Research

Is it safe?: Community integration for individuals with serious mental illness

Ryan Dougherty, MSW1; Rohini Pahwa, PhD2; Erin Kelly, PhD1,3; Lisa Davis, PhD4; John Brekke, PhD3

Community integration is the guiding vision for mental health services post-deinstitutionalization (Farone, 2006)

Despite public perception that individuals with serious mental illness are dangerous (Link et al., 1999), they experience high rates of violence victimization in communities (Chloe, Teplin & Abrams, 2008)

Question: How does violence (past and present) and associated stigma shape individuals’ with serious mental illness experiences and processes of community integration?

Closing the Loop: Practice-Based Research Networks in Stakeholder-Driven Social Work Research

Erin Kelly, Lisa Davis, Monique Holguin, Lizbeth Gaona, Rohini Pahwa, Sae Lee, Laura Pancake, Lezlie Murch, Leslie Giambone, & John Brekke

The field of social work is evolving towards community-engaged, stakeholder-driven research in the context of evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence. We propose that practice-based research networks (PBRNs) are an approach to conducting stakeholder-driven research that can be uniquely valuable for the field of social work. We define the concept of a PBRN and demonstrate how it can address the development of complementary agendas for service improvement, social work science, policy development and advocacy, as well as highlight the challenges and rewards of participating in a PBRN.

The Recovery-Oriented Care Collaborative: A Practice-Based Research Network to Improve Care for People With Serious Mental Illnesses

Erin L. Kelly, Ph.D., Holly Kiger, R.N., M.N., Rebecca Gaba, Ph.D., Laura Pancake, L.C.S.W., David Pilon, Ph.D., Lezlie Murch, M.A., L.P.C.C., Lyndee Knox, Ph.D., Mathew Meyer, Ph.D., John S. Brekke, Ph.D.

Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) create continuous collaborations among academic researchers and practitioners. Most PBRNs have operated in primary care, and less than 5% of federally registered PBRNs include mental health practitioners. In 2012 the first PBRN in the nation focused on individuals with serious mental illnesses — the Recovery-Oriented Care Collaborative — was established in Los Angeles. This column describes the development of this innovative PBRN through four phases: building an infrastructure, developing a research study, executing the study, and consolidating the PBRN. Key lessons learned are also described, such as the importance of actively engaging direct service providers and clients.

Provider and Consumer Perspectives of Community Mental Health Services: Implications for Consumer-Driven Care

Erin L. Kelly, Lisa Davis, Sapna Mendon, Holly Kiger, Lezlie Murch, Laura Pancake, Leslie Giambone, and John S. Brekke

Public mental health services in the community are broad and continue to expand to address the multiple issues faced by those with serious mental illnesses. However, few studies examine and contrast how helpful consumers and providers find the spectrum of services. The present study examines the services at community mental health service clinics (CMHCs) from the perspectives of providers and consumers. There were 351 consumers and 147 providers from 15 CMHCs who rated and ranked the helpfulness of 24 types of common services. All of the agencies were participating in a Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN). Social support was the highest rated service by both types of respondents, and the creation of a welcoming environment was the highest ranked service by both. There were also areas of disagreement. Consumers identified traditional mental health services (individual therapy and medication services) as being most helpful to them whereas providers selected longer-term services that promote self-reliance (e.g., securing housing, and promoting self-sufficiency) as the most helpful. Understanding how consumers and providers perceive the range of CMHC services provided in usual care is important to develop new targets for intervention. A welcoming milieu and providing social support appear important to both, but significant differences exist between these groups regarding other aspects of services. This holds implications for the design and implementation of consumer-driven services.

Have an idea for a PBRN? Let us know!

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Location

Los Angeles, CA

©Recovery Oriented Care Collaborative