The ghettoization of persons with severe mental illnesses

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Laura Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Support Worker ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline the reflections of a person with lived experience of a severe mental illness (SMI) and former peer support worker in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, who has also worked for seven years in mental health research. It describes a tendency of resources and services to create ghettos of people with SMIs by failing to support the integration of people with SMIs into the community at large or in exploring options for meaningful, fulfilling occupation, reinforcing social exclusion and ghettoization. Design/methodology/approach This paper shows a reflective and narrative account of personal experiences and observations of the ghettoizing tendency in mental health services. Findings Mental healthcare professionals tend to support people with SMIs in engaging activities within resources for the mentally ill, and not in carrying out activities in the community at large. The range of activities offered is limited, an obstacle to finding meaningful, fulfilling occupation. Harmful psychological effects include self-stigma, low self-esteem and a sense of marginalization, generating a ghettoized mentality. The difficulties encountered in an effort to leave the mental health ghetto are touched on with examples of how to overcome them. Practical implications The need for professional support for social integration of people with SMIs is identified, which could ultimately favor social inclusion of people with SMIs. Originality/value It is written from the perspective of a user and provider of mental health services, who also has seven years’ experience in mental health research.

A day in the life of a peer support worker: re-entry

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 149-152
Author(s):  
Emma Watson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Narrative Approach ◽  
Personal Recovery ◽  
Support Worker ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Returning To Work

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to share the experiences and reflections of a peer support worker over the course of a day working in mental health services. Design/methodology/approach – A narrative approach has been taken to structure reflections based on the experience of returning to work after taking sick leave. Findings – Reflections are offered based on the process of returning to work and the way that this experience sheds light on personal recovery. Originality/value – This paper adds to the small number of accounts of the experiences of peer support working in mental health services and as such is highly original.

scholarly journals Understanding barriers to accessing mental health services for newcomers to Canada using Peterborough, Ontario, as an illustrative example

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurun Layla Chowdhury
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
Accurate Information

The quality of an individual’s mental health has a significant impact on their quality of life, as well as on the cost to society. Regular access to mental health services can help mitigate the risk factors of developing mental illnesses. This paper examines barriers to accessing mental health services, using the community of Peterborough, Ontario, as an example. Social, economic, and cultural barriers impact help-seeking amongst immigrants, putting them at a higher risk of developing mental disorders. The social determinants of mental health can be useful when developing policies aimed at improving utilization of mental healthcare services. Policy makers need to first focus on collecting accurate information on the population, and then developing targeted solutions to eliminate barriers such as language and employment that prevent help-seeking in immigrants.

scholarly journals Choice in mental health: myths and possibilities

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koravangattu Menon Valsraj ◽  
Nichola Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Healthcare Model ◽  
The Government

The government in England and Wales is promoting policies and initiatives to offer patients choice across all healthcare specialties. This has raised concerns in mental healthcare, particularly if the physical healthcare model of implementation is imposed. However, the ‘choice agenda’ is an opportunity for mental health services to be innovative and act as beacons to other disciplines in healthcare. The south-east London programme introducing choice in mental health services is offered as an example here. There already exists an ‘ethos of choice’ within mental health services, but current practices may require a focused approach and structuring to fit in with national policy. This also might be necessary to influence policy makers to take a different perspective on choice in mental health. The principle of choice goes hand in hand with the drive towards greater social inclusion for people with mental health problems.

Social Policy Considerations for Community Mental Health Services: A Curriculum Module Integrating Mental Health Research

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph L. Mosca
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Community Mental Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Community Treatment ◽  
Traditional Service

This curriculum module is designed for use in an undergraduate social policy course. It focuses on mental health policy and its impact on services to the chronic mentally ill in the community. Relevant mental health research is integrated in order to provide a basis for comparing traditional service interventions with alternative approaches. Learning outcomes that are critical to social policy analysis are addressed to include: problem identification and analysis; policy reform proposals; implementation concerns; and assessment. These components of social policy are applied to mental health services by specifically comparing family-aided assertive community treatment to longstanding approaches associated with deinstitutionalization.

Maximising resilience resources for mental healthcare staff

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-53
Author(s):  
Nicole S. Gevaux ◽  
Stephanie Petty
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mental Health Settings ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate optimal resources to promote resilience in staff working in inpatient mental health services. The study also provides an example of card sorting methodology used as an efficient way to identify the most helpful resources for resilience. Design/methodology/approach In total, 25 clinical staff participated in the study. A preliminary focus group and brief literature search identified resources used in two tasks. Two card sorting tasks identified resources participants found helpful vs unhelpful and abundant vs scarce, and resources they would find valuable to use more often. Findings The results indicate that most resources helpful to resilience and available to staff were personal resources (relating to positive outlooks or ways of working), whereas resources valuable to resilience but scarce in the working environment were organisational resources (relating to management or social workplace culture). Resources found to not be valuable to resilience were largely personal tangible resources (e.g. smoking, massages). Practical implications The findings and method may be generalisable to other mental health services, giving insight into promoting resilience within individuals and organisations. This information could serve as guidelines to streamline the allocation of organisational resources to best promote resilience across various mental health settings. Originality/value Staff resilience to working in mental health services contributes to high-quality, sustainable patient care. This study provides further insight into how personal and organisational resources are both vital to resilience in staff working in highly challenging environments.

A day in the life of a peer support worker: the ward reviews

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-72
Author(s):  
Emma Watson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Narrative Approach ◽  
Support Worker ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to share the experiences and reflections of a Peer Support Worker over the course of a day working within mental health services. Design/methodology/approach – A narrative approach has been taken to structure reflections based on the experience of attending a series of reviews on an acute mental health ward. Findings – The experience of attending ward reviews creates reflections based on how this system affects and challenges both those who are served by it and those work within it. Originality/value – This paper adds to the small number of accounts of the experiences of Peer Support Working in mental health services and as such is highly original.

scholarly journals Carers and co-production: enabling expertise through experience?

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 232-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor Bradley
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the literature to date which has focused on co-production within mental healthcare in the UK, including service user and carer involvement and collaboration. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents key outcomes from studies which have explicitly attempted to introduce co-produced care in addition to specific tools designed to encourage co-production within mental health services. The paper debates the cultural and ideological shift required for staff, service users and family members to undertake co-produced care and outlines challenges ahead with respect to service redesign and new roles in practice. Findings – Informal carers (family and friends) are recognised as a fundamental resource for mental health service provision, as well as a rich source of expertise through experience, yet their views are rarely solicited by mental health professionals or taken into account during decision making. This issue is considered alongside new policy recommendations which advocate the development of co-produced services and care. Research limitations/implications – Despite the launch of a number of initiatives designed to build on peer experience and support, there has been a lack of attention on the differing dynamic which remains evident between healthcare professionals and people using mental health services. Co-production sheds a light on the blurring of roles, trust and shared endeavour (Slay and Stephens, 2013) but, despite an increase in peer recovery workers across England, there has been little research or service development designed to focus explicitly on this particular dynamic. Practical implications – Despite these challenges, coproduction in mental healthcare represents a real opportunity for the skills and experience of family members to be taken into account and could provide a mechanism to achieve the “triangle of care” with input, recognition and respect given to all (service users, carers, professionals) whose lives are touched by mental distress. However, lack of attention in relation to carer perspectives, expertise and potential involvement could undermine the potential for coproduction to act as a vehicle to encourage person-centred care which accounts for social in addition to clinical factors. Social implications – The families of people with severe and enduring mental illness assume a major responsibility for the provision of care and support to their relatives over extended time periods (Rose et al., 2004). Involving carers in discussions about care planning could help to provide a wider picture about the impact of mental health difficulties, beyond symptom reduction. The “co-production of care” reflects a desire to work meaningfully and fully with service users and carers. However, to date, little work has been undertaken in order to coproduce services through the “triangle of care” with carers bringing their own skills, resources and expertise. Originality/value – This paper debates the current involvement of carers across mental healthcare and debates whether co-production could be a vehicle to utilise carer expertise, enhance quality and satisfaction with mental healthcare. The critique of current work highlights the danger of increasing expectations on service providers to undertake work aligned to key initiatives (shared decision-making, person-centred care, co-production), that have common underpinning principles but, in the absence of practical guidance, could be addressed in isolation rather than as an integrated approach within a “triangle of care”.

Assessing organizational culture in public mental healthcare service organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Prodromou ◽  
George Papageorgiou
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Public Mental Health ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Mental Health Services

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate aspects of organizational culture among the nursing staff of public mental health services organizations in Cyprus. Specifically, highlights are provided of possible differences on the attitudes of nurses regarding actual and desired aspects of organizational culture with respect to demographic characteristics such as gender, years of service and experience.Design/methodology/approachA descriptive explanatory type survey study was conducted in all public mental health services organizations of Cyprus. Specifically, a questionnaire was given to a representative sample of the nursing population, and data were collected and analyzed. The survey questionnaire was based on the organizational culture profile (OCP) methodology. Statistical analysis was carried out using correlational analysis, t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA).FindingsResults showed that there are significant discrepancies between the actual organizational culture and what is desired by staff members of public mental health services organizations in Cyprus. Further, significant differences are identified between actual and desired organizational culture moderated by the type of work, which is determined by the workplace.Originality/valueEven though, organizational culture is a major research topic little has been done in the context of public mental healthcare organizations. Further, for the case of Cyprus, it is the first time that such a study is carried out. The results presented in this paper may provide the foundation for measures to be taken for improving the existing operation of public mental healthcare organizations.

Military veterans’ experiences of NHS mental health services

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Local Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Template Analysis ◽  
The Military ◽  
Improve Patient

Purpose A significant minority of veterans have poor mental health outcomes but their needs are not always well managed by the NHS. The purpose of this paper is to explore veterans’ experiences of NHS mental healthcare in Norfolk and Suffolk to identify ways of improving services. Design/methodology/approach Interviews were conducted with 30 veterans. Template analysis was undertaken to explore key themes in the interview transcripts. Findings Participants were reluctant to seek help but were more likely to engage with a veteran-specific service. Those whose symptoms were military related reported better experiences when accessing treatment that was military sensitive. Research limitations/implications This was a local study and the findings do not necessarily reflect the views of the wider veteran community. Most participants who received military sensitive treatment were referred to the study by NHS providers, which could account for their positive feedback. Social implications The development of dedicated mental health services may encourage more veterans to seek support, helping to improve patient outcomes. There is a need for further research to determine the effectiveness of dedicated services and identify how they should be deployed. Originality/value Where academic interest has generally centred on the aetiology of mental health conditions within the military, this study focussed upon service user experience. The findings contributed to NHS England’s recent decision to extend its network of dedicated services in 12 areas of the country to cover veterans across England from April 2017.

scholarly journals Nature for Mental Health and Social Inclusion

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin P. Bishop
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Community Integration ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Professional Community ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mental Illnesses

<p>In the United States there remains an effort for mental health services to provide holistic options that improve symptomatology while improving social belonging for people diagnosed with serious and persistent mental illnesses.&nbsp; Consequently, the mental healthcare delivery system appears to create community-<em>situated</em> users of services rather than people who are active members of their communities.&nbsp; This article reports on literature associated with the use of horticulture and gardening for mental health recovery and embraces the use of these services to generate enduring and genuine community integration outcomes through professional-community relationships. &nbsp;Conclusions are that mental health services should engage Nature-related programing to provide opportunities that enhance multiple aspects of health and well-being, increase constructive interpersonal relationships that lead to a more authentic social inclusion, and support the destigmatization of mental illnesses.</p><p><em>Keywords:</em><strong> </strong>mental health; integration; Nature, gardening, social and therapeutic horticulture; eco-therapy&nbsp;<strong></strong></p>

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