WCPO 9 is searching for solutions.Good Morning Tri-State anchors Adrian Whitsett and Kristen Skovira on Tuesday moderated a discussion about mental health at Mason High School. Its a direct follow-up to our first two conversations about the issue of youth violence.Time and time again, the people directly impacted and working to curb youth violence told us at the heart of what was happening was trauma and mental health, the station wrote last month.Gathered in a round room at Mason High School, health professionals, advocates and young people identified some problems and potential solutions to the systemic issue. Northern Kentucky Mainspring Wellness senior clinician Kelly Jones, LPCC, said we need to look at mental health not as reactive but proactive.That sentiment was echoed by Interact for Health President and CEO Kate Schroeder, who said those closest to the problems are closest to the solution: We need to start by listening to youth because they are closest to this.Those comments kicked off a discussion about priorities around treatment for adults along with kids, transportation as a barrier for access to care and additional educational needs.Increasing the number of trusted adults is especially important for marginalized populations, Schroeder said.Dr. Kate Chard, UC professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience and director of PTSD programs at the Cincinnati Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, highlighted a need to treat parents along with children.If youre not asking the parent how theyre doing, youre going to miss the ability to have resources, she said.Despite their geographical locations, many of the groups in attendance agreed there was overlap in their goals and missions.Rashida Pearson-Watts, M.Ed, a certified trauma specialist at the Center for Healing the Hurt, said she feels like the inner city has the same barriers as the rural community.Collaboration is something Schroeder knows well, explaining how HEY! Cincinnati took several nonprofits to pool their vision and align on big ideas that needed to be tackled in the region.It's not always rocket science, said Patrice McDowell-Brown, executive director of the Preston Brown Foundation. Sometimes it just takes the effort and the community force behind it to get in where we can get in.Teens joined the conversation as well. Ella, a youth fellow at HEY! Cincinnati, shared a conversation that comes up often during her classes at Mason High School.An alive friend that is mad is better than like a friend who isnt around anymore, she said.Isaiah, representing the organization Found Village, talked about his mental health journey.My life started from psych hospitals to basically where Im at now, he said. All you got to do is just stay focused and basically use your keys in life. Now Im able to be in public without anxiety, bad anxiety. Im able to work and so much things that I thought I couldnt.WCPO 9 knows this is an issue impacting many of you at home. Regardless of where you live in the Tri-State, were not all that different.So lets collaborate. Reach out to us using the form below.