MehrNest A Home-Centered Approach to Supporting Families Living with Mental Disorders

Abstract

Following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, state-level control over reproductive health policy has intensified, highlighting deep inequities in maternal health within the United States. In Shelby County, Memphis, Tennessee, non-Hispanic Black women experience pregnancy-related mortality at more than twice the rate of their non-Hispanic White counterparts, reflecting structural racism, medical mistrust, and uneven access to culturally responsive care (Citation). This project proposes a community-based intervention to improve maternal and postpartum health outcomes by expanding trained doula support and establishing ongoing postpartum support groups in Memphis, Tennessee.

Mental illness is considered a major public health concern globally. The most effective but least employed lever of mental health is in the home environment. For those with mental illness, home is their main environment of daily living. Therefore, building design elements such as ceiling height, wall color, wall textures, daylight, and window orientation play an important role on their moods, stresses, and recoveries. For families raising children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), these features are not just building design details, they are levers for reducing symptoms, calming overstimulation and promoting their concentrations.

To address this need, I propose the development of a practical digital application designed to provide families with practical strategies for designing or redecorating home environments that support their family members who suffer from mental health conditions. This app would provide specific recommendations for adapting interior environments, covering various aspects such as texture, dimensions, orientation, and color based on the specific mental health condition. Making design tips simple and available helps families create healthier living spaces and more supportive. Therefore, MehrNest application will help families make their homes comfortable and caring places for family members diagnosed with mental illnesses. By integrating architectural features and psychological perspectives, MehrNest redefines the home as a dynamic partner in healing, satisfaction and well-being.