Abstract
Parents living with serious mental illness (SMI) often experience significant challenges
including social isolation, financial hardship, concerns about the development and well-being
of their children, family disruption, and limited access to community-based resources.
Moreover, the challenges associated with parenting are often not addressed in the course of
routine mental health care. Parents with SMI are motivated by a desire to parent their
children, yet there is a paucity of programs or interventions that address the complex and
varied needs of these parents. Our goal is to develop a peer support model for parents
grounded in empirical literature, with stakeholder input, designed to enhance parental well-
being and parenting.