The dissertation discusses the provision and organization of mental health services through the operation of Community Mental Health Centres outside the Greater Vancouver area in the Province of B.C.. A derived organizational structure of a CMHC is presented permitting a generalizable discussion of inter- and intra-organizational features and their relationship to administration peculiar to this organization. A number of propositions are generated regarding CMHC organizational structure and process; these propositions are based on the dimensions identified in the areas of organizational technology, environment and goals. The propositions are applied to a model of management permitting an examination of general areas of management concern. Methods of optimizing these areas are discussed operationally with the intent of facilitating organizational effectiveness in a CMHC. / Medicine, Faculty of / Population and Public Health (SPPH), School of / Graduate

The chronically mentally disabled need to be defined as a special needs group in order to receive the social and health services they require for community survival. Their needs can be identified by reviewing the relationships between chronic mental disability and schizophrenia, poor social margin, long term use of treatment facilities, and poor social and vocational functioning. Before the 1950's, services to the chronic patient were provided mainly within the asylum system. Although some innovations in psychiatric services were developed earlier, these were directed to patient groups other than the chronically mentally disabled. This tradition of attention to other patient groups has influenced the community mental health movement of the last 25 years. This movement was expected to provide for the needs of the chronically disabled in the community as the mental hospitals were reduced in population. Recognizing that community centered care of the former asylum populations is a technically feasible goal, the National Institute of Mental Health (N.I.M.H.) has proposed a model community system of services for this patient group. This model addresses their special needs, but its application requires a concerted and coordinated effort by several separate agencies. Recent changes in Canadian health care financing allows a realistic look at the American model. This paper uses Vancouver Island, British Columbia, as a planning area for services to the chronically mentally disabled. The population of the area is 441,000. The mental health services available to these patients are reviewed in order to determine the extent of this availability. Criticisms of community services in other jurisdictions were found to be relevant in the planning region. Recommendations are made based on the model service system developed by N.I.M.H. A comparison of the costs of the existing services to chronic patients and the ideal system shows that the required improvements could be made with little extra cost. / Medicine, Faculty of / Population and Public Health (SPPH), School of / Graduate

This research was undertaken to determine whether the growth of computer-supported information systems in community mental health centers can be characterized by distinct stages of development. Data collection and analysis were designed to answer the following two questions: (1) Can distinct stages of information system growth be characterized by common profiles of computer-supported applications? (2) Are there characteristic groups of enabling factors (i.e., organization of data processing activities, management planning and control techniques, and user involvement) consistent among community mental health centers at any given stage of growth? This study draws upon earlier work by Nolan who identified distinct stages which characterize the pattern of information system growth in business organizations. A model reflecting the unique characteristics of community mental health centers was formulated to describe the aspects of information system growth addressed by this study. The components of the model were used to develop three scenarios describing the hypothesized characteristics of mental health information systems at three different stages of growth. Data for this study were obtained through a two-phase survey. The preliminary survey identified which community mental health centers are using computer-supported applications. The second survey collected detailed data about each model component using a stratified random sample of centers using computer-supported information systems. Responses to the preliminary survey showed that seventy-nine percent of the centers are using computer-supported information systems. In addition, the majority of centers with manual systems have plans to automate within one year. By contrast, a 1974 survey reported that only one-fourth of the centers were using computerized information systems. The number of centers using computers has therefore increased dramatically during the last five years. The analysis of computer-supported applications showed that a refinement of the hypothesized applications profile for each stage would be more representative of the state of the art of computerized applications in community mental health centers. The original model depicting three stages of applications development was extended to four stages. The predominant types of applications being developed are those supporting administrative and clinical recordkeeping functions. These findings indicate that the development of computer-supported applications in centers parallels applications development in other mental health programs. The analysis of characteristics of enabling factors revealed distinct differences among centers in each stage of development. The study results clearly showed that centers which are developing the most comprehensive sets of computerized applications are implementing formal planning and control techniques and user involvement strategies. These centers also reported the most favorable staff attitudes toward the usefulness of the information system and the most interest in developing new applications. While distinct characteristics of data processing organization variables were identified, these characteristics did not reflect a progression toward increased formalization of the data processing function.

The inclusion of social workers in delivering and maintaining excellent mental health services is key. Good quality social work can transform the lives of people with mental health illnesses and is an essential part of a multidisciplinary and interrelated team (Lamb, 2014:2). Furthermore, social workers play a pivotal role in improving health services and mental health outcomes for all citizens (Allen, 2014:5). However, the state of mental health services in South African is declining. This is also observed in other African countries as well as globally (Allen, 2014:5; Lamb, 2014:2). Even though South Africa has progressive mental health legislation, there are a number of challenges to the financing and development of mental health services (Eaton, McCay, Semrau, Chatterjee, Baingana, Araya, Ntulo, Thornicroft & Saxena, 2011:1593). These challenges have resulted in psychiatric hospitals remaining outdated; a scarcity of mental health professionals; an inability to develop tertiary level psychiatric services; and an underdeveloped community for mental health and psychosocial rehabilitation services (Burns, 2011:100). The goal of the study was to explore and describe the experiences of social workers in the provision of mental health services in South Africa specifically in Southern Free State Mental Health; Vaal mental health; Kungwini welfare organisation; and YANA. A qualitative research approach was used in the present study. Applied research was conducted and the study made use of both exploratory and descriptive research purposes. Both research purposes allowed the researcher to explore and develop a deeper understanding of a notion that had not been explored in South Africa before (Babbie, 2017:97; Fouche & De Vos, 2011:95). The research design that was utilised in the present study was the case study research design, specifically instrumental case study (Nieuwenhuis, 2016:81). Semi-structured one-on-one and virtual interviews were used. The findings relate to the following factors that contribute to the experiences of social workers rendering mental health services: knowledge and understanding of mental health services; roles and tasks of a social worker in mental health; skills required to provide mental health services; knowledge and understanding of mental of health policies; challenges experienced by social workers rendering mental health services; training in the provision of mental health services; social work supervision; and suggestions to better equip mental health social workers and improve mental health services. The findings further revealed that a lack of resources have a great influence on the provision of mental health services. / Mini Dissertation (MSW (Healthcare))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Humanities Education / MSW (Healthcare) / Unrestricted

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of young adults transitioning from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) from the perspectives of patients. Using convenience sampling, six participants were recruited for individual semi-structured interviews. Using conventional content analysis, I identified five categories reflective of the participants' experiences: 1. 'Expectations', 2. 'Transition is a Gradual Process and not an Abrupt Change', 3. 'Factors Influencing Transition', 4. Living the Transition' and 5. 'Improving the Transition'. These categories included subcategories, when appropriate, to highlight variation within the main experiences. The findings provide insight into the experiences of young adults who are - or have lived - the transition from CAMHS to AMHS from their perspectives. The participants' stories are useful to understand the physical and emotional challenges associated with shifting to adult care, and their recommendations can help to inform healthy transitions in this context.

No description available.

This study conducted in-depth interviews with 11 homeless or formerly homeless individuals at eh Central City Lutheran Mission. The focus of this research project is mental health service utilization among the homeless in San Bernardino. A wide array of services are available to the mentally ill homeless in this area, however services offered often do not meet the needs of this population.

Under-utilisation of mental health services is widespread globally and within Australia, especially among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. Improving service access is a priority, as is the need to deliver culturally competent services to the CALD communities. Having migrated to Australia in waves for approximately 150 years from China and South East Asia for various social, political and economic reasons, the Chinese population in Sydney is now the fastest growing non-English speaking ethnic group. There is a need to better understand the impact of culture on the emotional experiences of these Chinese in Australia. How do Chinese make sense of their depressive episodes? To address this question, this study explored the ways participants reach out for medical and/or non-medical help. Lay concepts of illness underpin these decisions and were thus unveiled. Mixed-method research design provided the opportunity to bring together multiple vantage points of investigation: population mental health, transcultural psychiatry and medical anthropology. A study combining quantitative survey and qualitative focus groups was undertaken in metropolitan Sydney. Narratives on symptoms, explanatory models and help-seeking strategies were articulated by focus group informants. Surveys covered demographics, symptom-recognition, previous depressive experiences and professional help sought. Depression measurement tools were cross-culturally validated. Self-ratings of ethnic identities and the Suinn-Lew Self-Identity Acculturation Scale were used to quantify Chinese participants' acculturation level. This allowed comparisons between 'low-acculturated' Chinese', highly-acculturated' Chinese and Australians. Survey results showed comparable levels of symptom-recognition in all subgroups. Focus group discussions provided rich data on informants' help-seeking strategies. Highly acculturated Chinese closely resembled the Australians in many study variables, yet qualitative data suggested cultural gaps beyond language barriers in influencing service use. Participants believed that trustful relationships could work as the bridge to link services with those in need. The implications for Australia's mental health policy include recognising the importance of rapport-building and the existence of cultural gaps. The study indicated professionals can benefit from acquiring information about the mental health beliefs both of individual clients and the wider ethnic communities in which they belong, and respecting the cultural differences between helper and helped as the first step towards cultural competency.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, and San Diego State University, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-68).

Under-utilisation of mental health services is widespread globally and within Australia, especially among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. Improving service access is a priority, as is the need to deliver culturally competent services to the CALD communities. Having migrated to Australia in waves for approximately 150 years from China and South East Asia for various social, political and economic reasons, the Chinese population in Sydney is now the fastest growing non-English speaking ethnic group. There is a need to better understand the impact of culture on the emotional experiences of these Chinese in Australia. How do Chinese make sense of their depressive episodes? To address this question, this study explored the ways participants reach out for medical and/or non-medical help. Lay concepts of illness underpin these decisions and were thus unveiled. Mixed-method research design provided the opportunity to bring together multiple vantage points of investigation: population mental health, transcultural psychiatry and medical anthropology. A study combining quantitative survey and qualitative focus groups was undertaken in metropolitan Sydney. Narratives on symptoms, explanatory models and help-seeking strategies were articulated by focus group informants. Surveys covered demographics, symptom-recognition, previous depressive experiences and professional help sought. Depression measurement tools were cross-culturally validated. Self-ratings of ethnic identities and the Suinn-Lew Self-Identity Acculturation Scale were used to quantify Chinese participants' acculturation level. This allowed comparisons between 'low-acculturated' Chinese', highly-acculturated' Chinese and Australians. Survey results showed comparable levels of symptom-recognition in all subgroups. Focus group discussions provided rich data on informants' help-seeking strategies. Highly acculturated Chinese closely resembled the Australians in many study variables, yet qualitative data suggested cultural gaps beyond language barriers in influencing service use. Participants believed that trustful relationships could work as the bridge to link services with those in need. The implications for Australia's mental health policy include recognising the importance of rapport-building and the existence of cultural gaps. The study indicated professionals can benefit from acquiring information about the mental health beliefs both of individual clients and the wider ethnic communities in which they belong, and respecting the cultural differences between helper and helped as the first step towards cultural competency.