Photo by Joseph V. Labolito
A new multidisciplinary study from researchers at Temple’s Barnett College of Public Health highlights a promising approach to supporting community participation among people living with mental illness.
Led by Bryan P. McCormick and Gretchen Snethen of the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, with input from Hannah Wells of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, the study explores the Power of Dependable Souls (PODS), an intervention designed to support independent community participation. The approach centers on individuals connecting through shared interests and taking the lead in planning and participating in everyday community activities.
“PODS is an approach that supports individuals with mental health conditions to connect through shared interests,” said Snethen. “It puts the service recipients in the driver’s seat… not just during an agency-coordinated event, but independently.”
Researchers noted that the program encouraged both participants and facilitators to rethink traditional roles. “The most difficult thing about PODS was to be hands-off because they tend to help too much,” said Shinichi Nagata of the University of Tsukuba. “PODS made the facilitators trust the participants and let them take the lead.”
That shift, McCormick added, helped build a sense of shared problem solving. “We saw some evidence of this… as people started to work out things with each other through shared resources,” he said.
For practitioners in the field, the response has been clear. “Few agencies indicated that this wasn’t needed or important for the work they do,” said Wells. “Many recognize the essential need to promote social connections and engagement in meaningful activities.”