Free Mental Health Self-help Available On Lower Cape

For people looking for a judgement-free resource for mental health and substance use problems, a new online self-help resource is now available.

 Lower Cape towns are now taking part in a partnership that offers residents free access to CredibleMind, a confidential science-based mental health and wellbeing website. Users of the site, found at LowerCape.CredibleMind.com, can register for personalized recommendations or see resources anonymously. The first such initiative of its kind in this area, the site is designed to help people access trusted mental health information to help people better manage their mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing before a crisis. Unlike 911 or the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, CredibleMind is not a resource for people currently in crisis.

 Users of the site can access peer-reviewed articles and confidential self-assessment tools to track their wellbeing. The site also provides links to community resources like the Fishing Partnership Support Services, Behavioral Health Innovators, Duffy Health Center and the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod. The resources are available in English, Portuguese, Spanish and Haitian Creole.

 Funded with support from Cape Cod Healthcare, opioid settlement funds, a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health through the Barnstable County Health Agents’ Coalition, and the National Association of County and City Health Officials, the program serves residents of Brewster, Harwich, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown.

 Even as it serves area residents, the program also provides valuable information to local public health officials. Mental health disorders affect one in four people at some point in their lives, making the need for accessible community mental health services a critical priority. 

The system helps local public health officials understand the types of mental health needs present in their communities through anonymized data. It also provides more effective public health outreach to people concerned about the stigma of mental health problems, as well as vulnerable populations like low-income families and members of minority communities who otherwise struggle to access mental health resources.