Formation 1973 (1973) Founded at Rochester, New York Legal status Non-profit | Founder Bernice W. Skirboll Type Incorporated | |
Purpose To help people overcome the effects of mental illness through the power of friendship | ||
Compeer, Inc. is an international, non-profit organization that seeks to help people overcome the effects of mental illness through the power of friendship. The founding Compeer program was established in Rochester, New York in 1973 by Bernice W. Skirboll. It is a volunteer-based program in which adult men and women volunteer to regularly spend time with an adult or youth who is receiving mental health services. The goal is to provide supportive friendships for people in mental-health care, typically as a complement to therapy, in order to help and support them on their journey of recovery from mental illness.
The National Institute of Mental Health chose Compeer as a model program in 1982 and helped fund the development of similar programs throughout the United States. Today, Compeer is an international mental health organization, with approximately 5,000 volunteers at nearly 100 locations in the U.S., Canada and Australia.