The following five principles guided the development and implementation of Making Connections from the start to ensure that the initiative maintained an equitable focus on the populations of focus. Click the arrows below to read about each principle or download the entire list.

During the course of Making Connections, several values emerged through the hard work and success of the local coalitions. These included a focus on culture as a lens and asset; focusing on community conditions to understand mental health and wellbeing and reduce stigma; shoulder to shoulder action; the importance of coalitions defining their own communities; and the Pillars of Wellbeing. Click the arrows below to read about each value or download the entire list.

*Culture refers to the learned and shared behaviors and interactions of a particular group of people, rooted in things like shared history, common values, language, religion, and time-tested traditions. Cultural characteristics play a major role in promoting health and wellbeing.