Support groups and community resources: online resources

I recently discovered a new resource (new to me at least) that I thought I would share. I came across The Self-Help Sourcebook Online when I was doing some collection developement at the Patient and Family Resource Centre.*

The Self-Help Sourcebook Online is a searchable database that includes information on over 1,100+ national, international and demonstrational model self-help support groups, ideas for starting groups, and opportunities to link with others to develop needed new national or international groups.

This database uses information provided by the American Self-Help Clearinghouse, a department of the Behavioral Health Center of Saint Clare's Health Services in Denville, NJ, which published The Self-Help Sourcebook, 7th Edition in Fall, 2002.

Type in your keyword or select a "problem" from a drop down list, and you are provided with a list of support groups and community resources. It is very comprehensive, providing links to groups for everything from acne scars to albinism to selective mutism to cancer to workaholics to depression... well you get the idea.

One of the things I especially like about it is that it provides guidance for those people who would like to develop their own support group, in case there isn't one locally.

You can also browse a list of similar international clearinghouses. The Information and Referral Centre of Greater Montreal is particularly interesting to me of course. Check to see if your state/province or country is listed.


*I found the Sourcebook listed in the CAPHIS Consumer Health Bibliography for the Small Public Library.