By RICK BAYER

Most people would agree that one of the most important goals for New Albany is to create a supportive environment for our youth that ensures they possess a strong sense of well-being, which is defined as being healthy both physically and mentally.

But accomplishing that goal is much easier said than done. What contributes to the well-being of our youth and how can the community collectively nurture it?

A group of community leaders and New Albany-Plain Local Schools officials recently formed an unprecedented Well-Being Initiative to address those questions and to create a lasting, effective and comprehensive well-being program for New Albany students.

The school district already has a variety of good educational programs, prevention tools and crisis-management protocols designed to address students’ developmental needs and to assist parents, faculty and staff members in supporting the students’ well-being. Adding substantially more resources should transform it into a national, best-in-class well-being program.

The focal point for this new initiative is a leadership and advisory team composed of mental-health professionals — experts drawn from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and ADAMH — school district officials, community leaders, parents and other experienced individuals.

The team is reviewing the district’s well-being programs and looking for opportunities for improvement and areas for additional programming based on proven best practices from other exemplary programs throughout the country

Importantly, each adopted program will be accessible, accountable, measurable and cost-effective, and it will be evaluated continuously for possible improvement.

Also, a communications plan is being created to ensure that students, parents and others are well-informed and empowered to utilize and support the various well-being programs.

ADAMH now is funding two additional full-time mental-health specialists in the schools. Through generous New Albany Community Foundation donors, Mariel Hemingway visited New Albany in 2015 and Patrick Kennedy was here just weeks ago. Both helped remove the stigma too often associated with mental-health issues and helped launch a community dialogue. And last week, the school district hosted a community forum focused on student well-being.

Much work remains, and undoubtedly there will be challenges as we endeavor to achieve our vision to ensure that each student possesses a strong sense of well-being.

However, the effort is worthwhile, because in doing so, we will help students navigate the inevitable challenges they will experience during their lives and give them a solid well-being foundation they can build upon into adulthood.