Finding the right community supports and services can help make daily life more manageable for individuals and their families.
What you* can do:
Make a list of the kinds of mental health programs and services that could be helpful to you and your family
Find out what supports and services are available in your community
Find out what supports and services are offered online
Talk to other people who have gone through similar experiences
Make a list of the kinds of mental health programs and services that could be helpful to you and your family
If you don't know what kinds of supportive programs exist, it may be hard to imagine what could be helpful. Think about the sort of assistance that might allow you and your family to participate in activities that have become stressful. For example, you might need respite care to enable family members to go out while leaving an unwell loved one at home. Or perhaps regular companionship would allow you or a loved one to do some fun things together, in which case a community volunteer program might be appropriate.
Return to top
Find out what supports and services are available in your community
Start by contacting your local mental health clinic, community health center, or a mental health advocacy organization in your state, to ask for guidance. If you live near a hospital, find out if the hospital has a patient/family resource center or consumer library staffed by knowledgeable individuals who can provide you with guidance. Perhaps your community has services such as: support groups for affected individuals or family members, therapeutic art programs, vocational support centers, housing programs for young adults with mental health conditions, therapeutic summer recreation programs, or programs that pair a volunteer from the community with a family member to provide companionship.
Return to top
Find out what supports and services are offered online
You can find a lot of useful mental health resources on the Internet. On the other hand, the Internet can be overwhelming, and it's hard to know what web resources you can trust. To help you evaluate whether a mental health web site is trustworthy, read 10 Things to Know About Evaluating Medical Resources on the Web.
The web sites of most mental health advocacy organizations offer the opportunity to chat online with others through message boards and online support groups. Many advocacy groups offer downloadable podcasts or webcasts, and some have interactive "chats" with mental health researchers and care providers in which you can submit questions to the experts. If you need reminders for refilling prescriptions, you may be able to sign up on your pharmacy's web site for this automated service.
Return to top
Talk to other people who have gone through similar experiences
It may take some time to build a network of such people, but if you attend a support group or participate in online message boards, you will very likely learn a great deal from others-and realize that you are by no means alone. Hearing about someone else's experiences puts your own challenges in a new perspective and may help you avoid pitfalls. You may want to limit your participation in online exchanges to those forums that are moderated to ensure accuracy of information and a level of respectfulness that is not always found online.
Return to top
* On this page, "you" and "your" are used to refer to either you or someone you care about.
