They researched, we listened and implemented. The importance of design for mental health technologies

Design Opportunities for Mental Health Peer Support Technologies - peer reviewed paper.

Paper conclusion:

Technology plays an important role in peer support for mental health. Innovations in peer support tools for mental health could make a substantial difference to people with mental illnesses for whom the role of technology is “excruciatingly crucial,” “essential,” and “lifesaving,” as some of our participants indicated. 

Our research advocates opportunities to build tools that enhance supportive interactions for peers by: (1) surfacing similarities beyond diagnosis; (2) improving accessibility; and (3) proactively mitigating risk through training and intervention. The contributions of this work are an understanding of the expectations, roles, and risks of technology in peer support for people with a diverse range of mental illnesses, and identification of opportunities for technology design to foster mental health peer support. 

One of the major challenges facing mental health care today is the lack of professionals to meet the demand for care by 1 in 5 Americans. This work represents an important first step for informing the design of peer support tools that can bridge the gap in care, and empower peers to help each other. 

Read the full paper here: https://students.washington.edu/arpitab/olearyCSCW2017.pdf