Bringing Light to Mental Health Access and Complex Communication: Cross-Continental Perspectives and Strategies for Mental Health Access from PWUAAC and Mental Health Advocates

Abstract

An open-forum discussion regarding mental health needs, barriers to support services, and potential strategies for individuals with complex communication. Representing North and South America, a trilingual team of adults who use AAC, professionals, and allies analyze how cultural and systemic factors impact mental health and self-expression. The panel will provide personal experiences, challenges, and successes in their mental health journeys, as well as current research on best practices in the areas of Psychology, Speech-Language Pathology, Art Therapy, Music and Dance Therapy, Spiritual Development, Civil Rights, and Self-Help, as relevant to communication limitations and prejudices. A short presentation will be followed by an open Question and Answer forum with the audience, in which topics can be presented for discussion or questions can be asked to a panel member.

AAC in Everyday Life: Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond is represented in this panel through lived experience and professional practices identifying structural, linguistic, and regional barriers to mental health equity. Panelists will examine the cross-sections of mental health and complex communication:

Today – Understanding systemic challenges, such as adequately trained providers, prejudices, and exclusion of AAC from standard talk-therapies.

Tomorrow – Culturally diverse views reflecting on infrastructures and socio-economic factors influence support access.

and Beyond – Action and advocacy to create accessible mental health environments for multimodal self-expression, crisis counseling protocols, professional education, and therapeutic alliances focused on communication rights.

The session will follow a moderated dialogue structure of these themes, where panelists share their prepared high-impact experiences and specific strategies they have learned while navigating access to adequate support. The rest of the session will engage attendees in a structured chat and text-based Question and Answer forum with multimodal participation. Attendees are encouraged to participate in the discussion.