Technical Assistance Centers (TACS)
Several mental health consumer technical assistance centres in the United States provide specialised support, resources, and guidance to mental health consumers and peer-run organisations. These centres promote peer support, consumer leadership, and recovery-oriented practices. TACs offer specialised knowledge and support to consumer-run and peer-support initiatives. They provide valuable guidance on program development, best practices, and sustainability, ensuring consumer-driven initiatives thrive.
Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Center – The Family Cafe
The CAFÉ TA (Consumer Advocacy, Family Advocacy, and Empowerment Technical Assistance) Center is an organisation that provides technical assistance and resources to individuals, families, and organisations involved in mental health advocacy and empowerment efforts. The centre focuses on supporting those with lived experience of mental health challenges, as well as their families, in advocating for themselves and others within the mental health system. It offers training, consultation, and resources to promote recovery-oriented approaches and enhance the voices of individuals and families in mental health policy and service delivery.
Doors to Wellbeing
Doors to Wellbeing is a national technical assistance centre funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in the United States. The organisation provides training, resources, and technical assistance to individuals, peer-run organisations, and mental health service providers nationwide to empower peers to become community leaders, advocates, and educators. Doors to Wellbeing supports peer specialists and peer-run organisations by offering guidance on developing and sustaining peer support services, promoting recovery-oriented practices, and fostering collaboration among peers and mental health professionals.
-
Leadership and Technical Assistance
National Empowerment Center
The National Empowerment Center provides resources, training, and technical assistance to individuals and organisations focused on recovery and empowerment within the mental health community. While not exclusively for consumer-run organisations, it supports peer-led initiatives and advocates for the rights and voices of individuals with lived experience.
Peerlink Technical Assistance Center
The Peerlink Technical Assistance Center provides technical assistance and support to peer-run organisations and peer specialists in the mental health field. It offers resources, training, and consultation services to help peer-run organisations effectively develop and sustain their programs and services. The centre aims to strengthen the peer support workforce and promote peer-led approaches to mental health recovery and wellness. Peerlink is committed to advancing the peer support movement and empowering individuals with lived experience to play meaningful roles in mental health advocacy, service delivery, and community support.
The STAR Center (Support, Technical Assistance and Resources) is an organisation that provides support, technical assistance, and resources to individuals and organisations involved in the mental health field, particularly those focused on promoting recovery and wellness. The STAR Center primarily focuses on peer support, advocacy, and empowerment initiatives.
STAR Center (Support, Technical Assistance and Resources)
Youth MOVE
Youth MOVE (Motivating Others through Voices of Experience) is a national organisation in the United States that focuses on empowering youth and young adults with lived experience of mental health, substance use, and trauma-related challenges. The organisation aims to provide support, advocacy, and resources to help young people navigate and succeed in various aspects of their lives.
Technical Assistance Centres (TACs) demonstrate the power of peer leadership at state and national levels, showing how consumer-run initiatives can drive advocacy and policy—offering a powerful, scalable model that other countries can adopt to centralise resources, strengthen systems, and elevate lived-experience leadership globally
Proudly designed by Andrew Turtle