Office of Self-Help/TASC

Mission

The mission of the Self-Help Technical Assistance and Support Center (TASC), is to instill self-help and consumer run services and self-help principles as a core component of California's mental health system and thus facilitate a recovery based vision and individual recovery. This program will provide the infrastructure for the California Network of Mental Health Clients (CNMHC) to provide the centralized leadership and focus to move the State in this direction.

Goals

The Office of Self-Help will:

• Assess the status of self-help groups/programs and self-help principles as they currently exist throughout the State.
  
  
• Foster self-help services and groups throughout the State by providing technical assistance and support.
  
  
• Provide educational and training opportunities on self-help programs and principles for the mental health, and mental health related communities.
  
  
• Produce a Self-Help Master Plan for California that will chart the course for full implementation of self-help programs and principles in California's mental health system.
  
  

Methods Include

• Develop and conduct surveys that will assess the status and needs of Self Help Programs and Centers.
  
  
• Create a database of Self-Help Specialists who have expertise in given areas of self-help and match specialists with technical assistance and requests.
  
  
• Outreach to special populations for the purpose of starting Peer Support Programs.
  
  
• Evaluate effectiveness of self-help/peer support programs and their relationship to recovery.
  
  

California Clients Will Lead the Way

California has recommended the inclusion of self-help services as essential ingredients of a continuum of mental health services. However, the mental health system has not had the infrastructure to promote self-help services as recommended. The Self-Help TASC will provide the loci, energy and leadership for the CNMHC, and, thereby the State, to fully implement self-help programs and principles as enduring and valued components of the mental health system.

Office of Self-Help/TASC Teleconferences will held twice a month to train/educate and support the development of self-help and mutual support groups and programs throughout California. The calls are designed to respond to current issues and questions developed by the participants in prior calls. Please click here for information about Office of Self-Help/Technical Assistance and Support Center.

Grant funded by: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Center for Mental Health Services