Randomized Trial of a Peer-led Intervention to Promote Community Living and Participation - The Bridging Community Gaps Photovoice
Randomized Trial of a Peer-led Intervention to Promote Community Living and Participation - The Bridging Community Gaps Photovoice
The purpose of this study is to test a peer-led intervention intended to promote the community living and participation of individuals with psychiatric disabilities entitled "Bridging Community Gaps Photovoice" (BCGP). The intervention targets increasing community involvement of individuals with psychiatric disabilities through reduction in self-stigma and perceived stigma, enhancing opportunities for community participation, and support to achieve community participation goals.
The BCGP intervention is 6 months long and the investigators expect that participants will experience lower self and perceived stigma, increased community participation and sense of belonging, and improved psychosocial functioning and personal growth after the intervention. The intervention is comprised of a 12-week class that meets once a week for two hours, followed by three booster sessions - one per month in the three months following the class, and up to 24 sessions of individual support as needed throughout the 6 months provided on a weekly basis either in person or by phone. The purpose of the individual support is to reinforce the class activities and to ensure the participants meets their community participation goal. The proposed study is a randomized trial which will be conducted at Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation (BUCPR) in Massachusetts, the Mental Health Center of Denver (MHCD) in Colorado, and the Greater Bridgeport Mental Health Center (GBMHC) in Connecticut.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
1)Inability to give full and knowing consent.