Mental health seems to be a growing area of concern worldwide with the number of people suffering from mental health issues rapidly increasing. In South Africa, over 17 million people are reported to be suffering from mental illness and mental health problems. Those suffering from mental health problems are identified as a vulnerable group greatly depending on the social work intervention and service provision for recovery. As a result, social workers form part of the five core professional groups in the field of mental health worldwide. The provision of mental health services by social workers is subject to numerous realities that have a significant impact on their overall experiences in the field however there has been little to no research conducted on the experiences of social workers in providing mental health services. Therefore, the rationale of the present study was to address the identified knowledge gap in literature by conducting research specifically looking into the experiences of social workers in the provision of mental health services at Weskoppies mental health facility. The goal of the present study was to explore and describe the experiences of social workers in the provision of mental healthcare services specifically at Weskoppies mental health facility. The present study was qualitative and employed the instrumental case study design in order to generate an understanding of the experiences of social workers in providing mental health services through thick and rich descriptions of the cases studied. The ten (10) social workers who participated in the present study were purposively sampled using the following sampling criteria: the social worker had to be providing mental health services at Weskoppies mental health facility; be registered with the South African Council for Social Service Professionals (SACSSP) and be in possession of a recognised bachelor’s degree from a South African university; have six months or more experience in mental health; give consent to participate in the study and be able to speak and understand or converse in English. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews with an interview schedule were utilised to collect data from the participants. The research findings show that the absence of a clear set scope of practice for social workers providing mental health services results in role confusion and also in social workers being subject to tasks falling outside of their broad scope of social work practice (for example, accompanying patients to the ATM or collecting patient parcels at an institutional gate/entrance). The risks with such tasks are observably not covered in danger allowances as the research explains in detail in analysed findings. In addition to the above, a lack of resources was identified as the main challenge affecting the overall quality of social work service provision and interventions. The findings also indicate that there is a great gap in mental health content within the undergraduate social work degree and that the degree alone is inadequate in capacitating social workers to undertake effective practice in mental health. Supervision and workplace training seem to be effective measures in bridging the presenting gaps resulting from the undergraduate BSW degree. Recommendations include capacity building for social workers providing mental health services through the Inclusion of mental health modules in the undergraduate social work degree as well as the development of a clear set scope of practice for social workers providing mental health services. Key Concepts: Social Worker, Mental health, Mental health services, Mental illness, Mental healthcare user, Metal health facility, Weskoppies mental health facility, Experiences / Mini Dissertation (MSW (Health Care))-University of Pretoria, 2020. / Social Work and Criminology / MSW (Health Care) / Unrestricted

<p> Quality citizen participation in processes of policy development is crucial to a democracy interested in equity of voice for all its citizens. Citizens with less political power, however, are often absent from policy development for a variety of reasons, despite legislative and advocacy efforts for inclusion. In policy development processes, community representatives are a mechanism for traditionally marginalized or disadvantaged citizens to have a voice; yet the question remains how to effectively utilize that voice. This question stems from research demonstrating an increase in quantity citizen participation but not in quality citizen participation, which is more interested in the process of policy development as opposed to a final product. To understand quality citizen participation, a critical ethnography guided by a socio-ecological perspective allowing for the investigation of contextual as well as individual factors impacting policy development processes was conducted to assist in advancing knowledge about the best practices necessary to facilitate quality citizen participation in policy development. The policy development process explored in this qualitative study was the context provided by three CHCs in a Midwestern state. Information was gathered about these three CHC boards from multiple sources to best represent the context surrounding participation on the boards and that participation experience from the perspective of board members. The data analyzed included: descriptive statistics of seven counties which comprised the patient community of the three CHCs participating in the study, descriptive statistics of the patient communities of those three CHCs, interviews with national and state policy experts, the clinic directors and board chairs of the three CHCs and interviews with 16 board members of the three CHCs. Analysis of these data identified individual, relational, organizational, community and public policy level factors which impacted the participation of board members of three CHCs. For example, the education and background experiences of board members (individual) as well as relationships between board members and the management teams of the clinics (relational) facilitated the quality of their participation on the boards. Contextual knowledge of economic, political, and cultural factors were discovered for each of the three clinics, and proved important to understanding the quality of participation of board members. </p><p> Social work educators and practitioners will benefit from the advancement of knowledge about what factors facilitate the quality of citizen participation in policy development processes. The results of this study suggest that practitioners interested in empowering consumers to have a role in the provision of services need to understand what facilitates the quality of citizen participation to ensure that consumers have a legitimate voice in policy development and implementation processes. The results of this study also inform our understanding of citizen participation in multiple policy development processes. For example, because legislators will benefit when barriers to the quality of citizen participation are identified, educators teaching social work students about macro practice will have concrete lessons to draw from; practitioners who work with non-elected members of boards will benefit from barrier identification allowing them to assist in the empowerment of future board members engaged in policy development on a wide variety of boards; and finally actual board members, especially those representing traditionally disadvantaged or marginalized communities, will benefit from knowledge gleaned from similar experiences, and educators teaching social work students about the benefits of advocacy and empowerment could assist to make their participation more effective.</p>

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the perceived stress in qualified nursing staff and the satisfaction of students with the clinical learning environment. The study consisted of three distinct phases. The initial phase was based on informal interviews with students (N=54) and qualified staff (N=23). Data collected from these interviews was used to develop and design three tools. The latter formed the basis of the second phase of the study - a quantitative survey. Respondents in this phase were pre registration students (N=162) from one school of nursing, and qualified staff (N = 105) from two district hospitals in the south of England. The final phase of the study was carried out using a grounded theory approach. Findings from phase two provided the focus areas for this phase of the study. A total of 13 qualified staff and 18 students were interviewed. Collection of data for the three phases spanned a two and a half year period. The overall findings, based on the results from all three phases of the study, suggest that satisfaction for students and stress in qualified staff is derived from the atmosphere in, and the organisation of, the working enyironment.These two aspects were unified by the style of leadership employed in the clinical learning areas. A participative leadership style, which employed an individualised approach to patient care, increased the satisfaction of students and qualified staff, and was associated with reduced staff turnover, sickness and absenteeism. Good social support and social integration strategies existed for nursing staff working in this area. Conversely there was much dissatisfaction of qualified staff and students in areas where authoritarian leadership styles were employed. There was an increase in staff turnover,sickness and absentee rates. Consequently a large percentage of bank/agency staff were employed. Recommendations include the need for training in participative leadership styles for all clinical managers, and the assurance of individualised patient care in clinical areas where students are allocated. Alongside this there is a need to monitor student satisfaction and qualified staff stress and job satisfaction on a regular basis.

Thesis--Wisconsin. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 332-363).

<p> The purpose of this grant proposal project was to develop and identify funding for the implementation of a school-based teen dating violence prevention program for adolescents in the southeast Los Angeles, California area. Peace Over Violence was the host agency for this program and is located in Los Angeles, California. Through the review of the literature on the history, prevalence, risk factors, and the existing interventions for adolescents, the grant writer proposed and designed a school-based teen dating violence prevention program. Additionally, the grant writer explored potential public and private funding sources, which resulted in the selection of the California Endowment Foundation as the funding source due to having the most compatible goals and objectives of this program. The actual submission and/or funding of this grant were not required for the successful completion of this academic project. </p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine the utilization of emergency department services by homeless adults in Pomona, California achieved through quantitative cross-sectional research. The results revealed that many homeless adults frequent the emergency department for mental health reasons and those homeless adults with physical ailments required longer lengths of stay and extensive discharge planning. Most participants had insurance coverage, but many appeared to lack social or primary care resources in the community, leading to frequent emergency department usage. This study may be beneficial to individuals, communities, and professionals to better understand the healthcare experiences of homeless individuals. The tangible and nontangible barriers to healthcare, as well as outside social resources affect the general public health through risks of contagious diseases and the rise in emergency department overcrowding. </p><p>

<p> The disconnect between what evidence-based research indicates is best care for the seriously ill patient and what is delivered is significant. Local communities are charged with addressing the impact of this breakdown in care for their residents. In a system initially designed to cure, medical care is focused now on slowing the progression of complex, chronic illnesses in an aging population. The opportunities for a breakdown in care are significant. This participant action research study explored factors contributing to the breakdown of care for the seriously ill in an isolated, medically under-served County in Northwestern U.S. The combined action research and appreciative inquiry approach in this study focused on what were the actionable interventions community stakeholders considered taking in supporting improvement in the care of the County&rsquo;s population. Purposeful sampling of community providers identified 14 physicians, registered nurses and clinical social workers, who participated in semi-structured interviews. Data was analyzed through the theoretical lenses of general systems, complexity, and working whole systems theories. Issues related to trust, turf, and respect emerged as stakeholders minimized the role and effectiveness of others, and overemphasized both the capacity and burden of their agency or profession&rsquo;s ability and responsibility to address the problem. Professional training and position in the medical hierarchy were linked to the perceptions of stakeholders across all work settings and need to be acknowledged in future collaborations across disciplines. County specific recommendations are included along with recommendations for additional research.</p><p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2002. / Bibliography: leaves 261-289.

<p>The purpose of this project was to create a program, locate a potential funding source, and fill out a grant application to acquire funding for a physical activity program for clients at Mariposa Women and Family Center who are currently being treated for diagnoses of depression and anxiety. A literature review was conducted to increase the knowledge of the intersection between physical activity and mental well-being, as well as the specific types of physical interventions that are the most effective. During a comprehensive search on the Internet, the California Wellness Foundation was discovered to be the best funding source for the proposed program. A grant application was filled out in order to potentially gain funding to support a physical activity program at Mariposa Women and Family Center in Orange County, California. The actual submission and/or funding was not required for the successful completion of this project. </p>

The goal of this study was to determine the bio-psychosocial treatment needs of dual diagnosis patients with depressive episodes and alcohol misuse. In order to achieve this goal, a qualitative research approach was adopted to gain a holistic understanding of dual diagnosis, as well as to explore and to describe the bio-psychosocial treatment needs of these individuals. This research study aimed to contribute towards solving a practical problem in practice by offering recommendations for a multidisciplinary team approach with regard to the treatment of patients diagnosed with depressive episodes and alcohol misuse in South African treatment centres. To this end, the collective case study design guided the research study. A two-stage sampling strategy was implemented in the study. Firstly, purposive sampling was used to identify potential participants, and it was followed up with, secondly, volunteer sampling to recruit 10 individuals with co-occurring depressive episodes and alcohol misuse from a private psychiatric clinic in Pretoria, which formed the research sample. Furthermore, a semi-structured one-on-one interview, guided by questions contained in an interview schedule, was used as a data collection method. The researcher implemented the qualitative data analysis process of Creswell (1998, in Schurink, Fouché & De Vos, 2011) to extrapolate themes and sub-themes from the raw data through thematic analysis. The trustworthiness of the data interpretation was confirmed through peer debriefing, member checking, as well as the assurance of confidentiality. An analysis of two different sources of data, namely the literature review and interviews, was used to answer the following research question: What are the bio-psychosocial treatment needs of dual diagnosis patients suffering from depressive episodes and alcohol misuse? The key findings indicated that persons suffering from a dual diagnosis of depressive episodes and alcohol misuse have idiosyncratic biological, psychological and social treatment needs. On a biological level it was found that patients with a dual diagnosis lead a less active and an unhealthy lifestyle and are therefore more prone to the development of chronic illnesses, such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. It was also found that these individuals exhibit addictive behaviours apart from the alcohol misuse. With regard to psychological needs, the research found that dual diagnosis patients experience difficulties in expressing their needs and emotions to others. In this regard the research indicated that these individuals have poorly developed coping mechanisms and limited resources for gaining an improved sense of well-being. Identified areas in which these individuals may need assistance on a psychological level include: general coping mechanisms, communication skills, problem solving skills, and conflict management. With regard to violent and aggressive behaviour, it was found that these individuals are more likely to internalise their frustration and aggress towards themselves. On a social level it was found that individuals with a dual diagnosis of depressive episodes and alcohol misuse experience more relationship breakdown and less social support. Additionally, on a social level these individuals experience difficulties in coping in the workplace, as well as having problems with financial management. It is recommended that the multidisciplinary team participate in the development of psycho-educational groups that focus on the education of dual diagnosis patients regarding their needs on each level of functioning. Furthermore, it is recommended that effective clinical communication patterns are in place to prevent fragmented service delivery to individuals with a dual diagnosis. It is recommended that service delivery takes place in all forms of service delivery, including individual therapy, psycho-educational groups, group work activities, as well as family counselling. Further research could focus on the following: 1) Extending the research population to areas outside the Gauteng Province, or even South Africa, in order to determine if these findings can be generalised to all patients with a dual diagnosis of depressive episodes and alcohol misuse; 2) Conducting the research in public health care centres to determine if the findings of this study are also prevalent in lower socio-economic classes (taking into consideration that the present study was conducted at a private psychiatric clinic); 3) Repeating the study with different combinations of psychiatric illnesses, as well as substances of abuse, to determine if the conclusions drawn from this study can be made applicable to dual diagnosis in general, or only to dual diagnosis with depressive episodes and alcohol misuse in particular. / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Social Work and Criminology / MSW / Unrestricted