DiGirolamo, Ann

Dills, James E

Martin, Julia

Smith, Colleen M

English

Georgia State University

Georgia State University 
ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University 
GHPC Materials Georgia Health Policy Center 
7-11-2016 
Using Photovoice to Evaluate a Behavioral Health Program for 
Transition Age Youth in Georgia 
James E. Dills 
Colleen M. Smith 
Julia Martin 
Ann DiGirolamo 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/ghpc_materials 
Recommended Citation 
Dills, James E.; Smith, Colleen M.; Martin, Julia; and DiGirolamo, Ann, "Using Photovoice to Evaluate a 
Behavioral Health Program for Transition Age Youth in Georgia" (2016). GHPC Materials. 82. 
https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/ghpc_materials/82 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Georgia Health Policy Center at ScholarWorks @ 
Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in GHPC Materials by an authorized administrator of 
ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact scholarworks@gsu.edu. 
BACKGROUND
Photovoice is a participatory research method often used to provide 
community members who have limited agency with a voice in decision-
making processes that affect them.
System of Care (SOC) refers to a coordinated network of effective community-
based services and supports for youth with or at risk for mental health or 
other challenges.
The Center of Excellence for Children’s Behavioral Health at the Georgia 
Health Policy Center (GHPC) partners with the Georgia Department of 
Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) to evaluate 
multiple components of the state’s SOC. In 2015, DBHDD supported the 
development of “clubhouses” for transition age youth (ages 15-24) with both 
mental health and substance use issues. These clubhouses provide a safe 
space for youth to socialize with peers and learn skills to help them transition 
into adulthood.
GHPC adapted Photovoice methodology to provide youth in the clubhouses 
with a venue for input into the larger program evaluation for the SOC. This 
poster illustrates learnings from this process to date in one clubhouse in 
rural Georgia.
Using Photovoice to Evaluate a Behavioral Health Program for 
Transition Age Youth in Georgia 
James E. Dills, MUP MPH1; Colleen M. Smith, MSW1; Julia Martin, MPH1; Ann DiGirolamo, PhD, MPH1; Suzanne Luker, MPA2
1The Center of Excellence for Children’s Behavioral Health / Georgia Health Policy Center / Andrew Young School of Policy Studies / Georgia State University
2System of Care Expansion and Implementation Grant Project Director, Division of Behavioral Health, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
ANDREW  YOUNG SCHOOL
 O F  P O L I C Y  S T U D I E S
For more information, please contact the Georgia Health Policy Center 
at 404.413.0314 or visit us online at www.gsu.edu/ghpc.
PROCESS
Traditional Photovoice methodology calls for a series of learning sessions 
with participants that builds to a final session where they share their story 
with key stakeholders and decision-makers they have identified.
This process was outlined for the clubhouse youth as a five step process 
preparing them for a final sharing session focusing on the role of the 
clubhouse in their lives. Through the course of the first four sessions, the 
process remained adaptable to the fluidity of the clubhouse setting and the 
varying interest levels of the participants.
Sessions one through four occurred weekly through February and March of 
2016, along with some recruiting trips earlier in the year to enroll participants 
and begin to establish rapport with the youth.
To the right are some photos taken by youth to guide the discussions in each 
session. Emerging concepts and themes are also summarized, but it should 
be noted that these do not represent the final stories from youth, which will 
be generated for a fifth session yet to be scheduled at the time this poster 
was prepared.
SESSION 5: SHARING SESSION
Youth are currently working on their plans for sharing their stories with people 
that are important to them. This final step of Photovoice is intended to be 
youth-driven in that they choose the audience and format for sharing.
LESSON LEARNED
•	 Varied interest in taking photos, but meaningful discussions  occur once 
we have images to consider. Inability to work with youth between sessions 
presents a challenge for maintaining interest in the project.
•	 Having individual sessions is a useful adaptation of the methodology. It 
gives each youth time to process and talk about the meaning of her/his 
photo(s) with the project team before talking about the photo with peers.
•	 Youth seem to have a generally positive perspective on the clubhouse 
and its role in their lives. There was little focus on “things you don’t like 
so much,” making discussions about what they would like to see changed 
difficult. 
•	 Unrealistic to expect all the youth to participate in each session for a 
variety of reasons, including discharge before final session(s).
•	 Embrace the adaptability of the Photovoice methodology, and when 
using it in the context of a program evaluation ensure flexibility within that 
evaluation plan to maintain fidelity to the underlying values of Photovoice.
IMPLICATIONS
As public health institutes operate more frequently as agents bridging the 
various sectors of practice and policy-making that aim to improve health 
and well-being, collaborations with behavioral health agencies are likely to 
increase. This project represents a collaborative project that brings together 
representatives from the state behavioral health agency, their service providers, 
and a public health institute. As a participatory technique, Photovoice offers 
an interesting avenue for collaboration that reaches into the actual experience 
of people who are traditionally considered research subjects, providing a level 
of empowerment that other research methods do not. Other public health 
institutes can learn from Georgia’s experience in adapting this methodology 
into an otherwise “standard” evaluation framework.
SESSION 1: IN-SESSION PHOTOS OF THINGS YOU LIKE OR DISLIKE 
AT THE CLUBHOUSE
Emerging concepts/themes: feel ing good, comfort,  l i festyle,  gett ing away 
from people
SESSION 2: ASSIGNMENT - PHOTOS OF THINGS YOU LIKE OR 
DISLIKE AT THE CLUBHOUSE
Emerging concepts/themes: emotions,  shift ing prior it ies,  c lubhouse act iv it ies
SESSION 3: ASSIGNMENT - PHOTOS OF THINGS YOU LIKE OR 
DISLIKE OUTSIDE THE CLUBHOUSE
Emerging concepts/themes: hanging out with non-clubhouse fr iends,  career 
goals,  school,  stabi l i ty,  animals
SESSION 4: PHOTO FIELD TRIP AND WRITING
Emerging concepts/themes: nature,  achieving goals,  sol itude, self  control , 
serenity


Using Photovoice to Evaluate a Behavioral Health Program for Transition Age Youth in Georgia

ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University

Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University GHPC Materials Georgia Health Policy Center 7-11-2016 Using Photovoice to Evaluate a Behavioral Health Program for Transition Age Youth in Georgia James E. Dills Colleen M. Smith Julia Martin Ann DiGirolamo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/ghpc_materials Recommended Citation Dills, James E.; Smith, Colleen M.; Martin, Julia; and DiGirolamo, Ann, "Using Photovoice to Evaluate a Behavioral Health Program for Transition Age Youth in Georgia" (2016). GHPC Materials. 82. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/ghpc_materials/82 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Georgia Health Policy Center at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in GHPC Materials by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact scholarworks@gsu.edu. BACKGROUNDPhotovoice is a participatory research method often used to provide community members who have limited agency with a voice in decision-making processes that affect them.System of Care (SOC) refers to a coordinated network of effective community-based services and supports for youth with or at risk for mental health or other challenges.The Center of Excellence for Children’s Behavioral Health at the Georgia Health Policy Center (GHPC) partners with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) to evaluate multiple components of the state’s SOC. In 2015, DBHDD supported the development of “clubhouses” for transition age youth (ages 15-24) with both mental health and substance use issues. These clubhouses provide a safe space for youth to socialize with peers and learn skills to help them transition into adulthood.GHPC adapted Photovoice methodology to provide youth in the clubhouses with a venue for input into the larger program evaluation for the SOC. This poster illustrates learnings from this process to date in one clubhouse in rural Georgia.Using Photovoice to Evaluate a Behavioral Health Program for Transition Age Youth in Georgia James E. Dills, MUP MPH1; Colleen M. Smith, MSW1; Julia Martin, MPH1; Ann DiGirolamo, PhD, MPH1; Suzanne Luker, MPA21The Center of Excellence for Children’s Behavioral Health / Georgia Health Policy Center / Andrew Young School of Policy Studies / Georgia State University2System of Care Expansion and Implementation Grant Project Director, Division of Behavioral Health, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental DisabilitiesANDREW  YOUNG SCHOOL O F  P O L I C Y  S T U D I E SFor more information, please contact the Georgia Health Policy Center at 404.413.0314 or visit us online at www.gsu.edu/ghpc.PROCESSTraditional Photovoice methodology calls for a series of learning sessions with participants that builds to a final session where they share their story with key stakeholders and decision-makers they have identified.This process was outlined for the clubhouse youth as a five step process preparing them for a final sharing session focusing on the role of the clubhouse in their lives. Through the course of the first four sessions, the process remained adaptable to the fluidity of the clubhouse setting and the varying interest levels of the participants.Sessions one through four occurred weekly through February and March of 2016, along with some recruiting trips earlier in the year to enroll participants and begin to establish rapport with the youth.To the right are some photos taken by youth to guide the discussions in each session. Emerging concepts and themes are also summarized, but it should be noted that these do not represent the final stories from youth, which will be generated for a fifth session yet to be scheduled at the time this poster was prepared.SESSION 5: SHARING SESSIONYouth are currently working on their plans for sharing their stories with people that are important to them. This final step of Photovoice is intended to be youth-driven in that they choose the audience and format for sharing.LESSON LEARNED•	 Varied interest in taking photos, but meaningful discussions  occur once we have images to consider. Inability to work with youth between sessions presents a challenge for maintaining interest in the project.•	 Having individual sessions is a useful adaptation of the methodology. It gives each youth time to process and talk about the meaning of her/his photo(s) with the project team before talking about the photo with peers.•	 Youth seem to have a generally positive perspective on the clubhouse and its role in their lives. There was little focus on “things you don’t like so much,” making discussions about what they would like to see changed difficult. •	 Unrealistic to expect all the youth to participate in each session for a variety of reasons, including discharge before final session(s).•	 Embrace the adaptability of the Photovoice methodology, and when using it in the context of a program evaluation ensure flexibility within that evaluation plan to maintain fidelity to the underlying values of Photovoice.IMPLICATIONSAs public health institutes operate more frequently as agents bridging the various sectors of practice and policy-making that aim to improve health and well-being, collaborations with behavioral health agencies are likely to increase. This project represents a collaborative project that brings together representatives from the state behavioral health agency, their service providers, and a public health institute. As a participatory technique, Photovoice offers an interesting avenue for collaboration that reaches into the actual experience of people who are traditionally considered research subjects, providing a level of empowerment that other research methods do not. Other public health institutes can learn from Georgia’s experience in adapting this methodology into an otherwise “standard” evaluation framework.SESSION 1: IN-SESSION PHOTOS OF THINGS YOU LIKE OR DISLIKE AT THE CLUBHOUSEEmerging concepts/themes: feel ing good, comfort,  l i festyle,  gett ing away from peopleSESSION 2: ASSIGNMENT - PHOTOS OF THINGS YOU LIKE OR DISLIKE AT THE CLUBHOUSEEmerging concepts/themes: emotions,  shift ing prior it ies,  c lubhouse act iv it iesSESSION 3: ASSIGNMENT - PHOTOS OF THINGS YOU LIKE OR DISLIKE OUTSIDE THE CLUBHOUSEEmerging concepts/themes: hanging out with non-clubhouse fr iends,  career goals,  school,  stabi l i ty,  animalsSESSION 4: PHOTO FIELD TRIP AND WRITINGEmerging concepts/themes: nature,  achieving goals,  sol itude, self  control , serenity

https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1081&amp;context=ghpc_materials

Using Photovoice to Evaluate a Behavioral Health Program for Transition Age Youth in Georgia

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Georgia State University

ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University