Work and Work Programmes for Clients with Mental Health Problems

1995 ◽  
Vol 58 (11) ◽  
pp. 465-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celia Oxley

Work may be defined in a number of ways and cover a variety of activities. As well as paid work, it can cover such activities as hobbies, housework, voluntary work and do-it-yourself. It is an important factor in promoting mental health. Meaningful work may actually reduce a client's psychiatric symptoms. A work rehabilitation programme needs to cater not only for those able to progress to open employment but also for those needing supported or sheltered employment. Consequently, the programme should Include a thorough work skills assessment, work adjustment and work skills training, sheltered employment and transitional/supported employment leading, finally, for those who are able, to open employment.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Schützwohl

Background: People with an intellectual disability (ID) show a great number and complex constellation of support needs. With respect to the planning of services, it is important to assess needs at the population level. ID services need to know to what extent support needs of clients with mental health problems differ from support needs of clients without any mental health problem.Aims: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence rates of needs in relevant study groups. Methods: Data was generated from the MEMENTA-Study (“Mental health care for adults with intellectual disability and a mental disorder”). The Camberwell Assessment of Need for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities (CANDID) was used to assess met und unmet support needs. Data was available for n=248 adults with mild to moderate ID.Results: Mean total number of needs and unmet needs was associated with mental health status. However, in most particular areas under study, individuals without significant psychiatric symptoms or any behaviour problem needed as much as often help as individuals with such mental health problems. A higher rate of need for care among study participants with significant psychiatric symptoms or any behaviour problem was mainly found with regard to these specific areas (“minor mental health problems”, “major mental health problems”, “inappropriate behaviour”) or with regard to closely related areas (“safety of others”).Conclusions: Differences in prevalence rates mainly occurred in such areas of need that rather fall under the responsibility of mental health services than under the responsibility of ID services. This has implications for service planning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kan-Yuan Cheng ◽  
Chia-Feng Yen

Abstract Background Vocational peer support (VPS) services are recovery-oriented interventions in modern psychiatric care for persons with schizophrenia. However, few VPS services are found in Taiwan. Hence, a pilot program of peer co-delivered vocational rehabilitation to support persons with schizophrenia in Taiwan was proposed and evaluated. Methods Six peers were trained and were willing to co-lead and assist workplace problem-solving groups and care skills training in an extended vocational rehabilitation program from August 2017 to December 2018. The social support, mental health, psychiatric symptoms, and functioning of service users were assessed before and after peer co-delivered services, and the assessments were based on the following: Social Support Scale (SSS), Chinese Health Questionnaire-12 (CHQ-12), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Global Assessment of Function (GAF), and the Chinese version of the Social Functioning Scale (C-SFS). Results The recruited 46 service users were mostly middle-aged (49.1 ± 9.8), with 27 being male (58.7%). After interventions, 42 service users who completed the program had a significantly increased SSS score (149.1 ± 31.8 vs. 161.2 ± 35.0, df = 41, t = 2.70, p = 0.01) and subscale of friend-peer dimension (44.4 ± 12.0 vs. 53.2 ± 13.2, df = 41, t = 4.72, p < 0.001). The objective (GAF: 69.8 ± 9.8 vs. 72.6 ± 8.8, df = 41, t = 3.50, p = 0.001) and subjective social functional scores (C-SFS: 75.2 ± 8.8 vs. 78.1 ± 9.5, df = 41, t = 2.59, p = 0.01) both significantly increased. The weekly wage elevated significantly (37.5 ± 35.5 vs. 43.6 ± 38.0, df = 41, t = 2.57, p = 0.01) and the BPRS-18 score decreased significantly, too (31.2 ± 6.7 vs. 29.3 ± 5.0, df = 41, t = − 2.83, p = 0.007). Conclusions Peer co-delivered vocational rehabilitation services may enhance the social support received by persons with schizophrenia and improve their occupational outcomes. The pilot program proposed can thus be a model for non-Western countries with limited resources allocated by governments to support persons with schizophrenia. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials NCT04767204, retrospectively registered on Feb 23, 2021.


2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Lloyd-Evans ◽  
S. Marwaha ◽  
T. Burns ◽  
J. Secker ◽  
E. Latimer ◽  
...  

Aims.Little is known about how the rates and characteristics of mental health service users in unpaid work, training and study compare with those in paid employment.Methods.From staff report and patient records, 1353 mental health service users of seven Community Mental Health Teams in two London boroughs were categorized as in paid work, unpaid vocational activity or no vocational activity. Types of work were described using Standard Occupational Classifications. The characteristics of each group were reported and associations with vocational status were explored.Results.Of the sample, 5.5% were in paid work and 12.7% were in unpaid vocational activity, (including 5.3% in voluntary work and 8.1% in study or training). People in paid work were engaged in a broader range of occupations than those in voluntary work and most in paid work (58.5%) worked part-time. Younger age and high educational attainment characterized both groups. Having sustained previous employment was most strongly associated with being in paid work.Conclusions.Rates of vocational activity were very low. Results did not suggest a clear clinical distinction between those in paid and unpaid activity. The motivations for and functions of unpaid work need further research.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alisa M. Loosen ◽  
Vasilisa Skvortsova ◽  
Tobias U. Hauser

AbstractBackgroundIncreased mental health problems as a reaction to stressful life events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, are common. Critically, successful adaptation helps reduce such symptoms to baseline, preventing long-term psychiatric disorders. It is thus important to understand whether and which psychiatric symptoms only show transient elevations, and which persist long-term and become chronically heightened. At particular risk for the latter trajectory are disorders with symptoms directly affected by the pandemic, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder.MethodsIn this longitudinal large-scale study (N=416), we assessed how obsessive-compulsive (OC), anxiety, and depression symptoms changed throughout the course of the first pandemic wave in a sample of the general UK public. We further examined how these symptoms affected pandemic-related information seeking and adherence to governmental guidelines.FindingsAll psychiatric domains were initially elevated, but showed distinct adaptation patterns. Depression scores decreased during the first pandemic wave, however, OC symptoms further increased, even after the end of lockdown. These OC symptoms were directly linked to Covid-related information seeking which gave rise to higher adherence to government guidelines.InterpretationThe rise and persistence of OC symptoms, despite the ease of Covid-19 restrictions, shows that OCD is disproportionally and chronically affected by the pandemic. This is particularly worrying with regards to the long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on public mental health and indicates that patients with OCD may require particular treatment efforts.


2019 ◽  
Vol 185 (5-6) ◽  
pp. e703-e710
Author(s):  
Morten Nordmo ◽  
Sigurd William Hystad ◽  
Sverre Sanden ◽  
Bjørn Helge Johnsen

Abstract Introduction Minor mental health problems among service members deployed in combat areas are relatively common, but social support is a protective factor. With the advent of digital communication, as well as more frequent family separations, a stable family support system may be more important than before. In this exploratory study, we aimed to test the relationship between perceived family support and the development of minor psychiatric symptoms during a 4-month naval counter piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden. Materials and Methods We measured minor mental health problems with the general health questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12) and family support at three intervals, 3 weeks before deployment, 2 months into the mission, and at the end of deployment. We used mixed multilevel regression analysis to analyze the main effects of family support and time, as well as their interaction. All analyses were controlled for military rank. Results We found that minor psychiatric symptoms increased at both midway (B = 0.51, P &lt; 0.05) and toward the end of the mission (B = 0.72, P &lt; 0.01). The results also showed that receiving more family support is associated with fewer psychiatric symptoms (B = −0.87, P &lt; 0.01). Family support also moderated the development of symptoms toward the end of the mission (B = −0.73, P &lt; 0.01). The buffering effect was such that service members with a high degree of family support experienced no increase in minor psychiatric symptoms during the deployment. Conclusions The results indicate that naval deployment is associated with a small increase in minor mental health problems and that having a high degree of family support buffers this effect. Efforts to increase support among military families may positively influence the wellbeing of naval sailors during combat missions.


2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Brohan ◽  
S. Evans-Lacko ◽  
C. Henderson ◽  
J. Murray ◽  
M. Slade ◽  
...  

Aims.Decisions regarding disclosure of a mental health problem are complex and can involve reconciling conflicting needs and values. This article provides a qualitative account of the beliefs and experiences of mental health service users regarding disclosure in employment contexts.Methods.Total sample of 45 individuals were interviewed in two study phases. In phase one, semi-structured interviews were carried out with 15 mental health service users. The transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). In phase two, identified themes were further explored through interviews with mental health service users (n = 30) in three employment contexts: in paid employment (n = 10); in study or voluntary work (n = 10); and currently unemployed (n = 10). These were analysed using directed content analysis.Results.Four super-ordinate themes were drawn from phase one analysis: (1) public understanding of mental health problems; (2) the employment context; (3) personal impact of labelling and (4) disclosure needs. These themes were reflective of the content of phase two interviews.Conclusions.Greater emphasis needs to be placed on considering the societal, employment and interpersonal influences which form the basis for disclosure beliefs and experiences.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S482-S482
Author(s):  
M. Paris ◽  
M. Lopez ◽  
L. León-Quismondo ◽  
M. Silva ◽  
L. Añez

IntroductionAn ongoing challenge for the behavioral health field in the United States is ensuring access to culturally and linguistically responsive treatments for the growing number of monolingual Spanish speakers. The limited availability of services further compromises mental health outcomes given the unique psychosocial stressors often experienced in this population, such as language barriers, family separation and inadequate social support, unemployment, trauma, and poverty.ObjectiveIn response to the local demand for services, the authors describe a specialized group program for monolingual Spanish speaking adults with chronic and persistent mental illness.AimsThe program aims are two-fold:– to reduce exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms for individuals presenting in an acute state of distress through the provision of recovery-oriented mental health services in a familiar setting and preferred language;– to offer a specialized behavioral health training experience for bilingual psychology doctoral students.MethodsThe group is led by the psychology fellow and is offered twice per week for a total of six hours, and includes elements of interpersonal and cognitive behavioral therapy; motivational interviewing; spirituality; coping skills training; and art/music.ResultsThe described mental health group program is the only one available in Spanish in the local community and has reduced utilization of the hospital emergency room. Consequently, it fills an important gap in the service system and offers care that would otherwise be unavailable for individuals in need.ConclusionsThe program is a cost-effective alternative to hospitalization for Spanish speaking Latinos and a unique professional experience for psychologists in-training interested in a career in the public sector.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 198-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne Miller ◽  
Suzanne Clinton-Davis ◽  
Tina Meegan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide the personal accounts of the journey back to work from the perspective of both the person entering employment and the Employment Specialist who assisted them. Design/methodology/approach – Two people with mental health problems who received help into employment from an employment service in a London Mental Health Trust were asked to give write their accounts of their journey. The Employment Specialists who assisted them in this journey were also asked to write their accounts. Findings – Reflective accounts – no findings presented. Originality/value – Much has been written about the effectiveness of Individual Placement and Support evidence-based supported employment, but little has been published about the lived experience of this approach from the perspective of both the person endeavouring to return to work and the employment specialists who support them. This paper presents two such accounts.


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