Podcast spotlights school-based mental health efforts across Ohio
The Ohio School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention launched a podcast that has grown to over 5,000 downloads in under three years
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Published
Podcast spotlights school-based mental health efforts across Ohio
The Ohio School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention launched a podcast that has grown to over 5,000 downloads in under three years
•
Published
The School Wellness podcast, created in September 2023, shares research-informed stories and experiences of school-based mental health initiatives in K-12 schools around Ohio.
Currently, the podcast is on its third season. Recent topics include empowering youth, integrating behavioral health in schools, best practices in Student Assistance Programs, and youth development. In upcoming episodes, educators and students will discuss additional initiatives and topics surrounding youth-led prevention in schools.
“The podcast allows educators, mental health providers, and community members to hear great examples of improving mental health in schools throughout Ohio and in some cases further,” said Glenna Edwards, senior project administrator for the Ohio School-Based Center of Excellence (SBCOE) and the podcast. “We emphasize that everyone has a role to play in school-based mental health, prevention, and early intervention.”
Guest speakers on the podcast include educators, school-based mental health providers, and students who will be featured later this season. Schools and practitioners have also been reaching out to the podcast team to be featured on episodes, which can be attributed to the podcast’s growth.
Edwards believes that the SBCOE team also benefits from hearing the stories people bring to the podcast. “It inspires us while we're inspiring other people,” she said.
Alongside working with the SBCOE, Edwards received her master’s in Social Work from Miami in spring 2025, and she attributes her Miami education to increasing her confidence and resolve in advocating for the importance of school-based mental health.
“Miami education both grounded me with more evidence-based knowledge and research-informed practices, while challenging me to be innovative,” she said.
Since its start in 2023, the podcast has grown to over 5,000 downloads as of last month, a milestone that means a great deal to the podcast team and the SBCOE. Edwards said it is a joy to work with podcast host Amanda Hampton, an Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist, as well as with the editing team and guests.
“This milestone means that the podcast is reaching our audience,” Edwards said. “We can highlight tools and resources that the School-Based Center of Excellence provides, which educators and mental health providers can utilize.”
Looking ahead, the podcast team hopes to use this milestone to motivate continued growth, both in Ohio and globally.
The podcast is available on the School Wellness Podcast website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and almost any podcast player app.
Established in 1809, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg.