Clinical Science Brown Bag: Addressing Barriers to Mental Health Care: The Development of the Mood Lifters Program

Approximately half of all Americans will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime. Many more will cope with negative life events such as trauma, the death of a loved one, divorce, job loss, and physical illness. Unfortunately, research suggests that the current mental health care system in the United States (U.S.) is dramatically underutilized with only 43.1% of the 44.7 million Americans affected by mental illness receiving mental health care in the last year (NIMH, 2017). Many people experience significant barriers that prevent them from accessing care. In order to address some of the barriers to mental health care, researchers at the University of Michigan developed a novel intervention, Mood Lifters. Mood Lifters is a peer-led, low-cost, evidence-based program designed to improve mental wellness, decrease negative affect and increase positive affect. Mood Lifters weaves together the most effective biological, psychological and social techniques, based on the most recent research, to provide strategies that people can use to make changes, develop healthy habits and live the life they want. This talk will cover the development of the Mood Lifters program and the current scientific support for the program.