A Smart Technology Intervention in the Homes of People with Mental Illness and Physical Comorbidities.

Appropriate support in the home may not be readily available for people living in the community with mental illness and physical comorbidities. This mixed-method study evaluated a smart home technology intervention for individuals within this population as well as providing health care providers with health monitoring capabilities. The study recruited 13 participants who were offered a smartphone, a touchscreen monitor, and health devices, including smartwatches, weigh scales, and automated medication dispensers. Healthcare providers were able to track health device data, which were synchronized with the Lawson Integrated DataBase. Participants completed interviews at baseline as well as at 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. Focus groups with participants and care providers were conducted separately at 6-month and 12-month time points. As the sample size was too small for meaningful statistical inference, only descriptive statistics were presented. However, the qualitative analyses revealed improvements in physical and mental health, as well as enhanced communication with care providers and friends/family. Technical difficulties and considerations are addressed. Ethics analyses revealed advancement in equity and fairness, while policy analyses revealed plentiful opportunities for informing policymakers. The economic costs are also discussed. Further studies and technological interventions are recommended to explore and expand upon in-home technologies that can be easily implemented into the living environment.

Transitional discharge model for community mental health integration: A focused ethnographic study of clients' perspectives.

Clients' perceptions of continuous support during the transition from hospital to the community have been understudied. The present study evaluated clients' perceptions of the benefits and potential adjustments to the implementation of a transitional discharge model (TDM), an intervention for community integration of clients with mental health issues. A focused ethnography methodology was used to investigate the effectiveness of the TDM. Data were collected using two sets of focus groups which involved 87 clients with mental illness seeking care from nine hospitals across the Province of Ontario, Canada. One focus group was conducted at six months and another at the one-year time point of the study. Data analysis followed a four-step ethnographic approach proposed by Leininger (1985) for thematic analysis in qualitative research. Four main themes emerged: (i) clients' perceived benefits of the TDM. These came in the form of reassurance about transitioning from hospitalization to community, reduced feelings of isolation, and enhanced continuity of care and recovery, (ii) TDM for community integration; clients believed that the intervention offered suitable friendships, was a tool for social connectedness, and helped to reduce stigma, (iii) encountered challenges, which included issues with trust, perceiving peer supporters as intruders, issues with communication, and initial fears about discharge and (4) suggestions for improving the TDM, such as, more in-person interactions, formalizing the TDM and raising awareness about community resources. The TDM implementation may facilitate the transition from hospital to the community by offering social support that enhances recovery.

An ethnographic study of the implementation of a transitional discharge model: peer supporters' perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Over the last three decades, there has been worldwide recognition of peer support contributions to improve mental healthcare provision. However, in the current literature, little attention has been paid to exploring perspectives of peer supporters on their involvement in mental health services provision. The purpose of the present study was to examine peer supporters' perspectives on the implementation of a transitional discharge model (TDM), an intervention for the community integration of people with mental illness. METHODS: This paper represents ethnographic qualitative data collected as part of a study that used mixed methods to evaluate the implementation of TDM across nine hospitals from the Province of Ontario, in Canada. The study involved a sample of 66 peer supporters, who were recruited from participating Consumer/Survivor Initiative Organizations and Peer Support Programs. The study collected data using two sets of focus groups, which were held at 6 months and 1-year post implementation. Data analysis used an ethnography model of qualitative analysis. RESULTS: Peer supporters expressed that their involvement in mental healthcare enhanced clients' autonomy and hope about their recovery, as well as established a safety net and reduced hospital readmissions. Peer supporters articulated that they assumed several roles to facilitate clients' transition from hospital to the community. These roles included: assisting clients in building their capacity and developing healthy routines; attending regular on-ward and community meetings; accompanying clients to their appointments; and working with clients to set goals for their recovery. The study showed hindrances to effective implementation of peer support programs, such as a lack of understanding and appreciation of peer supporter roles, lack of careful allocation of peer supporters to clients, and an absence of appropriate protocols for ensuring the safety and supervision of the peer supporters. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the TDM implementation demonstrated that involving peer supporters in mental healthcare delivery may benefit clients by enhancing autonomy and hope about their recovery, as well as establishing a safety net and reducing hospital readmissions. Results from the study have the potential to inform healthcare professionals and managers of strategies for developing effective peer support programs.

Healthcare professionals' perceptions of the implementation of the transitional discharge model for community integration of psychiatric clients.

Research has demonstrated the benefits of mental healthcare interventions that ensure a safe transition of clients throughout the discharge and community integration process. This paper reports on qualitative data from focus groups with health professionals collected as part of a larger a mixed method study designed to examine the effectiveness and sustainability of implementing the transitional discharge model. Data collection involved two sets of focus groups, which were held at six months and one-year post-implementation. There were 216 health professional participants from nine (9) hospitals across the Province of Ontario, Canada. Data analysis used a four-step ethnographic framework by Leininger (1985) to identify descriptors and recurrent and major themes. The study identified four major themes, including healthcare professionals' roles and positive experiences in implementing the transitional discharge model; perceived benefits of the model; challenges to implementing the model; and suggestions for sustaining the model's implementation. Healthcare professionals felt that the implementation of the transitional discharge model has the potential for increasing their awareness of the process of clients' integration, serving as a framework for discharge planning, and reducing hospital readmissions. The study findings may provide healthcare providers with information on pragmatic ways to plan clients' discharge, to bridge the gap between hospital and community care, and to positively impact client health outcomes.

What Clinicians Say About the Experience of Working With Individuals on Community Treatment Orders.

OBJECTIVE: Community treatment orders (CTOs) refer to a variety of legal schemes that require a person with a serious mental illness to follow a plan of treatment and supervision while living in the community. Use of CTOs has been controversial, and they have been the subject of a considerable amount of quantitative and qualitative research. This article reports the results of a systematic review of qualitative studies focused on understanding the views and experiences of clinicians who work with individuals on CTOs. METHODS: Relevant databases and gray literature were searched for articles that used a qualitative methodology for data collection and analysis to examine clinicians' perspectives. CTOs were defined as various legal schemes, including court-ordered outpatient commitment and renewable conditional-leave provisions initiated while a person is an inpatient in a psychiatric unit. Mandatory treatment and supervision required after a person has been charged with or convicted of committing a criminal offense was not considered. RESULTS: Fourteen articles met inclusion criteria. They represented the views of more than 700 clinicians from six international jurisdictions. Three themes were identified: endorsement of the benefits of CTOs despite tensions both within and between clinicians concerning several aspects of CTOs; belief that medication compliance is a central aspect of CTOs; and acknowledgment that there is room for improvement in CTO implementation, monitoring, and administration. Strategies for reducing tensions and improving administration of CTOs are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians view CTOs as providing benefits to their clients but struggle with the coercive nature of these tools.

A systematic review of the views and experiences of subjects of community treatment orders.

OBJECTIVE: CTOS have been the subject of many qualitative and quantitative research studies. Both research approaches add value to our understanding of CTOs. Qualitative studies provide an understanding of CTOs and the experience of being on a CTO that quantitative studies cannot provide. Many qualitative studies that have examined the views of subjects of CTOs have been published. However, authors of these studies continue to note that views and experiences of the subjects of these orders are not well known. This paper provides the results of a systematic review of qualitative studies focused on understanding the experiences of individuals who have been the subjects of CTOs. METHOD: Relevant databases and grey literature were searched. To be included, a study had to have used a qualitative methodology for data collection and analysis, and focus on examining stakeholder perspectives on the lived experience of CTOs. RESULTS: After a rigorous review of the abstracts, we identified 22 papers that met the criteria. These papers were analysed in detail in order to examine the existence of common themes. The 22 papers represented the views of 581 participants from 7 countries around the world. Ten themes were found to be common among the research findings of the 22 papers. Three themes in particular were highlighted: feelings of coercion and control, medication seen as the main reason for a CTO and that the perception of CTOs as a safety net. Findings also highlight the ambivalence that subjects of CTOs experience, the importance of the therapeutic relationship for successful engagement of the subject of the CTO and the complex role of coercion. RECOMMENDATIONS: We have made a number of recommendations about how clinicians might use the views of the subjects of CTOs achieve a more positive experience of a CTO.

Do intensive services obviate the need for CTOs?

OBJECTIVE: Opponents of community treatment orders (CTOs) argue that they would be unnecessary if sufficient community services such as assertive community treatment (ACT) teams were available. This study was designed to determine the frequency of CTO use for patients on ACT teams; reasons why patients receiving ACT services are placed on CTOs; and views of stakeholders on use of CTOs on ACT teams. METHODS: We identified all patients on a CTO while being served by ACT teams in London, Ontario, between 2000 and 2013. Data were collected using chart review, questionnaires completed by psychiatrists and focus groups for patients, their relatives and non-psychiatrist clinicians. RESULTS: During the study period, 190 patients were on a CTO while receiving ACT services. In December 2013, 17% of London's ACT team patients had an active CTO. ACT alone had been tried for 57% of patients before a CTO was introduced. Psychiatrists cited refusal of treatment and unavailability for follow-up as the primary reasons why ACT alone was ineffective. Patients were ambivalent about CTOs: describing them as coercive while simultaneously noting benefits. Relatives and non-psychiatrist clinicians were more clearly positive about the use of CTOs. CONCLUSIONS: The availability of intensive services does not ensure that patients will engage with those services. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Community legislation requiring some patients to adhere to treatment is needed in addition to intensive clinical services. LIMITATIONS: This study conducted in a single location may not generalize to other regions. Many patients were not approached to participate in the focus groups which call into question the representativeness of patient opinions.

Mental Health System Transformation: Drivers for Change, Organizational Preparation, Engaging Partners and Outcomes.

St. Joseph's Health Care London (hereafter referred to as St. Joseph's) is a publicly funded hospital that has led mental health (MH) service system transformation in south west Ontario following directives from the Health Services Restructuring Commission (HSRC) (Sinclair 2000). This paper documents how provincial policy; HSRC directives; use of change management activities; organizational planning; and partnerships with other hospitals, community agencies and LHINs drove, shaped and accomplished the transformational change. The transformation included divestment of beds and related ambulatory services to four other hospitals, closure of beds and employment services and the construction of two state-of-the-art facilities. This paper documents the tracking of system performance measures and the outcomes that resulted.

Divestment of Beds and Related Ambulatory Services to Other Communities While Maintaining a Patient- and Family-Centred Approach.

Individuals living with serious mental illness who require acute and/or tertiary mental healthcare services represent one of the most complex patient groups in the healthcare service delivery system. Provincial mental health policy has been committed to providing services closer to home and in the community rather than an institution wherever possible for some time. This paper articulates the strategies used by one organization to ensure the successful transfer of beds and related ambulatory services to four separate communities. In addition a case study is also provided to describe in more detail the complex changes that took place in order to accomplish the divestments of beds and related ambulatory services to one of the partner hospitals.

Relentless Incrementalism: Shifting Front-Line Culture from Institutional to Recovery-Oriented Mental Healthcare.

St. Joseph's Health Care London is a publicly funded hospital that has led mental health service system transformation in south west Ontario following directives from the Health Services Restructuring Commission (HSRC). This paper documents how provincial policy, HSRC directives, organizational planning, research projects, quality initiatives and change management activities drove, shaped and accomplished a cultural shift at the front line to recovery-focused care. Simultaneous to these activities, beds and related ambulatory services were divested to four other hospitals, beds and employment services were closed and two new, state-of-the-art facilities were constructed, adding considerable complexities to achieving cultural change. This paper documents the incremental steps that were taken to achieve that change.

Social Determinants of Health: Housing and Income.

Social determinants of health such as housing and income have a large impact on mental health. Community-based initiatives have worked to address access to housing, prevent homelessness and assist people who are homeless with mental health problems. There have been several large research projects to tease out multiple subgroups such as youth and veterans and other individuals experiencing long-term homelessness. The issue of poverty has been addressed by exploring issues related to employment. The use of social enterprises is a promising practice to address issues around poverty, social inclusion and employment. Similarly, the community has worked to move hospital-based employment programs to the community.

Therapeutic horseback riding for ACT patients with schizophrenia.

One form of psychiatric leisure rehabilitation which has only recently been explored for individuals with schizophrenia is Therapeutic Horseback Riding (THBR). This study is the first to examine THBR for Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) patients with schizophrenia. A sample of 6 ACT patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who reside in the community and 6 mental health care staff participated in 10 weeks of weekly horseback riding sessions with an experienced THBR instructor. Participating patients, staff and the THBR instructor were qualitatively interviewed at the start, during and at the end of the THBR program and these semi-structured interviews were analyzed for recurrent themes. We found that THBR benefitted this group of patients. In spite of our study's limitations, such as its exploratory nature and the small sample size, it demonstrates that THBR has promise and should be further developed and studied for individuals with schizophrenia.

Use of qualitative methods to explore the quality-of-life construct from a consumer perspective.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored the construct of quality of life from the perspective of adults diagnosed as having severe and persistent mental illness, such as schizophrenia. METHODS: Qualitative research strategies, specifically in-depth interviews (N=18) and focus groups (N=35), were used to collect data. Interviews and focus groups took place in hospitals, community clinics, community agencies, and clients' homes. A convenience, snowball sampling strategy was utilized. RESULTS: Analysis using the constant comparative method resulted in the identification of two dominant themes. These themes permeated the results, crossed all domains, influenced the linkages between domains, and clearly influenced how individuals frame their expectations regarding quality of life. The first theme was the presence of stigma and its effects on everyday life and future planning, and the second was the pervasive fear of the return of major positive symptoms of psychosis, such as hallucinations, delusions, and general loss of contact with reality. In addition, four quality-of-life domains were identified-the experience of illness, relationships, occupation, and sense of self. CONCLUSIONS: Many persons with mental illness simply wish for the basics in life-mental and physical health, supportive relationships, meaningful occupations, and a positive sense of self-believing that acquisition of these basics will lead to a more satisfactory quality of life. Ensuring that they are able to obtain the basics requires action on their part, by those who support them, by service providers that interact with them, and by a more accepting society.

A qualitative analysis of the use of community treatment orders in Saskatchewan.

This study examined the opinions of patients who have been placed on a community treatment order (CTO), their relatives, mental health clinicians and representatives of community agencies about the use of CTOs in Saskatchewan. Patients were assessed using indepth interviews, while their relatives, mental health professionals and representatives of community agencies took part in facilitated focus groups. Patients had contradictory feelings about CTOs. Most experienced some degree of coercion while on the orders but many believed that CTOs provided necessary structure in their lives. Clinicians were more consistently positive but recognized the difficult choices in balancing the subject's right to self-determination with the benefits of a treatment order. Family members viewed CTOs as necessary to control a chaotic situation caused by the subject's limited insight.

Quality of life: perspectives of people with mental illnesses and family members.

Research studies that explore quality of life issues from the perspective of individuals living with mental illnesses, and from the perspective of their family members, are difficult to find in the literature. This study used qualitative strategies to assist policy makers in developing an appreciation of the perspectives of people with mental illnesses and family members on this very important topic. Results support the need for continued peer support and advocacy services; for a continued focus on promoting and supporting recovery for individuals living with mental illnesses; and for a service system that acknowledges and addresses the needs of family members.