The Kids Mental Health Foundation Launches WhatsApp Channel for Spanish-Speaking Community

COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 9, 2025) – The Kids Mental Health Foundation has launched a WhatsApp channel (La Fundacion para la Salud Mental los Niños) to share children’s mental health resources every week with Spanish-speaking parents and caregivers.

The free resources on the channel, which are culturally adapted, focus on strategies and tips that promote kids’ mental health and wellness.

“We are one of the first U.S. mental health organizations using WhatsApp to reach the Spanish-speaking community,” said Dr. Ariana Hoet, executive clinical director of The Kids Mental Health Foundation, founded by the behavioral health professionals at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “The Latine community lacks access to evidence-informed resources that are linguistically and culturally adapted for them. We want to reach Latine parents to empower them to learn new skills and strategies to support all children as they grow.”

This is part of The Kids Mental Health Foundation’s new initiative — Kids Mental Health Starts With Us — to empower adults across the United States to support children’s mental health and wellness with confidence. Parents, caregivers, grandparents, educators, coaches and community members all play a crucial role in helping kids build mental wellness and resilience before mental health concerns arise. The Kids Mental Health Foundation provides free, expert-created mental health resources to all U.S. communities to build a world where mental health is a vital part of the upbringing of every child.

Currently, The Kids Mental Health Foundation sends a weekly email to its subscribers in English highlighting its newest evidence-based resources. However, the Foundation noticed a need to help educate its Spanish-speaking parents and caregivers. According to the Pew Research Center, WhatsApp has over two billion active users, and 54% of Hispanic adults in the U.S. use WhatsApp. 

The goal of the channel, says Dr. Hoet, is to meet Spanish-speakers where they are with tools they use regularly. In addition, resources can be forwarded easily to others on WhatsApp, helping expand the reach.

The channel also reflects a passion project for Dr. Hoet, whose family immigrated to the United States from Venezuela.

“The Latine community has such unique strengths that we can use to boost and protect kids’ mental health,” said Dr. Hoet.” I love sharing the science of what we know helps children's mental health to help others.”

In addition to the WhatsApp channel, Dr. Hoet frequently puts her favorite mental health created resources on her page, Para Ustedes, on The Kids Mental Health Foundation website. The Kids Mental Health Foundation website is also available in Spanish.

For kids’ mental health resources for the Latine community, please visit kidsmentalhealthfoundation.org.

The Kids Mental Health Foundation is the leading organization promoting mental health for children in the United States. To achieve its vision to build a world where mental health is a vital part of every child’s upbringing, nearly 1,000 mental health professionals and researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, in partnership with other trusted experts, provide real-world knowledge and expertise to power the Foundation's free educational videos, guides and curriculum. To date, more than 24 million people have engaged with the Foundation’s materials, helping parents, educators and coaches be a guiding force for children all across the United States. During Mental Health Awareness Month in May, The Kids Mental Health Foundation is shining a spotlight on how “Kids Mental Health Starts with Us” and ways its free tools and resources can help empower parents, teachers and coaches across the United States.