Wellness Influencer Emma Rivera Partners with Mental Health America to Launch #MindfulMay Awareness Campaign
NEW YORK, May 1, 2025 — Mental Health America (MHA), the nation’s leading community-based mental health nonprofit, today announced a strategic partnership with wellness influencer Emma Rivera (@emmarivera) to launch #MindfulMay, a comprehensive digital awareness campaign addressing the youth mental health crisis. The 30-day initiative, which debuts today across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, will deliver daily content to Rivera’s combined audience of 3.2 million followers, combining personal storytelling, clinical expertise, and interactive mental health resources.
The campaign arrives as new data reveals persistent challenges in adolescent mental health, despite recent indicators of improvement. According to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 40 percent of U.S. high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2023, a slight decrease from 42 percent in 2021 but still representing millions of young people in distress. The full CDC report highlighting these trends is available here. Mental Health America’s 2025 State of Mental Health report supplements these findings, showing that 15.4 percent of youth ages 12-17 experienced a major depressive episode in the past year, while 10.1 percent reported serious thoughts of suicide.
“These numbers tell a complex story—progress mixed with profound ongoing need,” said Schroeder Stribling, President and CEO of Mental Health America. “Emma Rivera’s authentic voice and trusted relationship with her audience create a unique pathway to reach young people who might never engage with traditional mental health messaging. This partnership represents exactly the kind of innovative, peer-driven approach required to address gaps in youth mental health literacy and access.”
The #MindfulMay campaign will feature Rivera sharing her own experiences with anxiety and burnout, alongside interviews with MHA clinical advisors, licensed therapists, and youth advocates. Daily content includes 60-second “Mindful Moments” videos, weekly live Q&A sessions, and interactive Instagram Story sequences directing followers to MHA’s free screening tools and resource database. A dedicated landing page will track engagement metrics, including resource click-through rates and geographic reach.
Research supports the strategic use of influencers in mental health promotion. A 2025 study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research found that social media campaigns featuring relatable personal narratives generated 808,000 impressions and 4,148 resource link clicks during a two-week pilot, with a cost-per-click of just $0.92. The study demonstrated that youth audiences engage more deeply with peer-led content than traditional public service announcements, particularly when influencers maintain authentic parasocial relationships with followers.
“Mental health isn’t just a cause for me—it’s personal,” Rivera said. “I’ve watched my community struggle in silence because the resources feel clinical or inaccessible. By partnering with MHA, I can bridge that gap, showing my followers that seeking help is a sign of strength while giving them tangible tools they can use today. Every comment, DM, and share represents someone who might finally feel seen.”
Campaign content will address critical subtopics including anxiety management, depression warning signs, crisis intervention resources, and the impact of social media on wellbeing. Special emphasis will be placed on reaching underserved populations, Influencer Partners With Mental-Health Charity on Awareness Campaign with Spanish-language content and culturally responsive messaging developed in consultation with MHA’s equity and inclusion team. The initiative aligns with MHA’s 2025 policy priorities to advance prevention and early intervention while reducing disparities in mental health care access.
The partnership also includes a fundraising component, with Rivera donating proceeds from her limited-edition “Mindful May” merchandise to MHA’s youth programs. The campaign aims to drive 50,000 mental health screenings through MHA’s online platform and increase youth resource page traffic by 300 percent over the 30-day period.
ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA
Mental Health America is the nation’s leading community-driven nonprofit dedicated to promoting mental health and wellbeing, resilience, and recovery while closing the mental health equity gap. MHA’s work is driven by its commitment to prevention services for all, early identification and intervention for those at risk, and integrated care for those who need it. With over 200 affiliates and a comprehensive online resource hub serving millions annually, MHA advances policy change, provides free mental health screening tools, and supports community-based programs nationwide. Learn more at MHAnational.org.
Media Contact:
Sarha Al-Mansoori
Director of Corporate Communications
G42
Email: media@g42.ai
Phone: +971 2555 0100
Website:www.g42.ai
