Utah Department of Health and Human Services has launched a new public awareness campaign to help families connect after recent surveys highlighted a disconnect between how parents perceive their connection with their child and the experiences children reported.
DHHS compared the results from a recent parent-child relationship survey with data from the 2025 Student Health and Risk Prevention survey.
The parent survey investigated several aspects of family communication habits, including how often families have meals together, one-on-one time and meaningful conversations. It also evaluated parental concern for youth mental health.
The data showed that while 93% of parents stated their child feels comfortable expressing their feelings, 38.8% of students who reported feeling very sad, hopeless or suicidal said they didn’t talk to anyone about what they were feeling. Of those who did seek help, less than 50% chose a parent.
The survey comparison also showed that youth mental health is infrequently discussed at home, despite Utah parents rating it as a major concern.
“When parents perceive communication is strong, but teens report the opposite, there is a breakdown that needs to be addressed,” said Nathan Malan, Epidemiologist at DHHS. “These survey results serve as a powerful reminder that connection is not just about presence, but that teens should feel safe communicating their feelings to a parent or trusted adult.”
To address these discrepancies, DHHS developed the CHAT campaign, which aims to give Utah children a strong foundation of good behavioral health by helping parents strengthen communication, build trust and “create the kind of family relationships that lead to healthy futures.”
The campaign materials will be promoted across television, billboards, social media and online.
Learn more about the CHAT campaign at letschat.utah.gov. There is also a Spanish version of the campaign. More information is available at hablemos.utah.gov.
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