The Role of the Consumer in the Leadership and Management of Mental Health Services

2005 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 362-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Consumer Involvement ◽  
Leadership And Management

Objective: To reflect on consumer involvement in the leadership and management of mental health services through consideration of relevant policy directives, pertinent literature and current practice, and to consider the role of psychiatrists in promoting consumer involvement. Conclusions: Both Australia and New Zealand have significant policy directives in relation to consumer involvement in mental health services. The actual realization of consumer involvement within the mental health sector is extremely variable and the extent of genuine participation highly questionable, particularly in regard to leadership and management roles. It is important that the rationale for consumer involvement is continually highlighted and understood by all mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, so as to discourage the practice of including consumers solely for the sake of adhering to political policies. The attitudes of health professionals have been identified as having the most significant impact on consumer involvement. It is questionable whether the critical contribution of consumer involvement in mental health services should remain dependant on the attitudes of non-consumers within the sector. In New Zealand, a paradigm shift is occurring with consumer involvement moving from a construct of ‘participation’ to one of ‘leadership’. Psychiatristscan, and should, play a significant role in advocating for the development of mental health services in directions which support and promote consumer involvement at all levels.

Lesbians in New Zealand: Their Mental Health and Satisfaction with Mental Health Services

2000 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 256-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Welch ◽  
Sunny C. D. Collings ◽  
Phillippa Howden-Chapman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Mental Illnesses

Objectives: To describe the mental health of lesbians in New Zealand, and to document their accounts of their experience of mental health services. Method: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. A postal questionnaire, the Lesbian Mental Health Survey, was distributed via lesbian newsletters to 1222 women throughout New Zealand. Mental health measures included the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), Interview Schedule for Social Interaction (ISSI), and respondents' histories of sexual abuse and psychiatric histories. Experiences of mental health services were sought. Results: The estimated response rate was 50.8%%. The respondent group were predominantly New Zealand European, highly educated, urban women between 25 and 50 years of age. Three-quarters had identified as lesbian for more than 5 years. Recent self-identification as lesbian was associated with higher GHQ score, as was being younger than 35, having a history of sexual abuse, and not living with a partner. Eighty percent of respondents had used mental health services sometime in their lives and nearly 30 percent of users had received ‘lesbian-unfriendly’ treatment at some point. One-sixth of respondents had experienced discrimination from service providers in the previous 5 years. Conclusion: While the mental health of lesbians is influenced by factors similar to those influencing women's mental health in general, because of social factors, such as stigma and isolation, lesbians may be more vulnerable to common mental illnesses. Health professionals, mental health professionals in particular, need to raise their awareness of the issues lesbians face in dealing with their sexuality, therapeutic relationships and mental health services. Increased training about sexuality for health professionals, as well as further research into areas such as stress and stigma, sexual abuse and attempted suicide among lesbian women, is recommended.

Managing Mental Health Sector in Gujarat: An Overview of Strategic Priorities

2004 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
The Government

Mental health disorders are actually much more prevalent than is apparent on the surface. Health sector, in general, and mental health sector, in particular, faces a number of challenges which include: shortage of trained mental health professionals inadequate training capacity absence of multidisciplinary approach nearly non-existent linkages between the community and hospital-based care weak institutional framework. Many of these problems flow from meagre financial resources, both governmental and non-governmental. This paper is based on several studies relating to socio-economic determinants of mental disorders; mental health delivery systems in the public, private, and the voluntary sector; the cost of mental health services; framework for financing mental health sector; issues relating to human resource development; management issues in the mental health sector; gender and mental health; role of ethics in mental health; issues relating to destigmatization of mental health; and interface of law and mental health in the context of Gujarat. It provides a broad canvas of strategies which need to be pursued to address issues facing this sector. The strategies discussed here should form part of the mental health programme of the government. Of late, there is a growing recognition of the fact that something needs to be done in this sector. The inclusion of mental aspects of health was reflected, for the first time, in the Ninth Five-Year Plan when a separate scheme for ‘Strengthening of Mental Health Services’ was included. The Tenth Five-Year Plan envisages continuation of this emphasis; in particular, it aims to ‘integrate mental health with rural health care and provide special care for mental disorders of all types by scientific surveillance and identification.’ Enhancement of mental health requires improved provision of preventive, curative, and rehabilitative services. Given the resource availability and social dimensions of the problem, appropriate community-based and cost-effective interventions need to be developed. Besides, there are also many ethical and legal concerns that need to be taken into account. A large number of cases of mental disorder currently go untreated as competent professional help is not available easily. This would need augmentation of capacities and competencies of large number of professionals and health workers working in the government, NGOs, and the private organizations. This paper suggests a series of priorities in laying out 12 strategic directions and a comprehensive set of short-term implementation modalities for the immediate two to three years. The strategic directions are: resource mobilization and allocation strengthening of ethics of care addressing of stigma strengthening of public mental health system strengthening of role of caregivers promotion of private sector human resources and capacity strengthening at various levels strengthening of the role of NGOs integration of mental health with other fields strengthening of the interface with law strengthening of the institutional mechanisms stimulation of mental health research.

The transition between mental health services in Scotland

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliette van der Kamp
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Organisational Development ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Experience Difficulty

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the barriers and facilitators to an effective transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS). It also presents a new entry into considering how the transition can be improved. Design/methodology/approach Insights into the transition from CAMHS to AMHS were gathered through eight semi-structured interviews with mental health professionals. Two methods of data analysis were employed to explore the emerging themes in the data and the observed deficit approach to organisational development. Findings The findings identified a vast volume of barriers in comparison to facilitators to the transition. Adolescents who transition from CAMHS to AMHS initially experience difficulty adapting to the differences in the services due to the short duration of the transition period. However, despite the established barriers to the transition, adolescents tend to adapt to the differences between the services. Findings also showed a negative framing towards the transition amongst the mental health professionals which resembles a deficit approach to organisational development. Originality/value This paper explores mental health professionals’ perspectives regarding the transition in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The transition is increasingly recognised as an area in health care that requires improvement. This research provides a new way to consider the transition by exploring the perceived deficit approach to organisational development in the services.

Collaborating with Legal Professionals

2017 ◽  
pp. 384-394
Author(s):  
Eric G. Mart
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Legal System ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Legal Professionals

This chapter provides information designed to assist mental health professionals in effectively marketing their services to courts, attorneys, and the legal system in general. Suggestions are offered to help mental health professionals decide whether they will be comfortable working in an adversarial environment. Methods for developing the skillsets necessary for performing forensic consultations in a competent, ethical manner are provided. Information regarding how to effectively market mental health services to legal professionals are reviewed. Various areas of subspecialty practice are described.

scholarly journals Innovations in mental health promotion: Youth Net/Réseau Ado

1997 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 398-399
Author(s):  
Ian G Manion ◽  
Simon Davidson ◽  
Christina Norris ◽  
Sarah Brandon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Health Promotion Program ◽  
Mental Health And Illness ◽  
Health And Illness

Abstract Today's youth are at a disturbingly high risk for mental health and illness problems and are largely dissatisfied with the existing mental health services. Youth Net/Réseau Ado (YN/RA), supported by input from mental health professionals, is a bilingual mental health promotion program that seeks out the opinions and attitudes of youth regarding mental health and illness issues, while connecting them with appropriate resources and mental health services. This paper describes the Youth Net/Réseau Ado program and provides some guidelines for the identification of mental health and illness problems, including indicators of the risk of suicide.

scholarly journals Why Do Approved Mental Health Professionals Think Detentions under the Mental Health Act Are Rising and What Do They Think Should Be Done about It?

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 616-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Bonnet ◽  
Nicola Moran
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Social Risk ◽  
Social Risk Factors ◽  
Mental Health Act ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The number of people detained under the 1983 Mental Health Act has risen significantly in recent years and has recently been the subject of an independent review. Most existing research into the rise in detentions has tended to prioritise the perspectives of psychiatrists and failed to consider the views of Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs), usually social workers, who ultimately determine whether detention is appropriate. This mixed-methods study focused on AMHPs’ views on the reasons behind the rise in detentions and potential solutions. It included a national online survey of AMHPs (n = 160) and semi-structured interviews with six AMHPs within a Community Mental Health Team in England. AMHPs reported that demand for mental health services vastly exceeded supply and, due to inadequate resources, more people were being detained in hospital. AMHPs argued that greater investment in preventative mental health services and ‘low intensity’ support would help to mitigate the impact of social risk factors on mental health; and greater investment in crisis services, including non-medical alternatives to hospital, was required. Such investment at either end of the spectrum was expected to be more effective than changes to the law and lead to better outcomes for mental health service users.

scholarly journals Activity in a district psychotherapy service

1994 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 544-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Tillett
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Royal College ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Local Mental Health ◽  
South West ◽  
Major Teaching

The Royal College of Psychiatrists (1991) has recommended that all local mental health services should include specialist psychotherapy departments. At present these are uncommon outside major teaching centres, although a considerable amount of simple psychotherapy is provided on an ad hoc basis by mental health professionals of various disciplines. This paper describes the structure, functioning and costs of a specialist department in a non-teaching district in the south west of England.

The Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP): Workshop Evaluation

2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 450-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Doughty ◽  
Samson Tse ◽  
Natasha Duncan ◽  
Leo McIntyre
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Mental Health Recovery ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Attitudes And Knowledge ◽  
Workshop Evaluation

Objective: This study evaluated the delivery of a series of workshops on mental health recovery. The aims were to determine if the workshops changed participants’ attitudes and knowledge about recovery, if there were any differences in views between consumers and health professionals of mental health services, and how the delivery and content of the program could be improved. Methods: A total of 187 consumers and health professionals from mental health services attended a workshop based on the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP). Questionnaires were administered before and after the workshop. Results: There was a significant change in total attitudes and knowledge about recovery (p<0.001) in the expected direction, with no differences between consumers and health professionals. The majority of participants found the workshop useful, and the majority of comments were positive. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary support for the use of WRAP to change consumers’ and mental health professionals’ knowledge and attitudes about recovery.

scholarly journals Interorganisational Collaboration in a Norwegian Prison—Challenges and Opportunities Arising from Interagency Meetings

2021 ◽  
pp. 31-57
Author(s):  
Päivikki Lahtinen ◽  
Anu Kajamaa ◽  
Laura Seppänen ◽  
Berit Johnsen ◽  
Sarah Hean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Interprofessional Collaboration ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Provision Of Care

AbstractIn prison, the provision of care and the surveillance of inmates takes place in multiple locations with several often contradictory demands. Inmates may experience a fragmentation of services because of the separate silos in which criminal justice service and mental health professionals work and the distinct ways of working that develop within these. A greater alignment between services is required. This chapter focuses on interagency meetings in a Norwegian prison. These are groups that aim to develop an holistic perspective of the inmate’s situation and problems, and are seen as an innovative way to overcome the contradiction between ‘treatment’ and ‘punishment’ prison paradigms applied by the different professionals working together in the prison and mental health services. We analysed how the professionals interact at interagency meetings, and how they align their tasks, goals, roles and expertise to support the inmate’s imprisonment and rehabilitation. Our analysis illustrates the multiple ways in which this collective activity is conceptualised by the participants and then provides a model of interorganisational dynamics through which these collaborations may be fostered. By so doing, we have made suggestions about how to enhance interprofessional collaboration between prison and mental health services. The chapter also contributes to research on challenges and opportunities for collaboration in complex organisational settings.

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