. When we shield our children instead of supporting them, we deny them the chance to grow."

The Ohana model offers parents and educators free tools, both online and in person, to guide children through challenges, fostering grit and emotional agility rather than stepping in to rescue them.

The Critical Window: Early Childhood Attunement
One of Dr. Swick’s most transformative insights is the impact of early parent-child interactions, particularly in the first three months of life.
"Parent-infant attunement during this window is more predictive of adolescent mental health outcomes than even later trauma," she notes. "This is the critical foundation upon which resilience is built."

By equipping new parents with research-backed strategies for fostering healthy attachment, Ohana aims to set children up for success before challenges arise.

Dr. Susan Swick | Ohana

Resilience: The Science Behind Strength
Research supports the notion that some adversity is necessary for psychological development. Resilience follows a U-shaped curve—too little hardship hinders growth, but too much can be overwhelming. According to Dr. Swick, the key lies in perception:

• Can we bear reality as it is?

• Can we maintain perspective in the face of hardship?

• Do we have a sense of purpose that helps us transcend difficult experiences?

Teaching children these skills early may hold the key to reversing the rising tide of youth mental illness.

Ohana campus

Scaling Mental Fitness for a Wider Impact
Ohana’s vision extends beyond Monterey County. Dr. Swick envisions a scalable curriculum for parents—one that can be adopted by communities, schools, and organizations worldwide."We need to think of mental health education as an essential skill for all parents, like CPR, but even more widely applicable," she says.

Potential pathways include an open-source platform, partnerships with mental health organizations, and widespread distribution of evidence-based parenting tools.

A Call to Action: Bending the Curve on Mental Illness
With youth mental health issues escalating, the opportunity to "bend the curve" through early intervention and resilience-building is more critical than ever. Dr. Swick and her team are on a mission to transform how we approach mental fitness. The question now is: how do we scale this impact? How do we ensure every parent has access to the knowledge that could change the trajectory of their child’s life?

Interested partners should reach out to them because the time to act is now. Because in the end, mental health isn’t just about responding to crises—it’s about preventing them. And that starts with building resilience, one child at a time.