Caught between financial and psychological distress: a call for integrated financial readiness and community-based mental health interventions in the U.S.

Financial stress and mental health disorders impact much of the general population globally. In addition, studies show that mental health concerns and financial stress are highly interconnected. On the one hand, mental health concerns and substance use disorders have been linked to factors associated with financial hardship, such as debt and insecurity. On the other, financial stress has been linked to the onset and maintenance of mental health disorders. Given the gaps in access to services that address mental health disorders and financial hardship, community-based models have been developed to provide relevant services. To date, however, community-based models supporting mental health and financial stress address these issues separately, with few strategies taking an integrative approach. The adaptation of community-based models for mental health and financial readiness represents an important strategy for developing new interventions to understand the dynamics between mental health concerns and financial stress. We propose the need for research and implementation efforts directed at integrating community-based financial and mental health interventions.