Augmenting Online Mental Health Support Services

The Internet allows mental health organisations to provide services to more people via new models of care. Amongst these, online support groups are becoming increasingly popular. This model of mental health service provision includes moderators who read posts, recognise those that need attention and provide support via online responses. However, as these groups become more popular they risk becoming more difficult to manage due to the sheer volume of posts. This challenge can be addressed through computational linguistics techniques. This chapter reports on work with a mental health organisation on three components to help scale up the number of people they can support. The design aims to go beyond helping end-users and explores how design can support the wellbeing of the moderators themselves. The design of the three components is discussed: 1) A triage component automatically detects posts that need a prompt response. 2) An intervention generator (IG) generates a draft response for the moderator to use, for example a positive psychology intervention. These two can help in the management of a discussion forum, supporting positive behaviours, not just dealing in situations of distress. 3) A component for synchronous support through an augmented chat system.

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Investigation of the “alternative” effects of an online support group for mental health problems among Japanese adults: A cross-sectional study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.21348 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Osamu Kobori ◽

Naoki Yoshinaga

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Support Groups ◽

Support Group ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Online Support ◽

Online Support Groups ◽

Online Support Group ◽

Usage Frequency

BACKGROUND Owing to the rapid development of social networking services, online support groups vary widely both in goal and structure. Several studies have shown the potential effectiveness of online support groups, such as reducing psychological distress (eg depression) among individuals with mental health problems. However, online support groups often do not aim at effectiveness regarding distress-relief-related outcomes. OBJECTIVE The U2plus.jp (hereinafter U2plus) is an online support group for individuals with depression; in it, people support each other in structured ways while engaging in simple cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) exercises. This study aimed to examine if usage frequency of the U2plus functions are associated with decreased stigma and increased consumer. METHODS In total, 355 U2plus users took part in an online survey. They were asked what therapy they had ever received, how often they logged into it and used each of its functions, and completed the following questionnaires: The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Perceived Devaluation Discrimination Scale, and the General Help Seeking Scale. RESULTS Regarding the therapy they received, 89.3% (n=308) had been on medication for mental health problems, and 67.5% (n=233) had received psychotherapy or mental health counselling. Regarding the usage frequency, approximately 20% of the participants signed in to U2plus and used its functions more than once a week. The usage frequency of U2plus functions was not associated with perceived stigma. However, usage frequency of some functions was correlated to help seeking intentions from formal sources (eg doctors and psychologists). Moreover, 90% of the participants had a history of medication for their mental health. Additionally, the more depressed participants were, the more frequently they used U2plus. CONCLUSIONS It was suggested that online support groups may serve as an alternative treatment option for those who are already undergoing pharmacological treatment and are willing to seek help from whatever source they deem helpful.

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School Settings

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190634841.013.40 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Melissa K. Holt ◽

Jennifer Greif Green ◽

Javier Guzman

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Service ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Service ◽

Health Services ◽

Service Provision ◽

Community Mental Health Service ◽

Health Service Provision ◽

School Settings ◽

Mental Health Service Provision

Schools are a primary setting for mental health service provision to youth and are also main sources of referral to community mental health service providers. This chapter examines the school context and its key role in the child and adolescent mental health services system. The chapter first provides information about the association of emotional and behavioral disorders with school experiences, including academic performance. Next, the chapter presents a framework for mental health service provision and assessment in schools, including describing methods for identifying students who might need mental health services and tracking their progress. Further, several evidence-based interventions are highlighted as examples of effective practices in schools. The chapter concludes with recommendations for clinical practice in school settings.

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Healthcare professionals’ perspectives on mental health service provision: a pilot focus group study in six European countries

International Journal of Mental Health Systems ◽

10.1186/s13033-020-00350-1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sofia Triliva ◽

Spyridoula Ntani ◽

Theodoros Giovazolias ◽

Konstantinos Kafetsios ◽

Malin Axelsson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Service ◽

Focus Group ◽

Health Service ◽

Service Provision ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

European Countries ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Health Service Provision ◽

Mental Health Service Provision

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Exploring the Dimensions of Recovery and User Experience

The International Journal of Person Centered Medicine ◽

10.5750/ijpcm.v3i4.412 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 305-311

Author(s):

Peter Jones

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Service ◽

Health Service ◽

Health Service Provision ◽

Domain Specific ◽

The Past ◽

Economic Climate ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

The Individual ◽

Mental Health Service Provision

The concept of recovery is widely applied within service delivery in the field of mental health. The dimensions of recovery were explored using a singular conceptual framework known as Hodges’ model, which is shown to be suited to this particular task. This arises from the model’s structure, in that it encompasses the individual-group and a care domain specific to the political aspects of both health and social care. The evidence was found by relating recovery to the model’s care domains, which is also relevant to the experience of mental health service users and developments over the past decade in mental health service provision. Particular attention is given to the ‘Recovery Star’. This can be used as a key-working and outcomes tool. The discussion is also placed in a context of the current socio-economic climate, notably the ‘politics of recovery’ at a time of austerity.

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The use of CBT based, brief, facilitated self-help interventions in primary care mental health service provision: Evaluation of a 10-day training programme

Clinical Effectiveness in Nursing ◽

10.1016/j.cein.2006.06.001 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. e88-e96 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

David M. Ekers ◽

Karina Lovell ◽

John F. Playle

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Primary Care ◽

Mental Health Service ◽

Health Service ◽

Service Provision ◽

Training Programme ◽

Health Service Provision ◽

Primary Care Mental Health ◽

Self Help ◽

Mental Health Service Provision

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The impact of community-based mental health service provision on stigma and attitudes towards professional help-seeking

Journal of Mental Health ◽

10.1080/09638237.2018.1521928 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 289-295 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Michelle Kearns ◽

Orla T. Muldoon ◽

Rachel M. Msetfi ◽

Paul W.G. Surgenor

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Service ◽

Health Service ◽

Service Provision ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Community Based ◽

Professional Help ◽

Health Service Provision ◽

Mental Health Service Provision ◽

The Impact

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Predictors of Seeking Health Information and Mental Health Support in U.S. Prisons: A Study Using 2014 PIAAC Data

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1082 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 337-337

Author(s):

Candidus Nwakasi ◽

Darlingtina Esiaka ◽

Janardan Subedi

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

General Population ◽

Health Information ◽

Support Groups ◽

Social Trust ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

Literacy Skill ◽

Mental Health Support ◽

Health Support

Abstract Being in prison increases the vulnerability to poor health, especially mental illnesses. This is evident in the documented health disparities between prison inmates and the general population. For example, suicide rates among inmates are higher than in the general population. There is an urgent need to understand how inmates experience mental well-being. This is important as some inmates serve long/life sentences and some will need to successfully re-integrate into the society. Although they have a constitutional right to health care access through the Eight Amendment, little is known of the health information and mental health support seeking patterns among inmates. The current study examined factors associated with the amount of health information accessed, and participation in mental health support groups in US prisons. Data (N= 645) from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (2014) were analyzed using linear and logistic regressions. Sample weights were applied in the analyses. Results show statistically significant relationships between amount of health information acquired and age (66 years and above), race, health-status, readiness to learn, literacy skill, and numeracy skill. Social trust moderated the effect of education on the odds of participating in mental health support groups. Also, gender, work duration, attending substance abuse support and life skills groups were significant predictors. Our study may provide insight for stakeholders (e.g., policymakers, clinicians, social workers, and wardens, etc.) working in partnership to deliver a more tailored health interventions for inmates, by highlighting key contextual issues predicting mental health and well-being within prison settings.

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