Ingrid D. Goldstrom, MSc, Center for Mental Health Services, U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 1 Choke Cherry Rd., Room 2-1081, Rockville, MD 20857, 240/276-1761, Ingrid.Goldstrom@samhsa.hhs.gov

The formal recognition that self-help activities provide essential services and supports for mental health consumers and families is evidenced throughout the 2003 final report from the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (PNFCMH). In 2002, the first national survey of the number and characteristics of mental health self-help groups and organizations was conducted by the Federal Center for Mental Health Services. This poster will describe the survey methods and present comparable data about each of three types of groups and organizations run by and for consumers and/or families: (1) mutual support groups (MSG); (2) self-help organizations (SHO); and, (3) consumer-operated services (COS). All relevant groups and organizations within the sampling frame (172 counties selected by the University of Michigan to represent the US population as a whole) were screened. Computer-assisted telephone interviews were conducted with each in-scope group and organization (n=927). It is estimated that nationally there are 7,467 of these groups and organizations, greatly eclipsing the number of traditional mental health organizations, for example, hospitals and multi-service mental health organizations (4,546). When asked how many people attended the last meeting, MSGs collectively reported that 38,468 attended. Nationally, SHOs report a total of 914,914 members. COSs report serving 347,194 clients in one year. The implications of these and other findings for the recommendations put forth in the PNFCMH report will be discussed.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Recognize and address some of the methodological challenges inherent in mental health self-help research and better design research studies in this area.
• Describe the number and volume of use of mental health mutual support groups, self-help organizations, and consumer-operated services.
• Advocate, using data, for local, State, and national support for mental health self-help organizations and consumer-operated services.

Keywords: Adult and Child Mental Health, Survey

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.