The power of friendship: the Compeer Program at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Diminishing financial support for individuals with severe mental illnesses has required creative solutions to meet the needs of this population. Loneliness and stigma further hinder these individuals' efforts toward recovery. The Compeer program can provide friendship relationships, which can help to reduce loneliness and strengthen the effects of psychosocial interventions. University Compeer programs have proven successful in meeting the needs of both students and their Compeer friends.