The Effect of Group-Based Family Orientation to Community Mental Health Services

Abstract

INTRODUCTION A simple initial family orientation session (IGS) focusing on what families might expect by way of treatment and with provision of community resources if required was designed and implemented in a regional mental health service. The IGS effects were examined in terms of clinical measures that align closely with the provincially developed SMART goals for treatment and the nationally developed mental health theme of ‘recovery-oriented services’, as well as readmission rates, and cumulative lengths of stay. METHODS Employing clinical and registration data from a regional information and registration system, we examine readmission rates and cumulative lengths of both within and between groups exposed and unexposed to IGS over comparable time periods before and after November 2016. RESULTS The IGS-exposed group had a greater reduction in admissions and cumulative length stay compared to the unexposed group, with the greatest reduction in IGS-exposed emergency admissions. Clinical data indicated that both IGS-exposed and unexposed groups were similar. CONCLUSIONS The findings support the hypothesis that changes in admission rates and overall days in service was potentially an effect of the IGS. The clinical measurement system and the IGS align closely with the provincially developed SMART goals for treatment and the nationally developed mental health theme of ‘recovery-oriented services’.