“The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run by and for Autistic people. ASAN’s supporters include Autistic adults and youth, cross-disability advocates, and non-autistic family members, professionals, educators and friends…. Our activities include public policy advocacy, community engagement to encourage inclusion and respect for neurodiversity, quality of life oriented research, and the development of Autistic cultural activities.”
Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
SCORE is an organization that offers many services to those starting their own businesses, including mentorship, workshops, and chapters throughout the country.
Their Web site offers free sample documents for accounting and budgeting, business planning, cash flow management, customer relations, financing, legal issues, sales, and many more.
"By providing mentorship and sharing ethically sound business practices, SCORE's nationwide initiatives help entrepreneurs and small business owners at various stages in their professional lives."
Principles of Consumer-Driven Services
Principles of Consumer-Driven Services
This document was prepared by the members of the Center for Mental Health Services National Advisory Council’s Subcommittee on Consumer/Survivor Issues. The Subcommittee solicited input from mental health consumers and the public from across the nation at their biannual business meetings, the Alternatives conferences, and through electronic list serves.
Medline Plus: Homeless Health Concerns
This section on the Medline Plus Web site contains a very comprehensive list of Web resources for learning more about health concerns related to homelessness, including mental health issues. This page also has very good links for finding homelessness services and organizations.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/homelesshealthconcerns.html
The Mental Illness Education Project
The Mental Illness Education Project produces and distributes video-based education programs and related materials. "A non-profit organization, we are committed to helping people deal
with the often devastating effects of serious mental illness."
http://www.miepvideos.org/
Mental Health and People Living with HIV/AIDS: Taking Care of Ourselves
This 19 page pamphlet is a publication of the State of New York, supported by a grant from Health Resources and Services Administration.
Active Minds
Active Minds is an organization working to raise awareness of mental health alternatives on college campuses. "By developing and supporting chapters of a student-run mental health awareness, education, and advocacy group on campuses, the organization works to increase students’ awareness of mental health issues, provide information and resources regarding mental health and mental illness, encourage students to seek help as soon as it is needed, and serve as liaison between students and the mental health community."
NAMI StigmaBusters
StigmaBusters is a program of the National Alliance of the Mentally Ill is a "network of dedicated advocates across the country and around the world who seek to fight inaccurate and hurtful representations of mental illness."
Access anti-stigma tool "In Our Own Voice", learn how to become a StigmaBuster, and other news and resources.
Facts about Stigma and Mental Illness in Diverse Communities
Fact sheet from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill that defines stigma and discusses its impact on diverse communities.
http://www.nami.org/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm?ContentFileID=5148
Challenging Stereotypes: An Action Guide
This 35-page SAMHSA publication "...Encourages people to challenge prejudices and work to eliminate the stigma and discrimination toward people with mental illness through letter writing to advertising, entertainment, and mainstream media that ridicule or misrepresent mental illness."
Pub id: SMA01-3513
Publication Date: 1/2001
http://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content//SMA01-3513/SMA01-3513.pdf
The ADS Center
SAMHSA's Resource Center to Promote Acceptance, Dignity, and Social Inclusion Associated with Mental Health (ADS Center) "...enhances acceptance and social inclusion by ensuring that people with mental health problems can live full, productive lives within communities without fear of prejudice and discrimination. We provide information and assistance to develop successful efforts to counteract prejudice and discrimination and promote social inclusion.
Male Survivor
Male Survivor: Overcoming the Victimization of Boys and Men is an organization whose mission is to end the sexual victimization of boys and men and educate survivors, the public, and treatment professionals about this issue.
Survivors of Incest Anonymous
SIA seeks to empower those who have experienced childhood sexual abuse by offering referrals to SIA support groups, providing information to start groups, distributing literature, maintaining a speaker's bureau, and guiding SIA's public information efforts worldwide.
National Sexual Violence Resource Center (SVRC)
"The National Sexual Violence Resource Center serves as the nation’s principle information and resource center regarding all aspects of sexual violence. It provides national leadership, consultation and technical assistance by generating and facilitating the development and flow of information on sexual violence intervention and prevention strategies. The NSVRC works to address the causes and impact of sexual violence through collaboration, prevention efforts and the distribution of resources."
Darkness to Light
"The ultimate mission of Darkness to Light, to end childhood sexual abuse, can only be accomplished by sharing the solution of prevention, awareness and education with more and more people."
Child Welfare Information Gateway
"Child Welfare Information Gateway promotes the safety, permanency, and well-being of children, youth, and families by connecting child welfare, adoption, and related professionals as well as the general public to information, resources, and tools covering topics on child welfare, child abuse and neglect, out-of-home care, adoption, and more."
RAINN: Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network
"The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE and the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline at rainn.org, and publicizes the hotlines' free, confidential services; educates the public about sexual violence; and leads national efforts to prevent sexual violence, improve services to victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice."
Adult Survivors of Child Abuse
The Adult Survivors of Child Abuse Web site is a project of The Morris Center for healing from child abuse. This website includes many useful resources, including program manuals and literature, local support group listings, advice on starting support groups, a virtual meeting place, the Survivor to Thrive Manual, and lists of other helpful organizations.
DBSA: Start a Support Group in Your Community
This section of the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance Web site describes how to start your own DBSA support group.
http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=peer_start_group
Consumer/Survivor Self-Help Group Development
The Self Help Connection is a group operating in Nova Scotia. Their publications are very helpful for those starting self-help/support groups and can be adapted for use in the United States.