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Draft:United Self Help

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
United Self Help is the Peer (psychiatric patient, mental health consumer, service user) organization in Hawaii. They sponsor mental health support groups, movement groups, and activity groups. In an online anxiety and depression group, members share their feelings, give a numeric mood score, and responsively read an informative mental health article. A monthly in-person Fourth Friday dinner at a Buddhist temple has board games and prizes from mental health quizzing. The director assists inmates released from correctional facilities and facilitates an inmate mental health course. Speakers round out a weekly cable television show. Volunteers may facilitate and assist with all these activities.
Founded in 1984 by the late K. Shannon Steele,  offices were in a mental health center and then a community center. In the early years, state government funds enabled paid staff and a monthly newsletter, as well as sponsorship of an annual statewide Peer conference with hundreds of attendees from all major islands. Venues included hotels as well as the State Capitol building.  Presently they accept donations and grants.