University of South Florida

The Shimberg Health Science Library at the University of South Florida and its partners will develop a mental health literacy (MHL) services program that will benefit residents of a local drug treatment center in the Tampa Bay Area. In addition to their issues with addiction, many women in the program are economically disadvantaged, inadequately educated, and victims of abuse. Increasing an individual's mental health literacy can increase knowledge about mental disorders, which aids in the recognition, management, or prevention of the disorders. Project deliverables will include a MHL model to deliver basic information; a bibliography of MHL resources; an intervention services model for MHL; and an MHL interview template for use by medical librarians and other information professionals.