Innovative model for mental health stigma reduction in local communities: Integrating research, culturally responsive practices and technical assistance

The presentation will focus on the integration model used by the Center for Dignity, Recovery and Stigma Elimination to promote mental health recovery and maximize the power of community programs to reduce negative prejudice and discrimination surrounding mental health conditions and people affected by them in local communities. Designed on the Technical Assistance, Research and Training Center (TARC) model, the Center brings together leading researchers, national and state policy experts, and training professionals along with consumer-run, grassroots, community, family and age-group advocacy organizations. Through its community program partners and research leaders the Center is a “Living Laboratory” that can study, test and improve practices at local level, and transfer this learning rapidly into communities. The Center accomplishes this rapid knowledge transfer through three integrated effort areas, each with its own team: Research, Evaluation and Program Development team identifies community activities or practices that have promise to reduce mental illness stigma within the context of a specific cultural, ethnic, and racial community, as well as develops a best practice framework for stigma reduction for community-based and consumer-run Stigma and Discrimination Reduction (SDR) Programs. Training, Technical Assistance and Consultation team offers tools and on-going supports to consumer-focused SDR Programs (such as Speakers Bureaus) and culturally specific community activities and/or practices. Outreach, Communications and Dissemination team works to engage community grassroots agencies practicing stigma change, transfer learning into the hands of people and agencies who can use it, and assist programs with increasing their visibility as leaders in SDR efforts in their communities.