Description: A panel on different models for how to build mental health care into the structures of communities, such as universities, cohousing projects, and neighborhoods. I see this session operating in two possible ways.
The first way is for several people who have worked on creating support systems to introduce their communities, as well as what frameworks they have used. When discussing their frameworks, they should talk about advantages/disadvantages, the process involved in implementing these plans and how they have adapted them to their communities. Followed by an audience Q&A.
If other possible participants haven’t used any framework or plan and instead worked addressing their community needs as they noticed the need (which is not uncommon in many communities), the other option would be for all of us to introduce our communities. And then I would discuss the JED Foundation’s Framework for Success and how we adapted it to Minerva (my university). From there we could discuss how this framework could be used and tailored to each community represented on the panel. Followed by an audience Q&A.
Takeaways: One or more frameworks for developing the mental health care of your community. And advice on strengths and pitfalls of each from people who have used them.
Needs: Additional Panel Participants willing to share their experiences. A better understanding of the scope of the Creating Situations for Healthy Experiences session to make sure they are strong complements and don’t overlap.
My Background: I’ve worked in my university’s Mental Health Team as an intern for almost two years. In that time I got to help in developing our support system plans in three countries.
Who Might be Interested in this Session: Those working and living in communities of care, other universities, and people in the mental health field. (i.e., @thom_stewart, @asimong, @woodbinehealth, @concrn, @pauline)
Theme: Architectures of Love or Revolutionary Care, I’m not sure which this fits under better and would defer to the curators.