Family Group Conferences within the integrated care system for young people with ID: a controlled study of effects and costs.

Simone A Onrust,Geke Romijn,Yvette De Beer

doi:10.1186/s12913-015-1062-2

Simone A Onrust, Geke Romijn + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-015-1062-2

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Abstract

BackgroundThe Dutch healthcare system and the roles of the government and citizens are changing. The government will be limiting its role in care and assistance, while citizens will be expected to increasingly care for themselves and each other. An important instrument to support this transformation involves utilizing people’s social network, in the form of the Family Group Conference. Studies on the use of these Family Group Conferences within various sectors are promising. Whether the Family Group Conference is also effective within the integrated care system for young people with intellectual disability (ID) is not yet known.MethodsIn this study, anonymized file data were collected from 71 clients who had taken part in a Family Group Conference and a comparable group of 53 clients who had not. Information about the present areas of concern in the family was retrospectively collected and scored by means of a standardized protocol. In addition, information about received care and support from the integrated care system for young people with ID was collected. The areas of concern were assessed at two moments in time, with a 12-month interval. Resource use was assessed for the entire research period of 12 months.ResultsThe problems in the group of clients who had taken part in a Family Group Conference greatly decreased over a period of twelve months. There was a much smaller decrease in the number of problems in the group that had not taken part in a Family Group Conference. Resource use did not significantly differ between conditions.ConclusionsOur findings reveal that people with ID can also benefit from this approach, something which had been previously doubted. Support from the social network, however, does not substitute formal care.

Highlights

The Dutch healthcare system and the roles of the government and citizens are changing
In 2011 and 2012, 270 clients were referred to the Family Group Conference Agency by the five participating organisations in the integrated care system for young people with intellectual disability (ID) in Overijssel
Main findings The problems in the group of clients of an integrated care system for young people with ID who had taken part in a Family Group Conference greatly decreased over a period of twelve months

Summary

Introduction

The Dutch healthcare system and the roles of the government and citizens are changing. Whether the Family Group Conference is effective within the integrated care system for young people with intellectual disability (ID) is not yet known. In The Netherlands, the government has always played an important role in the care for people with a wide range of needs. People with intellectual disability (ID) have the right to receive care under the Exceptional Medical Expenses Act, funded and organized by the government. In the Netherlands, people with an IQ between 70 and 85 are considered as having ID if they have severe problems of adaptive behaviour [1]. These people are known to be often in need of long-. Mother born in the Netherlandsa 64 (90 %) 49 (93 %) 0.746

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