Digital Storytelling Best Practices: Peer Family/Recovery Stories

Challenge

A significant disparity exists between the number of U.S. citizens experiencing mental illness or substance use disorders and the number of individuals who seek treatment. The 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that half of all Americans will experience symptoms of a behavioral health condition during their lives. It also found that approximately 11.8 million U.S. adults, or about five percent of the adult population, perceived an unmet need for mental health care in the past year. A number of barriers contribute to this disparity, including availability of and access to services, understanding of mental health conditions and treatment options, financial constraints, and social inclusion.

Recognizing that negative attitudes, prejudices, and discrimination pose a significant barrier to treatment, and acknowledging the potential of personal recovery stories to help reduce social exclusion and improve awareness of evidence-based mental health treatments and programs, SAMHSA sought a contractor to support the identification and promotion of best practices in sharing personal treatment stories through digital media platforms.

Solution

Atlas Research conducted a thorough review of peer-reviewed literature and industry best practices for identifying and sharing treatment success stories through digital platforms. In addition, Atlas designed and facilitated a series of interviews with government and industry leaders who possess expertise in digital storytelling, video production, and narrative medicine. This data was aggregated into an analysis report which informed the creation of a best practices manual to assist SAMHSA grantees and other stakeholders in employing digital storytelling to share personal recovery stories, aid in the recovery process for people with behavioral health disorders, and enhance awareness of evidence-based treatment options. After developing, designing, and finalizing the 508 compliant best practices manual, Atlas will provide support and technical assistance to help stakeholders use these best practices models to conceptualize, prepare, and share personal success stories.

Result

The analysis report and best practices manual that Atlas creates will contribute to the broader body of knowledge on the benefits of treatment success stories in facilitating recovery and treatment-seeking among the millions of U.S. adults who experience mental illness or substance abuse. It will support SAMHSA stakeholders in leveraging the latest best practices in narrative medicine, video production, and digital outreach to share treatment success stories in a way that empowers those who share their own stories as well as those who might be inspired by those stories to seek mental health treatment.