Tackling Mental Health Issues in Community Associations

CAI’s annual Community Association Law Seminar was held in February 2022 in Palm Springs California 

The Law Seminar is an opportunity for community association attorneys across the country to meet and attend seminars in trending areas of community association law.

One seminar that community association Board members will find of particular relevance was entitled “Tackling Mental Health Issues in Community Associations.” Board members across the country are finding that the stress associated with living through a pandemic is having an effect on the mental health of their homeowners. Isolation, working from home, layoffs, and virtual school have all contributed to stress, depression, and substance abuse. This is especially true for our frontline workers.

Stress from Covid-19 along with other mental health issues homeowners may be dealing with, means that mental health issues don’t always stay inside the home of someone suffering from these issues. 

The speakers at this seminar put together a helpful list that Board members can use when dealing with homeowners suffering from mental health issues, depending upon the particular circumstances:

1. Educate Board members about mental health issues.
2. Document everything regarding an incident.
3. Schedule a violation hearing.
4. Engage government assistance programs.
5. Call the emergency contact or family member.
6. Adopt policies and procedures.
7. Make resources available to residents.
8. Host relaxing group activities.
9. Call the cops.
10. Call your attorney.

This list is not in any chronological order, and we recommend contacting your attorney sooner rather than later to make sure no missteps are taken. Conversely, calling the police should probably only be done in extreme situations when most other avenues have been unproductive.