annualreport2021.dbsalliance.orgDBSA Annual Report 2021 | Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

A Word From Our CEO Board Chair Note Intro Education Community Action Financials Our Team Donate MENU A Word From Our CEO Board Chair Note Intro Education Community Action Financials Our Team Donate Lighting the way for wellness Education • Community • Action Annual Report 2021 As a person living with mental health conditions, participating in the groups gives me a sense of community and something to look forward to. When I’m having a bad day, I know someone will be there to listen. – Love B., support group attendee A Word From Our CEO Note from the Board Chair Emerging from the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing social upheaval, and a paradigm shift in how we talk about and address mental health, the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance lit the way for wellness for more people than ever before in 2021. Through education, community, and action, DBSA moved the needle on mental health and empowered hundreds of thousands of people living with depression or bipolar disorder to forge a path to wellness. In our annual report, you’ll find more information on mental health tools, such as the Wellness Wheel and Tracker, and how they helped thousands on their path to wellness. How our expanded and improved resources reached countless people in need of empowering support. And how our community coalesced around our shared mission of improving the lives of people experiencing mood disorders. These triumphs can only happen when passionate mental health advocates come together and light the way for change. We are deeply grateful to you, our supporters, and our community, as we go forward together in our relentless pursuit of mental health wellness for all. Kent Dauten, 2022 Board Chair Introduction In a year full of uncertainty, the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance doubled down on its mission to bring hope, help, education, and support to people living with depression or bipolar disorder. More than ever, people relied on DBSA to light the way to mental health wellness through education, community, and action. Education For more than 35 years, the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance has been a trusted source for educational resources and tools to help people living with a mental health condition forge a path to wellness. Thanks to our supporters, more people were reached this year than ever before. 2 million people visited DBSAlliance.org in 2021 to learn more about depression and bipolar disorder, as well as to access tools and resources. Mood Crew™ 3,600 people downloaded activities from the Mood Crew , a series of exercises for parents and children based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), positive psychology, and play therapy. More than 25,000 people visited the Mood Crew webpages to learn more about teaching children to identify and cope with challenging emotions. I’m Living Proof: A Letter to My Younger Self 7 podcasts 5,252 podcast listens DBSA’s newest podcast launched in 2021. The series centers on the experiences of young adults who live with depression or bipolar to inspire hope, understanding, and empathy for those dealing with the challenges of a mood disorder. The Wellness Toolbox For those on the path to mental health wellness, DBSA’s Wellness Toolbox continues to be a foundational framework for assessing wellness and setting goals. 7,084 downloaded the Wellness Wheel Over 2,000 listened to the podcast 85% of survey participants said the Wellness Wheel instruction guide and tool helped them evaluate how well they are doing in specific areas of their life. 10,807 downloaded the Wellness Tracker About 50% of survey participants discussed the Wellness Tracker with a clinician or mental health care provider. 85% of survey participants said the DBSA Wellness Tracker is helpful for their wellness. Community Our community of people living with mental health conditions, their families, and mental health advocates are the heart of who we are and what we do. DBSA’s free peer support groups are available in-person and online to foster connections that lead to wellness. Because of your support, people were helped with mental health support through: 111 local DBSA Chapters 400 online and in-person support groups Over 20,300 people were helped with peer support through DBSA national online support groups in 2021, and in-person groups provided a supportive space for 300,000 . An average of 238 people a month attended the national online young adult support groups. An average of 29 people a month attended the national online Veterans support group. An average of 135 people a month attended the national online Black community support groups. An average of 115 people a month attended the national online co-occurring usage disorder support groups. In 2021, DBSA launched support groups for the Black community, designed to address the unique cultural needs of Black Americans. Support groups like DBSA are the only place you can go to find people just like you. When you share, people understand exactly what you mean. The feedback is given in a helpful and non-demanding way. It also brings you out of the isolation of struggling with your illness alone. – Yi Lin, support group attendee and facilitator For me, the support groups are a place where we can let our hair down. We can talk about the things people say to us that make us feel bad. A lot of us have experienced the same types of discrimination and can say Yeah, I’ve heard that, too. I understand.” ...We offer each other support because many of our families don’t understand the condition. With the support groups, it’s like we become a family to each other. – Vanessa Harris, support group attendee Around 400 monthly users logged on to the Balanced Mind Parent Network’s new platform, designed to include more dynamic ways for parents and caregivers of a child living with a mood disorder to connect. 10 new members joined the Young Adult Council , chartered to assist in expanding DBSA’s resources for young people. The council assisted in the creation of 11 new resources, including a guide on recognizing the signs of a mood disorder and grounding strategies. $ 109,864 was raised during Giving Tuesday and year-end fundraising, thanks to our generous community of donors. Action Whether it’s bolstering the peer support specialist workforce, gathering supporters for an educational summit, or advancing policy, your support enabled DBSA to take action on the issues that matter to mental health advocates. Peer Support Apprenticeship program takes off Building on our legacy of enhancing peer support, DBSA launched the inaugural class of peer support specialist apprentices. As a result of DBSA’s training program, the four apprentices will be equipped with the skills necessary to achieve certification and gain employment as much-needed, highly valued peer support specialists. $ 240,000 in funding from SAMHSA, Boeing, McCormick, and TCI made this first class of peer support apprentices possible. Senior Strength program makes wellness a reality 140 senior citizens were helped with peer support 42 % of participants reported a reduction in PHQ-9 depression screening scores at the conclusion of the program. I can attest that the Senior Strength Program has contributed to my wellbeing and recovery. During a time when my life was turned upside down and I was struggling physically and emotionally, I found that help came in the form of calls from Jennifer from the Senior Strength Program through Facey Medical. There was someone out there who checked in on me to see if I was alright. I looked forward to the calls and honest conversations with someone who could relate to my situation. This was a very important part of healing. The program is a vital and necessary part of moving forward. It benefited me tremendously in many ways. – Senior Strength Program participant Leadership Summit Most Successful To Date The 2021 Leadership Summit featured keynote speaker and daytime television star Maurice Benard...