Workforce Planning for Embedded Mental Health Care in the U.S. Navy

2020 ◽  
Vol 185 (11-12) ◽  
pp. e1961-e1967
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Millegan ◽  
Robert Lippy ◽  
Gabriel De La Rosa ◽  
Michael Swayze ◽  
Thomas Murray ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Embedding mental health providers directly into operational units provides opportunities for holistic individual and population focused mental health support. To effectively provide clinical mental health care to a large number of Sailors and Marines while supporting the larger command, it is crucial to arrive at an optimal number of mental health (MH) care staff. In response to an increasing demand for MH care by operational units distributed globally, the U.S. Navy (USN) critically analyzed the current MH staffing levels, estimated future demand for MH care providers, and evaluated several staffing options. The following article illustrates a case study of workforce planning for the USN’s embedded MH delivery model. Materials and methods Several existing data sources were used to calculate current number of MH care staff across all USN platforms and to estimate demand for MH care. An open source Linear Programming application was used to estimate staffing solutions that meet business requirements in the most efficient manner possible. Results Results suggested different conclusions for embedded mental health staffing across USN communities. Depending on existing staffing levels and the number of Sailors or Marines anticipated to require care, the Linear Programming algorithm estimated needed staffing levels to address demand. Conclusion The current project represents the first systematic workforce planning initiative designed to help staff the USN’s global demand for community focused MH care. The results of this project have identified areas where additional embedded mental health resources should be made available. By systematically documenting all services and capabilities and carefully examining the operational demands of each community, the current solution was able to identify precisely what type of MH resources should be allocated to a given community.

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A294-A294
Author(s):  
Ivan Vargas ◽  
Alexandria Muench ◽  
Mark Seewald ◽  
Cecilia Livesey ◽  
Matthew Press ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Past epidemiological research indicates that insomnia and depression are both highly prevalent and tend to co-occur in the general population. The present study further assesses this association by estimating: (1) the concurrence rates of insomnia and depression in outpatients referred by their primary care providers for mental health care; and (2) whether the association between depression and insomnia varies by insomnia subtype (initial, middle, and late). Methods Data were collected from 3,174 patients (mean age=42.7; 74% women; 50% Black) who were referred to the integrated care program for assessment of mental health symptoms (2018–2020). All patients completed an Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and a Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) during their evaluations. Total scores for the ISI and PHQ-9 were computed. These scores were used to categorize patients into diagnostic groups for insomnia (no-insomnia [ISI < 8], subthreshold-insomnia [ISI 8–14], and clinically-significant-insomnia [ISI>14]) and depression (no-depression [PHQ-914]). Items 1–3 of the ISI were also used to assess the association between depression and subtypes of insomnia. Results Rates of insomnia were as follows: 34.6% for subthreshold-insomnia, 35.5% for clinically-significant insomnia, and 28.9% for mild-depression and 26.9% for clinically-significant-depression. 92% of patients with clinically significant depression reported at least subthreshold levels of insomnia. While the majority of patients with clinical depression reported having insomnia, the proportion of patients that endorsed these symptoms were comparable across insomnia subtypes (percent by subtype: initial insomnia 63%; middle insomnia 61%; late insomnia 59%). Conclusion According to these data, the proportion of outpatients referred for mental health evaluations that endorse treatable levels of insomnia is very high (approximately 70%). This naturally gives rise to at least two questions: how will such symptomatology be addressed (within primary or specialty care) and what affect might targeted treatment for insomnia have on health were it a focus of treatment in general? Support (if any) Vargas: K23HL141581; Perlis: K24AG055602


2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Nazareno

The U.S. government has a long tradition of providing direct care services to many of its most vulnerable citizens through market-based solutions and subsidized private entities. The privatized welfare state has led to the continued displacement of some of our most disenfranchised groups in need of long-term care. Situated after the U.S. deinstitutionalization era, this is the first study to examine how immigrant Filipino women emerged as owners of de facto mental health care facilities that cater to the displaced, impoverished, severely mentally ill population. These immigrant women–owned businesses serve as welfare state replacements, overseeing the health and illness of these individuals by providing housing, custodial care, and medical services after the massive closure of state mental hospitals that occurred between 1955 and 1980. This study explains the onset of these businesses and the challenges that one immigrant group faces as owners, the meanings of care associated with their de facto mental health care enterprises, and the conditions under which they have operated for more than 40 years.


2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 309-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Marie Aish ◽  
Inga-Lill Ramberg ◽  
Danuta Wasserman

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 590-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Anne Furst ◽  
Jose A Salinas-Perez ◽  
Luis Salvador-Carulla

Objectives: Concerns raised about the appropriateness of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Australia for people with mental illness have not been given full weight due to a perceived lack of available evidence. In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), one of the pilot sites of the Scheme, mental health care providers across all relevant sectors who were interviewed for a local Atlas of Mental Health Care described the impact of the scheme on their service provision. Methods: All mental health care providers from every sector in the ACT were contacted. The participation rate was 92%. We used the Description and Evaluation of Services and Directories for Long Term Care to assess all service provision at the local level. Results: Around one-third of services interviewed lacked funding stability for longer than 12 months. Nine of the 12 services who commented on the impact of the NDIS expressed deep concern over problems in planning and other issues. Conclusions: The transition to NDIS has had a major impact on ACT service providers. The ACT was a best-case scenario as it was one of the NDIS pilot sites.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Li ◽  
Xiao-Ling Duan ◽  
Hua-Qing Zhong ◽  
Wen Chen ◽  
Sara Evans‑Lacko ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Care assistant workers (CAWs) are a part of a new pattern of mental health care providers in China and play a significant role in bridging the human resource shortage. CAWs in China mainly include community cadres, community mental health staff and community policemen. The mental health related knowledge and attitudes of CAWs could influence their mental health care delivery. This study aimed to assess the mental health related knowledge and attitudes of CAWs in Guangzhou, China. Methods: In November 2017, a study was conducted among 381 CAWs from four districts of Guangzhou, China. Participants were assessed using the Perceived Devaluation and Discrimination Scale (PDD), the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS), and the Mental illness: Clinicians’ Attitudes (MICA). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Bonferroni corrections and multivariable linear regression. Results: The mean scores (standard deviation) of PDD, MAKS and MICA were 36.45 (6.54), 22.72 (2.56), 51.67 (7.88), respectively. Univariate analyses showed that the older CAWs, community policemen and those who were less willing to deliver care had significant higher MICA scores when compared with other staff (P < 0.001). However, participants who disagreed additional item 1(views towards inpatients) and additional item 2 (affiliate stigma) had a significant lower MICA scores when compared with those who agreed (P < 0.001). Multivariable linear regression showed that after controlling some variables, care willingness and PDD total score were significantly positively associated with the MICA total score (all P < 0.05), while attitudes on additional items were significantly negatively associated with the MICA total score (all P < 0.01).Conclusion: These findings suggest negative attitudes towards people with mental disorders among CAWs are common, especially among older staff. Community policemen suggest that they applied stereotypes of ‘violent mentally ill’ people to all people they deal with who have mental disorders. The results also indicate human rights are being paid attention to now, but need to be improved in the future. Strategies to improve attitudes and to reduce stigma and discrimination should be conducted with particular staff groups.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdoulaye Sow ◽  
Jeroen De Man ◽  
Myriam De Spiegelaere ◽  
Veerle Vanlerberghe ◽  
Bart Criel

Abstract Abstract Background Patient-centred care is an essential component of quality of health care. We hypothesize that integration of a mental health care package into versatile first-line health care services can strengthen patient participation, an important dimension of patient-centred care. The objective of this study is to analyse whether consultations conducted by providers in facilities that integrated mental health care score higher in terms of patient participation. Methods This study was conducted in Guinea in 12 not-for-profit health centres, 4 of which had integrated a mental health care package (MH+) and 8 had not (MH-). The study involved 450 general curative consultations (175 in MH+ and 275 in MH- centres), conducted by 18 care providers (7 in MH+ and 11 in MH- centres). Patients were interviewed after the consultation on how they perceived their involvement in the consultation, using the Patient Participation Scale (PPS). The providers completed a self-administered questionnaire on their perception of patient’s involvement in the consultation. We compared scores of the PPS between MH+ and MH- facilities and between patients and providers. Results The mean PPS score was 24.21 and 22.54 in MH+ and MH- health centres, respectively. Participation scores depended on both care providers and the health centres they work in and ranged from 19.12 to 26.96 (p <0.001) for providers and from 20.49 to 26.96 (p <0.001) for the health centres. When adjusting for health providers and the duration of consultation, the patients consulting an MH+ centre were scoring higher on patient participation score than the ones of an MH- centre (adjusted odds ratio of 4.06 with a 95% CI of 1.17-14.10, p = 0.03). All care providers agreed they understood the patients' concerns, and patients shared this view. All patients agreed they wanted to be involved in the decision-making concerning their treatment; providers, however, were reluctant to do so. Conclusion Integrating a mental health care package into versatile first-line health services can promote more positive attitudes of care provider-patient interactions, even though this process by its own is not sufficient.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Sutherland ◽  
Dahn Jeong ◽  
Michael Cheng ◽  
Mireille St-Jean ◽  
Alireza Jalali

BACKGROUND There is an unmet need for mental health care in Canada. Seventy-five percent of visits for mental health services are related to mood and anxiety disorder, which occur most frequently in the primary care setting. Primary care providers such as general practitioners and family physicians are essential part of mental health care services. However, it is currently not well known what is needed to increase care providers’ willingness, comfort and skills to adequately provide care. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to understand the caregiver and family physician needs regarding the care and medical management of individuals with mental health conditions. METHODS A needs assessment was designed to understand the educational needs of caregivers and family physicians with regard to the provision of mental health care, specifically, to seek advice of the format and delivery mode for an educational curriculum to be accessed by both stakeholder groups. Exploratory qualitative interviews were conducted and data was collected and analysed iteratively until thematic saturation was achieved. RESULTS Caregivers of individuals with mental health conditions (n=24) and family physicians (n=10) were interviewed. Both caregivers and family physicians expressed dissatisfaction with the status quo regarding the provision of mental health care at the family physician’s office. They stated that there was a need for more educational materials as well as additional supports. Caregivers expressed a general lack of confidence in family physicians to manage their son/daughter’s mental health condition, while family physicians sought more networking opportunities to improve and facilitate provision of mental health care. CONCLUSIONS Robust qualitative studies are necessary to identify the educational and medical management needs of caregivers and family physicians. Understanding each other’s perspectives is an essential first step to collaboratively designing, implementing, and the subsequent evaluation of community-based mental health care. Fortunately, there are initiatives underway already to address these need areas (e.g. websites such as eMentalHealth.ca/PrimaryCare as well as mentorship and collaborative care network) and information from this study can help inform the gaps in those existing initiatives. CLINICALTRIAL NA


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