Wright State to host statewide mental health research summit focused on overlooked Ohio populations

Researchers, clinicians, community organizers, patients and families will gather at Wright State University on Sept. 28 to discuss how mental health research can better represent Ohioans whose experiences are often overlooked in traditional studies.

The State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience (SOAR) Community and Research Summit, hosted by Wright State’s Boonshoft School of Medicine, will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Atlantis Room in the Student Union.

The summit will bring together members of the statewide SOAR research initiative with community partners and representatives of populations that have historically been underrepresented in research, including individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities, people experiencing homelessness and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The theme, “Beyond the Usual Sample: Centering Overlooked Populations in Ohio Adversity and Resilience Research,” reflects the summit’s focus on expanding participation in mental health research and ensuring research questions address the needs of diverse communities.

“It is not enough to study underserved communities — we need to build research with them,” said Larrilyn Grant, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and director of the Division of Research at the Boonshoft School of Medicine. “Bringing researchers, clinicians, students, community organizations and people with lived experience together is an important step toward making mental health research more representative of Ohio as a whole.”

The State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience Study is a statewide research initiative examining why some people experience mental health challenges while others demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity. The long-term study aims to identify factors that can improve mental health prevention, treatment and outcomes for Ohioans and beyond.

Originally funded by a $20 million state grant, the study is led by Ohio State’s College of Medicine and the Wexner Medical Center. It includes 16 collaborating universities and healthcare systems around Ohio, including Wright State.

A statewide wellness survey reached approximately 15,000 Ohioans across all 88 counties, while the SOAR Brain Health Study involved around 1,600 families. The project is now conducting follow-up assessments to better understand how risk and resilience change over time.

The summit is an important milestone in Wright State’s involvement in the study. Since joining SOAR in 2024, the Boonshoft School of Medicine’s involvement has grown to include developing a more active research and community-engagement infrastructure at Wright State.

University researchers are working to connect investigators with SOAR data, develop new research questions, engage community partners and identify how the university can contribute its expertise in community psychiatry and traditionally underserved populations.

Medical students, residents and other trainees can get involved in research through data analysis and development of research questions, presentations and eventually manuscripts.

A key component of Wright State’s role is connecting SOAR researchers with community organizations and healthcare partners throughout the region.

“Wright State has longstanding relationships with community-based organizations and healthcare systems throughout the region,” Grant said. “That puts us in a strong position to connect academic research with the people and communities the research is ultimately intended to benefit.”

Hosting the summit at Wright State gives the Miami Valley an opportunity to help shape the future of the study by helping inform research priorities, recruitment opportunities and community engagement, Grant said.

“For our region, the value is not only in contributing participants to a statewide study,” she said. “We want the Dayton community to help determine which questions are asked, whose experiences are represented and how findings ultimately translate into better prevention, clinical care and community services.”

More information on the State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience (SOAR) study is available at soarstudies.org.