Tennessee
BRIDGES--"Building Recovery of
Individual Dreams and Goals through Education and Support" is a program
of the Tennessee Mental Health Consumers' Association, whose philosophy is the
consumers can be empowered through education and support from others with
mental illness. The overall goal is to recover a renewed sense of self and to
find new meaning in life. In the process of learning about mental illness,
participants put symptoms into the background, work toward life roles of their
choosing, and begin to affect change in their social environment. BRIDGES has
two components: a 15-week course and ongoing support groups, both run by consumers.
The course focuses on (a) the concept of recovery, (b) technical information
on mental illness along with best practices and treatments, and (c) self-help
skills. The program has been replicated in eight states and Canadian province.
For BRIDGES information, call:
(800) 590-0901
Over 750 consumers will participate in a randomized, longitudinal design
to examine the impact of BRIDGES alongside traditional services at this site..
Cost effectiveness for BRIDGES will also be examined in relation to mental
health and health care costs. Traditional mental health providers
participating in the study, and serving over 40 counties, are the Mental
Health Cooperative in Nashville, Peninsula Behavioral Health, and Volunteer
Behavioral Healthcare.
For information about the research project, call:
(877) 237-8606
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