Mental Illness: Understanding the Impact on Families and How to Help

Abstract: Family is the context where mental health recovery takes place. Mental health services need to take a whole-of-family approach when working with people with a mental illness. Supporting people with a mental illness in their family roles actually improved the mental health outcomes of people participating in their programs

Supporting Parents: Multi-needs and the Need for Multi-institutions’ Coordination of Supports

Summary: Family members are likely to have multiple and overlapping needs & roles – individuals with mental illness, carers & siblings. There are many opportunities & strategies for intervention. The best care requires the engagement of multiple stakeholders working in partnership

Designed for Art Majors

College women trained in applied art at Iowa State are to assume roles of new importance in wartime industry. The artist has become a vital aid in building the morale of men in service and on the home front. Forms of propaganda such as cartoons and poster illustrations require the training of an artist, and women experienced in blending colors and values are needed in the field of camouflage

Helping Families— Shifting the Emphasis

Abstract: Family members are likely to have multiple and overlapping needs & roles – individuals with mental illness and carers. There are many opportunities & strategies for intervention. The best care requires the engagement of multiple stakeholders

A Multi-disciplinary, Whole-of-Family Approach to Supporting Parents with Mental Illness

Summary: Family members are likely to have multiple and overlapping needs & roles – individuals with mental illness, carers & siblings. There are many opportunities & strategies for intervention. The best care requires the engagement of multiple stakeholders working in partnership

Using Organizational Data to Create the Essential Context for System Transformation in Child Welfare

The Massachusetts Department of Social Services (MA/DSS) has 29 area offices organized in 6 regions; 74,651 consumers (39,913 are children \u3c 18 years of age); 10,863 children and youth in placement; and 3,400 employees (FY2005; 2nd quarter). A comprehensive system transformation initiative is underway, to shift from the traditional “adversarial” child protective model, and translate the core values of “child-driven,” “family-centered,” “community-focused,” “strength-based,” “committed to diversity/ cultural competence,” and committed to continuous learning” into an active child welfare agenda. The “learning organization” is the guiding framework. Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is an interactive, iterative, participatory process that reflects change in organizational values, and catalyzes and guides improvements in policy and practice. Data drive CQI, obtained as framed by federal performance benchmarks, and in response to criteria or questions generated by the organization, and the field. CQI embraces both learning and accountability. To elaborate a coherent child welfare system the new core values must be reflected reflected in selecting and measuring benchmarks, obtaining data from multiple perspectives, and providing feedback to inform improvements and to promote the “new” way of doing business at the clinical, managerial, and system levels. The Child Welfare Institute (CWI), a public-academic partnership between MA/DSS, Salem State College, and the UMMS, is aimed at transforming the system through professional development. The Staff, Family, and Provider Development Centers will offer competency-based workshops, seminars, conferences, and certificate programs. Areas for training and development are emerging via the CQI process. Presented at the 19th Annual Research Conference. A System of Care for Children’s Mental Health: Expanding the Research Base. Tampa, Florida, February 2006

Supporting Parents with Psychiatric Disabilities and Promoting Recovery: An International Challenge

Introduction: Parenting is a significant life role for adults with psychiatric disabilities. Not only is success in this role a normal life goal for many, but functioning as well as possible as parents would seem to be intimately related to the recovery process and successful functioning in other major life domains. Research on the prevalence and needs of parents with psychiatric disabilities in two countries, the U.S. and The Netherlands, provides the framework for developing and testing interventions. Essential program components include supports for parents in meeting their children’s needs as well as managing their own. Research Question: What are the effects of “Parenting with Success & Satisfaction?” in terms of success, satisfaction, empowerment & quality of life? Intervening variables of the intensity of support, the contact between carer & parent will be included. The design is a non-equivalent control group design, in which the outcomes for 40 parents participating in the program will be compared with outcomes for 40 parents receiving care as usual in other locations. Recommendations: Provide programs for parents in all kinds of settings; Improve communication about own problems with children; Make a plan for the support of children when psychiatric problems increase; Organize small meeting groups for parents

Into the Light: Using Technology to Develop a Mother/Family Centered Peer Support Network [English and Spanish versions]

This paper highlights the work of Postpartum Progress Inc., to engage with large online communities of women experiencing a perinatal mental health issue, in order to explore the efficacy of peer support as a treatment modality. Into the Light is a Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Pipeline to Proposal project that will bring together diverse stakeholders and patients to build collaborative partnerships. Project goals include developing patient engagement, recruitment and dissemination strategies that reflect the needs of this patient population. Increasing patient access to easily understood information about treatment options when making health care decisions and improving patient-centered research strategies are also aims of the project. A Spanish translation of this publication is available to download under Additional Files

What developments can be seen in a year’s intensive psychotherapy with a ten year old adopted boy with Mild Learning Difficulties

The following retrospective single case study aimed at looking at what developments could be seen in a year’s intensive (three times a week) child psychotherapy, within a specialist CAMHS community team, with a ten year old adopted boy with mild learning disabilities who had a history of neglect and trauma until the age of six. It demonstrated that short term intensive child psychotherapy provided a solid foundation for on-going therapy. The referred symptoms included nightmares of being re-claimed by an abusive carer which were eradicated and other behavioural change occurred during treatment the adopted parents thought was not possible. Thematic analysis identified three main themes; ‘multiple families in mind’, ‘things going missing/out of one’s mind’ and ‘problems with sequencing’ which led to concluding ideas that included the central importance of truth and mourning. The themes and concluding ideas relate and expand those described and illustrated within case study material in the existing body of literature on child psychotherapy with looked-after children. The study highlights the value of child psychotherapy for looked-after and adopted children in its ability to facilitate the communication and understanding of the looked-after and adopted child for the child and the family. It demonstrated the value of the single case study. Key words: short term intensive child psychotherapy, looked-after and adopted child, neglect, learning disabilities, single case study, thematic analysis, loss, truth