“I don’t know how to put into words just how much having someone who’s open minded, and with open ears to sit down and listen to you, and hear you out.” - Person with lived experience Sometimes, support doesn’t start with a service or a form, it starts with listening. For people living with both mental health challenges and addiction, being heard without judgement can make the difference between asking for help and walking away. Yet too often, stigma or system barriers make those conversations harder than they need to be. Through training, shared learning and lived experience, we help NHS staff and partners feel more confident in offering open, compassionate conversations that recognise the whole person, not just one part of their story. Explore the training guide: https://zurl.co/Hj1Df

Latinx communities are facing rising rates of anxiety, depression, and trauma—yet access to culturally responsive mental health care remains limited. ADAA Member Experts, Dominique La Barrie, PhD, and Daylin Delgado, explore how leveraging community strengths can help close this gap. From faith-based partnerships and peer support circles to art- and dance-centered healing, they outline practical strategies for making mental health care more accessible, inclusive, and effective. As Latinx populations continue to grow across the U.S., collaboration between clinicians, educators, and community leaders is essential to ensuring equitable care and stronger mental health outcomes. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gevkhzDi #LatinxMentalHealth #CommunitySupport #MentalHealthAwareness #LatinxWellness

"For me, this is more than just the start of a project, it’s the start of a culture shift in how Scotland supports mental health. If The Nook proves anything, I hope it’s that we can build systems that put compassion and accessibility at the heart of everything." In our latest Member Spotlight blog, Ewan Hay, Service Manager at The Nook from SAMH in Glasgow, shares how the project aims to break down barriers to accessing mental health support. Read more here ➡️ http://bit.ly/49fBFQX

United States - The state’s Office of Mental Health in New York released a two-year policy roadmap to scale up peer support programs and explore training peer specialists for maternal mental health and substance use screening. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eB-3YyQG

VA psychiatrists work as part of interdisciplinary teams to provide compassionate, evidence-based mental health care tailored to each Veteran’s unique needs. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eMZHb9HA

Every number tells a story. Our latest peer-reviewed study found that adolescents at elevated suicide risk who received mental health services through Rula experienced faster symptom improvement, reaching similar levels of wellbeing as their no-risk peers by 12 visits. This is what it looks like when measurement-based care and personalized matching work together to support real-world progress. Our model of care isn’t just about access, it’s about outcomes. Swipe through to see what this means for the future of youth mental healthcare, and read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eEDBVsN3

So excited to share new research from our Rula team in JMIR Publications Pediatrics and Parenting! The study followed adolescents receiving behavioral health care through Rula, including those at elevated suicide risk, and found meaningful symptom improvement over time. This is such encouraging evidence for pediatric practices working to expand access to support youth mental health earlier. #Pediatrics #MentalHealth #AdolescentCare #DigitalHealth #RulaHealth

Access to mental health is the first step, but are you getting better? For a large swath of the industry, getting better is evaluated on vibes or not at all. Rula exists to set the standard for helping clients/patients get demonstrably better, faster. And this isn't lip service. Here's one of our peer-reviewed studies showing just that.

Barbers as mental health advocates? Absolutely. Alliance Health has teamed up with the Barbershop Therapy Foundation to launch “Barbershop Therapy” — Mental Health First Aid training designed specifically for barbers. Our inaugural class at Wake Tech trained 28 barbers to recognize signs of mental distress, connect clients with resources, and help destigmatize mental illness in their communities. Together, we’re empowering trusted voices in the chair to spark open, healing conversations.

The Productivity Commission's work repeats their findings from 2020 - nothing has improved in those five years. In fact according to the National Mental Health Commission 2024 Report Card "many...core indicators are not showing improvement or have shown some deterioration in recent years." The 2008 National Mental Health Policy's aims were to: - promote the mental health and wellbeing of the Australian community and, where possible, prevent the development of mental health problems and mental illness - reduce the impact of mental health problems and mental illness, including the effects of stigma on individuals, families and the community - promote recovery from mental health problems and mental illness -assure the rights of people with mental health problems and mental illness, and enable them to participate meaningfully in society." The 2012 Mental Health Statement of Rights and Responsibilities outlined mental health rights and responsibilities of consumers, carers, support persons, service providers and the community. And "A national framework for recovery-oriented mental health services: guide for practitioners and providers" detailed guidance to mental health practitioners and services on recovery-oriented practice and service delivery" published in 2013 with its Foreword noting: "It began as people with lived experience, carers and advocates sought greater influence and control over their experiences in mental health services. Then individual practitioners and organisations began to incorporate the recovery approach into their practice and service provision. What started as a grassroots movement led to government policy as national, state and territory governments formally adopted a recovery approach. A national recovery framework agreed by all governments across Australia is the next important step along the path. Work on a national framework began in March 2011. Since the very beginning, people with a lived experience of mental health issues, their carers and families have participated enthusiastically in its development. Their passion and optimism have been inspirational. The process was a truly collaborative one with state and territory mental health service directorates and chief psychiatrists working in partnership to share research, gather evidence and create opportunities for participation by leaders, managers, practitioners, peer workers and volunteers in mental health services across Australia." And here we are just over a decade later - a system "inadequate, ill-informed and under-resourced". Why?