Describes effort of mental health center staff to implement non-traditional programming for women in situational life crises. Successes in the work have helped overcome some objections to special approaches to women. Projects have community interest and support, have answered many unmet needs of women, and have enhanced service delivery.…

This field work examines womens' participation in 50 alternative self-help support systems covering 10 states and notes that variety is the outstanding characteristic of these services. (Author/AM)

A paraprofessional training program designed to provide community controlled mental health services to the Woodlawn community of Chicago, Illinois, is described in this monograph. The neighborhood and The Woodlawn Organization (T.W.O.A), a self help project formed in early 1960, are described from an historical perspective. Some of the areas…

Mental health consumer-run organizations are alternatives to mainstream mental health services, and they have the dual focus of supporting members and creating systems change. The existing literature suggests that these organizations have beneficial impacts on social support, community integration, personal empowerment, subjective quality of life,…

Self-help among low-income people is vitally important. In no area is self-help more important than in overcoming poverty's burdens and energizing the escape from poverty. This document comprises an inventory of self-help and mutual-help programs that feature active involvement of members of the low-income population. The programs in this…