After the Crisis: Unique Program Helps Older Adults Grappling with Both Addiction and Mental Illness

Amongst an increased need for mental health care, Monadnock Family Services is offering group therapy to children to get them in for some level of care as staff shortages make offering individual therapy too difficult. The American Psychological Association found that group therapy is as effective as individual therapy for most conditions — as well as more efficient. Monadnock Family Services offers a variety of groups depending on a patient’s interests and identity, like groups for those who enjoy hiking to groups for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Agencies like the SHARE Center are beginning to hire peer support specialists, who are individuals who have lived experience of recovery from mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Peer support specialists provide non-clinical, strengths-based support and build trusting relationships with those in need of care. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for peer support specialists has grown exponentially and reports show that working with a peer support specialist can improve health outcomes and quality of life among other benefits.

ACCESS Open Minds connects youth and young adults to mental health support, including therapists, caseworkers and peer navigators to help them get the care they need. One of ACCESS’s main goals is to bridge the gap between the complexities of the mental health care system and the community. By creating these youth wellness hubs and connecting people with the appropriate services, ACCESS has decreased the number of hospitalizations and emergency room visits and increased the number of people getting mental health care.

Several projects are currently working toward full deinstitutionalization by transferring residents of institutional care facilities to community-based homes. In these community homes, residents will be taught the necessary skills to help them reintegrate into society and live independently despite the challenges they may face, whether that be mental health disorders or developmental disabilities. So far, 171 people have been moved out of institutions to group homes.

The Cowichan Wellness and Recovery Centre works to combat the ongoing overdose crisis. The Centre offers services like mental health support and a community hub where people can access, test and use drugs safely, as well as connect with healthcare, detox, and treatment services. Not only have these services benefited people, and connected them with others in the community, but they’ve also led to decreased criminal activity like theft.

Centers like Brattleboro Retreat are emerging to provide specialized recovery programs for healthcare workers battling addiction. Programs offered are similar to those at standard recovery centers, except here healthcare workers are surrounded by their professional peers, allowing them to find community and express vulnerability.

North Carolina has expanded a network of peer-run mental health programs, including peer cafes, respite houses, and support hotlines, staffed by people with lived experience of mental health and substance use challenges. These spaces offer free activities, crisis support, and community connection as alternatives to clinical settings. Research found that peer programs reduce emergency department visits by more than 40% over a three year span.

The Dallas County deflection program diverts low-level, non-violent offenders (many experiencing homelessness and mental illness) away from jail and toward voluntary mental health, substance abuse, and stabilization services. The program served 918 people last fiscal year and started a newer eight-bed pilot that connected 11 clients with services in its first month of operation.

Tuttleman Counseling Services and the Merakey Mental Health Walk-In Clinic at Temple University offer a variety of mental health services for students on campus, from counseling to yoga and substance use support, serving 30,000 students across the campus.

The youth-led Foundation for Younger Generation gives young people a platform to talk about their mental health with peers and licensed therapists. The group hosts events in-person and online through platforms like WhatsApp and has since reached about 400 people.