www.wellbeingtrust.org | #BeWell, #BeHeard, #BeThere
Well Being Trust exists to advance the mental, social, and spiritual health of the nation.
WHY: Nearing the United States of America's 250th
birthday, the country is at a pivotal moment. Life
expectancy dropped again this past year, driven
primarily by deaths of despair—opioids, alcohol and
suicide. Some analyses suggest the country may be on
a "worst-case" trajectory, with deaths from these three
causes expected to double by 2025.
Behind these deaths are multiple deeply-rooted causes
fueling increasing rates of anxiety, depression, substance
misuse, and suicidal ideation. These include a pernicious
blend of social isolation, loneliness, hopelessness,
trauma, and shame — exacerbated by a lack of
economic opportunity, toxic stress, stigma around taboo
topics, and a vexing blend of opportunity-limiting socio-
cultural-environmental factors in our communities that,
all-too-often, thwart human flourishing.
Meaningfully addressing these "causes behind the
causes" calls all of us to lead from where we stand—
in our families, schools, businesses, neighborhoods,
care settings, places of worship, and in all of our halls
of democracy.
While the picture can appear to be bleak, at the
same time, across the nation, many communities
and regions are innovating to buck the trends and
demonstrating how to improve outcomes. Rural
and urban, conservative and progressive, coastal
and heartland—community "bright spots" are
lighting a wise path forward. Now is the time to
join forces to address the causes of loneliness and
despair at the roots.
This is the opportunity before us.
WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO,
AND WHY
8 | Well Being Trust | 2018 Annual Report
