SDM Cool Tools

The following PDF documents will open in a separate window. Cool Tools may be printed or saved as PDF files on a computer or removable USB Flash drive. Many Cool Tools have text boxes where you can type in personal information before printing or saving.

View selected list of Cool Tools for a specific audience:

• People who Use Mental Health Services
• Service Providers and Helpers

View complete list of Cool Tools

• Medication Side Effects Profile:
  Noticing your experiences.
  This Cool Tool provides a list of common medication side effects organized by topics individuals can use to provide more detailed information to providers about their experiences.
• Opening the Door:
  Starting difficult conversations with your mental health service provider.
  This Cool Tool offers tips and examples of ways for individuals to start difficult conversations with their service providers on topics such as partnering, medications, and respect.
• Reflections:
  Medications and my life.
  This Cool Tool helps an individual prepare for a doctor visit by thinking about what is important to them in life and how medications may help or interfere with getting or keeping those important things.
• Questions to Ask about Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM):
  Getting information you want to know.
  This checklist offers example questions an individual may want to ask to explore or understand a complementary or alternative treatment or service approach.
• Questions to Ask About Medications:
  Getting information you want to know.
  This checklist offers example questions an individual may want to ask about a current or recommended medication.

• Questions to Ask about
  Mental Health Service:
  Getting information you want to know.
  This checklist offers example questions an individual may want to ask about a current or new provider or program.
• Using Your Voice:
  Tips for talking with your
  mental health service provider.
  This Cool Tool offers communication tips for people using services to help them better express their needs and preferences in conversations with service providers.
• Vitamins and Supplements Log:
  Recording vitamins, dietary supplements and over-the-counter medicines.
  This chart provides a simple way to keep tabs on medications and supplements an individual uses.
• Wellness and Recovery Tracker: Journal.
  This checklist provides a way for individuals to track their feelings and experiences to help notice whether things are getting better, staying the same, or getting worse.
• Wellness and Recovery Activities Planner:
  Write yourself a plan for wellness.
  This worksheet offers a list of common wellness and recovery activities that can be personalized to help create a personal action plan.

• Talk About It!
  Shared decision making communication skills for providers and helpers.
  This Cool Tool identifies key communication skills for providers and helpers to use before, during, and after a shared decision making conversation.

• Talking About Culture and Health:
  Conversation starters for addressing culture in shared decision making.
  This Cool Tool provides 10 topic areas to discuss to explore cultural aspects of health and healing, and conversation starters for each topic area.

• Medication Side Effects Profile:
  Noticing your experiences.
  This Cool Tool provides a list of common medication side effects organized by topics individuals can use to provide more detailed information to providers about their experiences.
• Opening the Door:
  Starting difficult conversations with your mental health service provider.
  This Cool Tool offers tips and examples of ways for individuals to start difficult conversations with their service providers on topics such as partnering, medications, and respect.
• Reflections:
  Medications and my life.
  This Cool Tool helps an individual prepare for a doctor visit by thinking about what is important to them in life and how medications may help or interfere with getting or keeping those important things.
• Questions to Ask about Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM):
  Getting information you want to know.
  This checklist offers example questions an individual may want to ask to explore or understand a complementary or alternative treatment or service approach.
• Questions to Ask About Medications:
  Getting information you want to know.
  This checklist offers example questions an individual may want to ask about a current or recommended medication.
• Questions to Ask about
  Mental Health Service:
  Getting information you want to know.
  This checklist offers example questions an individual may want to ask about a current or new provider or program.

• Talk About It!
  Shared decision making communication skills for providers and helpers.
  This Cool Tool identifies key communication skills for providers and helpers to use before, during, and after a shared decision making conversation.
• Talking About Culture and Health:
  Conversation starters for addressing culture in shared decision making.
  This Cool Tool provides 10 topic areas to discuss to explore cultural aspects of health and healing, and conversation starters for each topic area.
• Using Your Voice:
  Tips for talking with your
  mental health service provider.
  This Cool Tool offers communication tips for people using services to help them better express their needs and preferences in conversations with service providers.
• Vitamins and Supplements Log:
  Recording vitamins, dietary supplements and over-the-counter medicines.
  This chart provides a simple way to keep tabs on medications and supplements an individual uses.
• Wellness and Recovery Tracker: Journal.
  This checklist provides a way for individuals to track their feelings and experiences to help notice whether things are getting better, staying the same, or getting worse.
• Wellness and Recovery Activities Planner:
  Write yourself a plan for wellness.
  This worksheet offers a list of common wellness and recovery activities that can be personalized to help create a personal action plan.