Do you or a loved one have a mental health challenge and need to talk to someone who’s been there?
Imagine a human and technologically powered mental health "road map" that helps people identify options for how to move from Point A to Point B at a time when a mental health concerns arise, or when the complexity of a situation feels overwhelming. My Mental Health GPS will help families and individuals find appropriate, trustworthy care, and guide them as they move through the system. It aims not just to facilitate treatment but to help people realize a greater sense of belonging, purpose, and hope.
GPS navigators are predominantly "peers" - that is, people who have managed mental health challenges of their own. Peer support is an evidence-based practice that places people with lived experience of struggle and recovery in the role of supporting others who are navigating challenges related to mental health, trauma, and/or substance use. Peer support has been shown to be effective in reducing use of crisis and emergency services, increasing participation in the community, and decreasing the likelihood of substance use and involvement in the criminal justice system. [SAMHSA, The Value of Peers, 2017. https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/programs_campaigns/brss_tacs/value-of-peers-2017.pdf]
Our navigators will answer calls between 12:00-8:00 EST, Monday to Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.
GPS navigators are predominantly "peers" - that is, people who have managed mental health challenges of their own. Peer support is an evidence-based practice that places people with lived experience of struggle and recovery in the role of supporting others who are navigating challenges related to mental health, trauma, and/or substance use. Peer support has been shown to be effective in reducing use of crisis and emergency services, increasing participation in the community, and decreasing the likelihood of substance use and involvement in the criminal justice system. [SAMHSA, The Value of Peers, 2017. https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/programs_campaigns/brss_tacs/value-of-peers-2017.pdf]
Our navigators will answer calls between 12:00-8:00 EST, Monday to Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.
COVID-19
The program detailed here is needed more than ever. In the uncertainty and disorientation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, special attention must be paid to people who are vulnerable and gravely impacted by the crisis. COVID-19 is causing massive disruption, and people with mental health challenges, whether or not they get the virus, may be unable to get the care they need. We already know that COVID-19 is intensifying pre-existing inequalities, and this is especially the case for people with mental health challenges.
The operation of many mental health services has been severely disrupted, and some have disappeared. This reduction in access to care will result in people with mental health challenges at high risk of homelessness, incarceration, or a return home while they are still extremely vulnerable, with acute and complex problems.
We cannot yet know what the longer-term mental health impact of COVID-19 will be, but this much is clear: it will be far-reaching and lasting. Now is the moment to invest in ensuring that mental health is a core part of the COVID-19 response.
The operation of many mental health services has been severely disrupted, and some have disappeared. This reduction in access to care will result in people with mental health challenges at high risk of homelessness, incarceration, or a return home while they are still extremely vulnerable, with acute and complex problems.
We cannot yet know what the longer-term mental health impact of COVID-19 will be, but this much is clear: it will be far-reaching and lasting. Now is the moment to invest in ensuring that mental health is a core part of the COVID-19 response.