#safenotSCaredMENTAL  ILLNESS  +  SOCIAL  STIGMA

SOLUTION  PROPOSAL  USC  DESIGN  FOR  AMERICA  STUDIO

BIANCA  NASSER FALL  2014

PROBLEM

Social  stigma  often  deters  those  with  mental  illness  from  accessing  health  care  treatment  or  maximizing  their  potential.  Gone  untreated,  mental  illness  can  cause  

severe  physical  health  issues,  poor  quality  of  life,  or  even  death.

INTRO

STATUS  QUO

Although  the  number  of  students  affected  by  mental  illness  is  increasing  -­‐  USC  does  not  provide  adequate  mental  health  education,  awareness,  or  peer  to  peer  

support  programs  that  help  decrease  stigma.

INTRO

HOW  MIGHT  WE

How  might  we  decrease  social  stigma  surrounding  mental  illness  while  increasing  the  visibility  of  existing  mental  health  resources  on  campus?  

INTRO

THE  IDEA

#safenotSCared  -­‐  an  interactive  experience  that  facilitates  safe  conversations  through  the  use  of  public  &  private  spaces,  peer  to  peer  education,  resource  

partnerships  and  digital  platforms.

INTRO

PERSONAL  INTERVIEWSTanya  T.,  Behavior  Specialist  

Elyn  R  Saks,  author,  founder,  lawyer  Saks  Institute  for  Mental  Health  Law,  Policy,  and  Ethics  

Robert  Sachs,  Director,  USC  LGBT  11  USC  Undergraduates

RESEARCH

REPORTSCollege  Students  Speak:  A  Survey  Report  on  Mental  Health,  The  National  Alliance  on  Mental  Illness  

Students  Under  Pressure,  Amy  Novotney,  American  Psychological  Assoication Return  on  Investment  Calculator,  Daniel  Eisenberg,  PhD

A  Strategic  Primer  on  College  Student  Mental  Health,  Louise  A.  Douce  &  Richard  P.  Keeling  !!!

RESEARCH

SURVEYUniversity  of  Southern  California  Students

22%  Male,  78%  Female  Age  18  -­‐  20  

75%  Affected  by  mental  illness  91%  In  favor  of  a  USC  mental  illness  awareness  program    

93%  labeled  mental  illness  as  negative

*Although  only  40%  identified  as  having  a  mental  illness,  46%  felt  ashamed  of  their  mental  illness*

RESEARCH

STUDENT  UTILIZED  DIGITAL  SPACE  Students  frequently  populate  these  digital  spaces  with  confessions,  

fears,  and  other  personal  content.    !

These  spaces  emphasize  anonymity,  community,  locations  and  are  easily  accessible.

RESEARCH

Mental  Health  Focused Experiential

Peer  to  Peer Organized  Content

BEST  PRACTICES   SOCIAL  IMPACT  PROGRAMS  

RESEARCH

INSIGHTS!

Public  discussions  in  safe  spaces  can  normalize  “private”  problems    Peer  to  peer  education  is  most  effective,  therefore  public  discussions  must  be  led  by  peers  

Language  used  in  discussion  heavily  impacts  comfort:  ex,  sick  not  weak  or  crazy Safe  spaces  are  spaces  where  people  feel  understood    

Safe  spaces  are  different  based  on  specific  needs  of  individual  communities  Students  look  to  other  students  to  lead  by  example  

Fear  is  a  causal  root  of  stigma  that  affects  both  the  mentally  ill  and  the  communities  they  live  in Fears  about  mental  illness  can  stem  from  a  lack  of  education  

Empathy  and  education  is  achieved  through  personal  narratives  Students  are  more  comfortable  and  more  likely  to  share  a  personal  experience  anonymously  or  online  A  program  should  utilize  the  comfort  of  anonymous,  private,  digital  spaces  and  also  provide  the  real  

time  support  of  a  physical  community

INSIGHTS

INSIGHTS

ASPECTS  OF  A  SUCCESSFUL  PROGRAM

IDEATION

Create  a  safe  space  for  sharing  fears  in  public.  

IDEATION

Showcase  anonymous  fears  in  public  space  next  to  mental  illness  campus  resources  and  peer  organized  /  led  discussions.

IDEATION

We’ve  partnered  with  the  USC  Greek,  Religious,  Academic  and  Athletic  communities  to  promote  mental  health  resources  that  

cater  to  their  community’s  specific  needs.

SUSTAINABILITY

After  public  experiences  and  discussions  end,  student  social  content  and  discussions  can  be  aggregated  on  a  website  

The  site  will  be  designed  for  interactive  browsing  New  partnerships  connect  existing  mental  health  resources  (USC  Counseling  and  the  Health  Center)  and  student  communities  (Student  Altheltics,  IFC,  Etc)  

for  future  communication    !  

FUTURE  

BENEFITS

 A  more  comfortable  environment  for  students  to  seek  treatment    Increased  student  retention  rates  

Better  quality  of  life  for  those  affected  by  stigma

RESEARCH

THANK  YOU

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FIGHT  ON!