JED and SHEEO Convening Showcases System-Level Mental Health Innovations, Resilience, and Successes in Higher Education

Programming and conversations centered on policy innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and sustainable strategies to advance statewide initiatives protecting emotional health and preventing suicide in young adults

[April 29, 2025, Baltimore, Maryland] — The Jed Foundation (JED), a leading nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults nationwide, and the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO), with generous support from the Lumina Foundation, welcomed state higher education leaders, mental health experts, youth advocates, and funders for discussions on championing state and system-level mental health  innovations amid an evolving education policy landscape.

Held April 23-24 in Baltimore, the theme of the second SHEEO-JED convening was Building Resilience and Success: State and System-Level Mental Health Innovations with SHEEO & JED. The event included:

• Reflections from the SHEEO-JED Mental Health and Wellness Learning Community.
• Conversations about student mental health advocacy with state policy leaders from 15 states, including Arizona, Louisiana, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
• Sessions on sustainable funding models for mental health and wellness programs.
• State-level plans for scaling mental health policies.
• Remarks from keynote speaker Dr. Sanjay K. Rai, Secretary of Higher Education of the Maryland Higher Education Commission; Dr. Rob Anderson, President at SHEEO; John MacPhee, CEO at JED; Dr. John Lane, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Equity Initiatives at SHEEO; Dr. Zainab Okolo, Senior Vice President of Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations at JED; Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper, Vice President For Public Policy at the Lumina Foundation; and others.

Key takeaways and impactful moments from the two-day gathering included:

• Explorations into how different states are improving mental health support through programs on and off college campuses, highlighting scalable models for cross-sector collaboration.
• Examples of the strategic use of data to inform mental health program development and shape both state and federal policy amid an ever-evolving political environment.
• Actionable insights from funders on designing innovative mental health programs and partnerships emphasizing measurable outcomes, helping higher education institutions tell a broader story about student well-being extending beyond academic performance. 
• College student perspectives on mental health resources and interventions making a difference in student well-being and mental health.

“The Building Resilience and Success convening is an important opportunity for the states in our inaugural student mental health learning community to share practices and recommendations as they support institutions who can, in turn, support their students better,” said Dr. John Lane, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Equity Initiatives at SHEEO. “Well-being is a top factor students self-identify in the achievement of their goals, and we are grateful for the robust contributions from partnering organizations, researchers, and supporters to promote states’ work in this important area.”

The 2025 gathering of nearly 100 state policy leaders from across the country comes at a time when 35% of college students report having a diagnosis of anxiety and 27% are experiencing depression or other mood disorders. A new study from America’s Promise Alliance shows that 63% of young people suggest increasing the number of mental health providers in their school or university, an effort widely discussed during the SHEEO-JED convening. 

“It was truly inspiring to hear from other students about the cultures on their campuses and the incredible projects they’re leading, while also learning from the panelists about all that is being done to support mental health and student wellness,” said Georgetown University student Hannah Corwin. “As a student, it can sometimes feel like no one really cares, but this experience was eye-opening. It showed me there are so many people deeply invested in making policy changes to help make campuses safer and more supportive for students.”

“If we are serious about helping young people thrive, we must move beyond rhetoric to bold, systems-level policy change informed by the lived experiences of youth,” said Dr. Zainab Okolo, Senior Vice President of Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations at JED. “Translating today’s recommendations into actionable policy will not only strengthen emotional well-being across campuses, it will also create the conditions for students to succeed, lead, and contribute meaningfully to their communities — now and for generations to come.”

“States play a vital role in supporting youth mental health by investing in strategic policies and programs that prioritize early intervention, education, and community engagement,” said John MacPhee, CEO at JED. “Funding mental health services, training educators and community leaders, and promoting open conversations about emotional well-being can create a supportive environment that enables young people to navigate today’s challenges with hope.”

In 2023, JED partnered with SHEEO to pioneer the SHEEO-JED Mental Health and Wellness Learning Community. This initiative aimed to address the significant mental health needs of students by uniting state-level higher education leaders, practitioners, and stakeholders to focus on policy interventions that enhance college student well-being. The collaborative effort resulted in the publication of a report titled Building Momentum: Collaborative Solutions for State-Level Student Mental Health, which shared insights and initiatives from participating states, including Arizona, Louisiana, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

Learn more about the event and the learning community on the SHEEO project webpage.

To view more photos of the 2025 SHEEO-JED convening in Baltimore, Maryland, click here.

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About The Jed Foundation (JED)
JED is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. We’re partnering with high schools, colleges, and school districts to strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. We’re equipping teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other. We’re encouraging community awareness, understanding, and action for young adult mental health. 

Connect with JED: Email | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Snapchat | YouTube 

About SHEEO
The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) serves the chief executives of statewide governing, policy, and coordinating boards of postsecondary education and their staffs. Founded in 1954, SHEEO promotes an environment that values higher education and its role in ensuring the equitable education of all Americans, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic factors. Together with its members, SHEEO aims to achieve this vision by equipping state higher-education executive officers and their staffs with the tools to effectively advance the value of higher education, promoting public policies and academic practices that enable all Americans to achieve success in the 21st century, and serving as an advocate for state higher-education leadership. For more information, visit sheeo.org. 

Media Contacts
Justin Barbo
Director, Public Relations
The Jed Foundation
Justin@jedfoundation.org

Jessica Duren
Strategic Communications Director
State Higher Education Executive Officers Association
jduren@sheeo.org
(573) 291-9251