As many of you know Ripple is a small collection of people with lived experience with mental illness, peers in recovery. Since we are not funded in any way whatsoever, all of our expenses are currently covered by our volunteers. This includes travel, office supplies, and this website. Right now what we can offer is limited, but we are hoping to do much more in the future. If you would like to help, please visit the “support us” page to find out how.
Crisis Cards: Available to anyone for the price of a self- addressed stamped envelope is our Crisis Card. This is a laminated wallet card that includes the information you could easily give a stranger when you are in crisis and are having difficulty communicating (as in a panic or asthma attack). The stranger would immediately have your name, what condition you are dealing with, what you want them to do (and what you want them NOT to do).
Community Conversations: Even before our relaunch in 2019, members of Ripple had journeyed all over Connecticut and present to both peers and professionals on many different topics. We’ve been to hospitals, clubhouses, Catchment Area Council meetings, Steering committee meetings, and various other venues sharing our passion for advocacy and raising mental health awareness. From these experiences, we learned that a presentation in a class format tended to be too rigid in some cases. Now we followed a set theme; this allows the group to expand and determine the flow, from that community conversations were born… They are not as formal as a class and tend to be more fluid as the talk tends to take the shape it needs depending on the participants in the room.
Zoom Meetings: Ripple will be hosting peer driven support meetings on the Zoom platform. You can connect via the internet, one touch mobile, and traditional dial in. In the beginning our meetings will be held late night into the early morning hours. This is a time where warmline services are almost nonexistent, it is also the time of day when people who are living with depression, PTSD, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. It is for that reason we have opted to try and fill that gap and help our peers get through the night.
Inmate Resources: We are teaming up with other Recovery Support Specialists with the hopes of creating a program that will benefit peers living with mental illness and addiction who are currently incarcerated. A proposal is currently being drafted, and it will be presented to both the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services as well as the Department of Corrections in the state of Connecticut.
Support Buttons by Ripple are one way to boost the visibility of your organization, advocacy group, or clubhouse. We also offer a fun on-site button making activity perfect for groups up to 20 people. For more information, please feel free to contact us.
