Building Strong Minds: Bringing Mental Health Support to Special Olympics Vermont Athletes!
In recognition of World Mental Health Day on October 10th, Special Olympics Vermont is celebrating an important milestone: our first-ever Strong Minds screenings, held during the 2026 Fall Games on September 14th!
Just as physical health is an important part of an athlete’s overall well-being, so is mental health. Yet people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can face significant barriers to accessing mental health care and support.
A 2026 study from Special Olympics Health found that adults with IDD were more than nine times as likely to report a diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression compared with adults without functional limitations. The study also found significant barriers to accessing needed mental health care, including cost and a lack of providers trained to provide IDD-informed care.
These findings highlight why making mental health education, screening, and support more accessible is so important.
What is Special Olympics Strong Minds?
Strong Minds is part of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes®, a health initiative designed to help athletes develop healthy skills and support their emotional well-being. The program provides opportunities for athletes to learn strategies for managing stress, connecting with others, and maintaining a healthy mind. Strong Minds also includes formal mental health screening designed to help identify athletes who may benefit from additional support or referrals.
For Special Olympics Vermont, bringing Strong Minds to our Fall Games was an exciting first step toward making these resources more accessible to athletes right here in Vermont.
At the 2026 Fall Games, 46 Special Olympics Vermont athletes participated in our first Strong Minds screenings.
This World Mental Health Day, we're proud to celebrate our athletes and this important first step toward more inclusive mental health care in Vermont.
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