Abstracts Psychology

Promoting mental wellness through solidarity and support: mental health warm line policies and procedures manual

by Lawrence Stentzel

The purpose of this project was to develop a policies and procedures manual for a peer-based mental health warm line service for a nonprofit social service organization in northern California. The rural community in which this organization operates suffers from disproportionately high rates of suicide and corresponding mental health issues, the effects of which are compounded by the economically disadvantaged and geographically isolated nature of the region. The mental health warm line is designed to address these high rates of need and overcome these barriers to service provision by establishing an accessible peer-based support network for adults in the community. This service is designed to promote awareness and understanding of mental health issues and deconstruct the surrounding stigma through peer-based processing and support, and improve access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services in the area by connecting callers to a wide range of resources and services in the community. The policies and procedures manual promotes consistent and high-quality service provision via the warm line service, by providing the operators with a structured and comprehensive guide containing standardized operating practices and step-by-step instructions for completing the activities involved in the operation of the warm line service. This manual was based on the principles of peer-based support and incorporates a framework of mutual aid, which promote a holistic and strengths-based approach that empowers participants to co-create and direct their mutual process of recovery. Advisors/Committee Members: Doble, Yvonne.