Objectives:
Peer support groups encouraging the recovery of individuals affected by severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In Brazil, the initiatives involving peers are still scarce. Since 2011, are developing the "Entrelaços" Program, a psychoeducational program for relatives and patients dealing with several mental illness, that resulted in the creation of peer groups into the community.

Background:
Seven groups were formed within that period. Each group opted for an identity and undertook to locate and organize its space inside the community. They  created two banner ads disclosing 14 strategical issues to deal with and recover from severe mental illness.  All the groups agreed to the adhesion of new members and remain active, organize  meetings and operate on their own. 

Materials and Methods:
278 persons  join to the program from 2011 to 2018. The program comprises a first 1-month assessment step, a second 2-month step for informative seminars and a third 9-month step for solving problems. Once completed the program, participants were encouraged to keep meeting upon their own initiative in the community, outside the psychiatric institution and without participation of technicians

Results and Conclusions:
These are the first community peer groups we have ever heard about in Brazil, and one of the first fruits from a psychoeducational program developed inside a psychiatric institution. We believe that the way of approaching schizophrenia and mental diseases through seminars, within the recovery paradigm, in addition to the meetings in multi-family groups with patients, by using the strategy of solving problems, resulted into the empowerment of relatives and patients.

“Entrelaços” Program: building a peer network in the community of Rio de Janeiro.