Shaping the Narrative: Key PR Strategies to Advance the Conversation on Mental Health
By Jen Peters
May is both Mental Health Awareness Month and Women’s Health Month, and the administration recently halted $1 billion in mental health grants for schools. As a former girl with now late-diagnosed ADHD, I would have benefited immensely from greater access to mental health interventions as a teenager. I can’t help but reflect on how much better my high school experience would have been if today’s school-based mental health programs had been available to me. I fear these cuts have the potential for major impacts on students who depend on school systems for access to mental health care, including girls who are already disproportionately affected by mental health issues.
In my current work with Collaborative Communications Group, our focus is on working with organizations across education and learning, from prenatal to early workforce. We're already hearing from partners how these cuts could negatively impact young people nationwide, particularly those who are overlooked or face barriers to accessing mental health care outside of school. In Minnesota, the ratio of school counselors is 1:1023, more than double the recommendation from the Minnesota School Psychologists Association. Due to the loss of grant funding, students in the local community could lose nearly 21,000 counseling hours that were previously provided by the University of Minnesota’s school psychology graduate students.
I entered this field because I believe in the power of communications to influence public perception and mobilize policy change for the benefit of real people. With shrinking newsrooms and rising misinformation, it's critical to highlight stories based on fact. As public relations professionals, especially as women, we’re positioned to shape narratives that support bold advocacy for essential resources. Our role is to elevate organizations and individuals addressing current challenges.
Clear, empathetic, and actionable messaging is more important than ever. Here are a few principles that can guide us in communicating about mental health in this current environment:
1. Never let a good stat go to waste, but use it with care.
Combine data with human stories, particularly from educators, parents, and students, but storytelling must be approached ethically. One of my clients was hit hard by recent budget cuts in a region with many immigrant families. While a parent's or student’s voice would have been powerful, the family we were in touch with expressed concern about attracting unwanted attention. No story is worth exploiting, creating, or worsening trauma. Be transparent about what you need so people have agency to decide how to participate. Work with the journalist to see what the options are. In my client’s case, we found a new angle to approach that didn’t put anyone in a position to feel unsafe. For those interested in responsible story facilitation, this blog from WWPR member Brenda Foster offers helpful guidance on consent, boundaries, and protecting storytellers’ well-being.
2. Speak the truth, but avoid hyper-partisanship.
Communicate the facts clearly, but focus your messaging on community impact rather than partisan blame. It can be tempting to lean into sensational rhetoric — especially when writing with SEO in mind— but values-based messaging that centers collective well-being resonates more deeply and sustainably. Aim for a tone that’s bold but grounded. The goal is to make people care, not to alienate them before they’ve finished reading. Earlier this year, I wrote this blog that explores how to navigate shifts in the education sector with a focus on clarity, empathy, and strategy.
3. Elevate coalitions and experts.
Across the country, coalitions of nonprofits, educators, mental health advocates, and people with lived experience are already leading powerful efforts. Find them and then follow their lead. Then use your PR skills to amplify their work, whether that’s sharing press kits, drafting op-eds, coordinating social campaigns, or equipping your networks with consistent, values-driven messaging. Prioritize spokesperson training to uplift diverse voices, especially those from communities directly impacted by these funding cuts.
4. Leveraging media to Amplify mental health initiatives.
PR professionals excel at connecting problems with solutions, and one of the most effective ways to demonstrate the value of mental health support is to pitch solution-oriented stories. Policy developments, like federal funding reversals or public hearings, serve as news hooks to highlight how schools and organizations are stepping up to fill the gaps and showcase resilience, creativity, and results.
We’re at a pivotal moment for mental health in the U.S. Misinformation is spreading, public trust is divided, and critical resources are being pulled back. In this environment, ethical and effective PR isn’t optional — it’s essential. Our communications work should move people from awareness to better understanding, and in some cases, action. If we want to protect and expand access to mental health care, especially in schools, we need to shape a public narrative that informs, empowers, and puts the voices of those most affected at the center.
