The Challenge
Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. adults experienced a mental illness in the past year, yet nearly half did not receive treatment. While awareness of mental health has grown, too many people still struggle to take the first step because knowing where to start often feels overwhelming or unclear, or they fear judgment.
The Campaign
Mental health care begins with knowing where to turn. The APA Foundation's bilingual video campaign, Mental Health Care Works, connects individuals and caregivers with trusted expereinces, credible information, practical resources, and pathways to professional support—making care more accessible and easier to navigate.
The Strategy
Video storytelling is the cornerstone of the campaign. Each campaign centers on a carefully developed persona that reflects the real experiences of individuals and caregivers facing mental health challenges. These authentic stories are brought to life through bilingual PSAs designed to reduce stigma, build trust, and inspire viewers to seek professional care. Each persona is then supported by coordinated digital and social advertising using complementary static creative, while strategic media relations and national media tours amplify campaign messages through broadcast, print, radio, and online news coverage. Together, this integrated approach reinforces key messages across multiple touchpoints, expands reach, and drives audiences to MentalHealthCareWorks.org for trusted resources and pathways to care.
The Reach
Over its four-year run, the campaign's integrated video, digital, and earned media strategy has generated exceptional reach and engagement. The bilingual PSA series has been widely distributed by national and local broadcasters, including CBS, CNN, Cooking Channel, Food Network, and Travel Channel. To date, the PSAs have aired more than 350,000 times, generating more than 826 million audience impressions and over $37 million in donated media value. Print PSAs have also appeared in publications including the Chicago Tribune, Forbes, Sports Illustrated, SI Kids, and TIME Magazine International.
Targeted digital advertising and strategic media outreach, including national media tours, have generated more than 25 million additional earned media impressions. Together, these efforts have delivered more than 1.25 billion campaign impressions.
The Impact
The campaign continues to demonstrate meaningful progress in influencing help-seeking behaviors and improving confidence in accessing mental health care. Survey findings show that individuals exposed to campaign messaging are more likely to consider seeking professional support, initiate conversations about their mental health with a primary care provider, and report knowing where to find mental health resources.
These gains are especially pronounced in markets with sustained campaign activity. In Boston and Houston, nearly 75% of adults said they would seek professional mental health care if they were struggling, and one in four expressed complete confidence that they would take that step.
These findings reinforce the campaign's ability to move audiences beyond awareness and toward action by reducing uncertainty and increasing confidence in seeking care.