Who We Are

The National Empowerment Center Technical Assistance Center (NEC TAC) is a federally-funded consumer/survivor-run national technical assistance and resource center fostering recovery, self-determination, and community inclusion. We serve mental health consumer/survivors, peer-run service and advocacy organizations, family members, providers, and decision-makers.

Resources for Recovery

NEC TAC offers programs and resources to help individuals find their voice through recovery awareness, self-help, peer support, self-determination, and leadership.

• NEC TAC provides presentations, training, and workshops on recovery from emotional distress.
• NEC TAC offers resource materials for consumers, family members, and providers about mental health recovery.
• NEC TAC maintains an up-to-date website with information about personal recovery and transformation of the mental health system.

Technical Assistance to Mental Health Organizations

NEC TAC provides technical assistance to increase organizational capacity to meaningfully participate in transforming the mental health system in their states. These strategies promote a mental health system where service users are seen as equal partners in creating the infrastructure, setting policy, determining service priorities, and evaluation. Our work includes:

• Helping emerging leaders to “find their voice” through training, support, and mentorship.
• Providing materials, resources, and training curricula to help individuals to develop skills in civic participation, leadership, and advocacy.
• Assisting with organizational development to promote sustainability.

NEC TAC currently works with consumer-run organizations to:

• Build organizational infrastructure, capacity, and skills.

Crisis Response Services

NEC TAC is working nationally in the area of crisis response services in an effort to help our response as a nation to emotional crisis. One way we do this is to promote peer-run crisis alternatives, which can help people to avoid costly and often traumatizing emergency psychiatric room visits. They also help connect people to natural community supports that may prevent future crises. Such approaches include:

• Peer-run warmlines: provide a non-judgmental method of support that helps to ease isolation and distress.
• Peer run-respite programs: help people to move through emotional distress in a safe, non-coercive, and nurturing home-like environment.
• Emotional CPR: An educational program designed by people with lived experience to teach people to assist others through an emotional crisis

NEC TAC has created in-depth online resource center on crisis alternatives, including:

• A directory of all peer-run crisis respite programs and warmlines throughout the U.S.
• Resources on how to start a peer-run crisis alternative;
• Articles, studies, and other information on peer-run and other crisis alternatives.
• Videos featuring the work of peer-run alternatives throughout the nation.

This website was developed [in part] under grant number SM082648 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The views, policies, and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of SAMHSA or HHS.