How to Get Involved with DBSA Through Advocacy, Research, or Volunteering

DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) offers several entry points for getting involved: advocacy through its Advocacy Center, learning about and viewing mental health research listings, training to become a peer specialist or online support group facilitator, and volunteering, donating, or partnering with the organization. The right starting point depends on whether you want to influence policy, contribute to research, or support others directly — each path has a different commitment level and process.

Advocacy: Focus on Access and Parity

DBSA's Advocacy Center concentrates on two core issues:

• Mental health parity — ensuring insurance coverage for mental health is on par with physical health coverage
• Access to medication — addressing barriers to obtaining prescribed treatments

If policy or system-level change is your goal, the Advocacy Center is the place to start. It is also where DBSA organizes its advocacy issues and related calls to action. This path suits people who want to speak up about coverage and treatment access rather than provide direct peer support.

Research: Learn About Studies and View Listings

DBSA maintains a research section with two distinct functions:

1. Learn about research studies — background on how and why mental health research is conducted
2. View research listings — a place to see studies that are recruiting or otherwise listed

If you are curious about participating in or following research, begin with the "Learn About Research Studies" material, then check the research listings. Note that the site describes these as listings; it does not state eligibility criteria, compensation, or enrollment terms, so confirm those details with each study directly.

Volunteering and Peer Roles: Two Training Paths

DBSA's "Get Involved" section names several volunteer and peer roles. The two most structured paths are:

Become a Peer Specialist

• Start with "What is a Peer Specialist?" to understand the role
• Take the DBSA Peer Specialist Course
• Review the FAQs and then Apply Now

This is a training-based path for people who want to support others professionally or semi-professionally as peer specialists.

Become a National Online Support Group Facilitator

DBSA lists "Become a National Online Support Group Facilitator" under volunteer recruitment. This path is for those who want to facilitate DBSA's online support groups rather than lead a local group.

Start a Support Group

If you prefer in-person community building, DBSA also offers "Start a DBSA Support Group" and provides resources for support group facilitators. This is a separate route from the national online facilitator role and is suited to people who want to launch a local chapter or group.

Donating, Partnering, and Other Ways to Give

For those who want to support DBSA financially or through organizational collaboration:

• Donate Now and Ways to Give cover direct giving
• Planned Gift Options and Memorials & Tributes are additional giving routes
• The DBSA Ambassador Program and Partner with DBSA are for individuals and organizations interested in representing or collaborating with DBSA

The site does not publish pricing, donation amounts, or payment platform details, so treat any figures as something to confirm on the donation pages themselves.

Choosing Your Path

A practical next step: pick the single path that matches your goal, open that page, and read its specific requirements before committing — the site separates advocacy, research, peer training, and giving into distinct sections, and each has its own process.