Search

The current demand for mental health services is exacerbated by an ongoing shortage of behavioral health care providers in the United States. The Health Resources and Services Administration has identified 5,833 Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (MHPSAs), many of which are rural, and could be served by Certified Peer Specialists (CPSs). This paper examines the relationship between CPS employment and MHPSA residency. Data are from a 2020 survey of 572 CPS certified in one of four states. Random effects logistic regression models were used to test the relationship between MHPSA residence and employment outcomes. Of 166 unique counties identified by participant zip codes, 47 were characterized as being MHPSAs with 14% of participants residing in one of these counties. A higher proportion of those living in MHPSAs were employed in peer support jobs (rather than other job types or unemployed) compared to those living in non-MHPSAs (68% vs. 54%, p = .020). MHPSA residential status was not a significant predictor of employment status (OR = 1.14, p = .728) but was significantly associated with greater likelihood of employment in peer support compared to other jobs, both for the entire sample (OR = 2.13, p = .026), and among those currently employed (OR = 2.90, p = .032). The greater likelihood of working in peer support among those residing in MHPSAs suggests that CPSs may leverage their credential to address shortages. As a result, peer support may become a more necessary part of the traditional service array. Policies that enable CPS to practice in MHPSAs should be encouraged., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Migrants and refugees may not access mental health services due to linguistic and cultural discordance between them and health and social care professionals (HSCPs). The aim of this review is to identify the communication needs and barriers experienced by third-country nationals (TCNs), their carers, and HSCPs, as well as the strategies they use and their preferences when accessing/providing mental health services and language barriers are present., Methods: We undertook a rapid systematic review of the literature (01/01/2011 - 09/03/2022) on seeking and/or providing mental health services in linguistically discordant settings. Quality appraisal was performed, data was extracted, and evidence was reviewed and synthesised qualitatively., Results: 58/5,650 papers met the inclusion criteria. Both TCNs (and their carers) and HSCPs experience difficulties when seeking or providing mental health services and language barriers are present. TCNs and HSCPs prefer linguistically and culturally concordant provision of mental health services but professional interpreters are often required. However, their use is not always preferred, nor is it without problems., Conclusions: Language barriers impede TCNs' access to mental health services. Improving language support options and cultural competency in mental health services is crucial to ensure that individuals from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds can access and/or provide high-quality mental health services., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The February edition of the Clinical Psychology Forum focuses on the training and evaluation of clinical psychologists in service development. The articles cover a range of topics, including the impact of climate change on psychology, the role of clinical psychologists in family-building through assisted reproductive technologies, interventions for people with prolonged Covid symptoms, the experiences of racialized minority service users in perinatal mental health services, barriers to ethnic monitoring in specialist perinatal mental health services, guidelines for care handover for people with neurodiversity, the usefulness of reflective parenting groups, staff perspectives on team formulation, and the impact of using the Newcastle Model formulation for people with dementia in hospital settings. The edition also includes an obituary for Professor William Yule. The journal is actively seeking reviewers and will be providing new guidance on writing evaluation papers in the future. [Extracted from the article]

This paper describes the practice of an integrated family approach to treatment in mental health care in which the focus is on the whole family and treatment is carried out by professionals of adult and child mental health services together. It is presented as an example of a best practice in finding a way to overcome barriers in implementing an integrated family approach in treatment for the benefit of families with a variety of interrelated problems. Even though there is a lot of knowledge about the importance of a family approach in mental health care with specific attention to the patients’ parental role, the children, family relationships, and the social economic context, this is worldwide rarely implemented in the practice of mental health care. Barriers to keep the whole family in mind are identified on different levels: organizational policy, interagency collaboration, professionals, and patients themselves. As a solution, a model of an integrated family approach in mental health care is presented: how it is defined; which domains in the family are targeted; which key elements it contains; what the treatment consists of; and which procedures are followed in practice. A case illustrates how this approach might work in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Folk music is a special cultural value for different countries and civilizations. However, the interest in folk music wanes against the background of globalization, both in Europe and in Asia. This paper examines the possibility of using Chinese folk music to improve the mental health and academic motivation of college students without involving a qualified music therapist. The study involved 200 volunteers from [Xi'an Shiyou] University who were randomly assigned to either the control or experimental group. The researchers developed a 30-week program titled National Music in the Service of Mental Health. It provides for regular group listening to folk music with the option of motor improvisation regulated by the recipient. The authors tested the effectiveness of the program by comparing the results of pre-testing and post-testing through the Wilcoxon rank sum test for related samples. They found that external motivation dominated internal motivation in first-year students from [Xi'an Shiyou] University. In addition, most of the difficulties concerned such areas as peer relationship problems and emotional symptoms related to the mental health of the respondents. The researchers found that the developed program proved effective in increasing aspects of internal motivation related to new life experiences (p = 0.00). The program also reduced the severity of negative emotional symptoms related to mental health (p = 0.00). The main scientific value of this paper is its aim to actualize the scientific discussion about the potential and limitations of Chinese folk music therapy without involving a qualified expert. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence shows that there is a high prevalence of mental health challenges including depression and anxiety, among Chinese university students. Providing mental health care providers with professional training is crucial to implementing effective mental health promotion initiatives in university settings. Globally, the focus of the mental health system is shifting to recovery and the importance of empowerment is increasingly being emphasized. There is a call to integrate empowerment education into professional training programs for health service providers with the goal of mobilizing them to become mental health champions capable of advancing mental health care. Method: The ACE-LYNX (Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment-Linking Youth and Xin i.e., "heart(s)" in Chinese) intervention took place at six universities in Jinan, Shandong Province, China. It aimed to promote mental health literacy and build capacity among mental health service providers (MHSPs) to enable them to become mental health champions at their universities and beyond. A total of 139 university MHSPs participated. We collected pre-, immediate post- and three-month-post-surveys. In addition, we recruited forty-five participants to take part in three-month-post-intervention focus group interviews to explore their experiences taking part in ACE-LYNX and applying the knowledge, skills, and insights they gained from the intervention. Result: This paper reports on the effects of empowerment education, which is a key component of ACE-LYNX, on the MHSPs. Four themes were identified: 1) conscious awareness and behavioral change through psychological empowerment users; 2) professional insights and motivation for organizational empowerment; 3) non-self in the continuum of collective empowerment; and 4) interdisciplinary challenges and divergences in empowerment action. Discussion: We found that it is critical to integrate empowerment education into professional training. The process of MHSPs developing their empowerment practice is characterized by their moving from individual to collective empowerment along a continuum, with organizational and collective empowerment taking place in a longer time frame. Experiential learning, empathy education, and critical reflection accelerated the continuous iterative transformative process of empowerment practices. To advance the integration of empowerment into mental health care, the engagement of organizational decision-makers and policy makers in empowerment training is critical to ensure alignment of empowerment values and competence at all levels of service provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper tells the story of the work of a parent-infant psychoanalytic psychotherapist with an infant girl and her mother, from the age of four to 19 months old. It became clear, very quickly, that she was a replacement child. She was born four years after the death of her profoundly disabled brother and before her mother had begun the process of mourning her dead son. The mother was struggling to see the infant as a person in her own right and felt that she wanted her daughter to be a reincarnation of her dead brother. Although the infant was always dressed as a girl, there was also something boyish about her presentation. The work centred around us playing together and helping her mother to see her as a person in her own right, as well as observing and trying to make sense of the infant's play. The therapist used her metaphoric function to hypothesise what the infant might be trying to understand in her play, especially with two identical plastic oranges that were the same and yet different. What emerged was that the mother was herself an identical twin, who never felt fully separated from her twin sister, and always felt that she was two people. An interpretation to the infant that perhaps she also thought that she needed to be two people, herself but also her dead brother, was met with a confirmatory response from the infant; it felt pivotal in elucidating for both mother and infant their respective challenges in the wake of the death of their son/sibling. The paper illustrates the importance of early intervention, of both observing and playing with infants and young children; and the importance of the therapist's use of metaphor, which could be viewed as an inductive statement, summarising a guess about inner reality expressed in a skewed or displaced way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to pay tribute to Mariupol and its inhabitants, the Ukrainian city which was entirely destroyed by the Russian army. Before the full-scale invasion, significant developments were happening in the field of mental health. The experience gained in that city, examples of good practices and active collaboration between the city administration, local professionals and the international development project "Mental Health for Ukraine", formed the foundation of interventions that were transferred to other regions in Ukraine. This paper describes the key steps, actions undertaken in 2019 to 2021 and achievements of the programme. Personal reflections also describe the context and experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychedelics are being studied for the treatment of numerous mental health disorders, as well as a means of bringing people together. Nonetheless, people of color and those with other marginalized identities have not been fully included. Studies and research on psychedelic-assisted therapies have largely excluded people of color, leaving out fundamental clinical issues for these populations. This paper provides a narrative review of relevant research on this topic, racial trauma, ethnic minority mental health, and how psychedelic therapies can advance recovery for people of color. It also discusses potential harms and steps needed to promote culturally inclusive access to care. Many psychedelic therapy trials are in their final stages and access is being expanded, making it important to consider equitable practices in research that can foster inclusion, such as community-based participatory research and culturally informed research design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The treatment gap for mental health disorders persists in low- and middle-income countries despite overwhelming evidence of the efficacy of tasksharing mental health interventions. Key barriers in the uptake of these innovations include the absence of policy to support implementation and diverting of staff from usual routines in health systems that are already overstretched. South Africa enjoys a conducive policy environment; however, strategies for operationalizing the policy ideals are lacking. This paper describes the Mental health INTegration Programme (MhINT), which adopted a health system strengthening approach to embed an evidence-based task-sharing care package for depression to integrate mental health care into chronic care at primary health care (PHC). Methods: The MhINT care package consisting of psycho-education talks, nurse-led mental health assessment, and a structured psychosocial counselling intervention provided by lay counsellors was implemented in Amajuba district in KwaZulu-Natal over a 2-year period. A learning health systems approach was adopted, using continuous quality improvement (CQI) strategies to facilitate embedding of the intervention. MhINT was implemented along five phases: the project phase wherein teams to drive implementation were formed; the diagnostic phase where routinely collected data were used to identify system barriers to integrated mental health care; the intervention phase consisting of capacity building and using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to address implementation barriers and the impact and sustaining improvement phases entailed assessing the impact of the program and initiation of system-level interventions to sustain and institutionalize successful change ideas. Results: Integrated planning and monitoring were enabled by including key mental health service indicators in weekly meetings designed to track the performance of noncommunicable diseases and human immunovirus clinical programmes. Lack of standardization in mental health screening prompted the validation of a mental health screening tool and testing feasibility of its use in centralized screening stations. A culture of collaborative problem-solving was promoted through CQI data-driven learning sessions. The province-level screening rate increased by 10%, whilst the district screening rate increased by 7% and new patients initiated to mental health treatment increased by 16%. Conclusions: The CQI approach holds promise in facilitating the attainment of integrated mental health care in resource-scarce contexts. A collaborative relationship between researchers and health system stakeholders is an important strategy for facilitating the uptake of evidence-based innovations. However, the lack of interventions to address healthcare workers' own mental health poses a threat to integrated mental health care at PHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Engaging with heritage to support mental health and wellbeing has become a focus of research and policy, more recently moving towards social prescription of heritage interventions. While there are benefits to active participation, there are potential risks to those taking part and to the non-renewable historic remains and landscape that form the core of these projects. The purpose of the current research paper was to develop best practice guidelines for organisations offering heritage projects as interventions for people who live with mental health issues to protect both participants and heritage. Design/methodology/approach: There were two research phases; a Sandpit with World Café discussions to produce a set of research priorities, and a Delphi Consultation, using three questionnaires distributed over six months, to develop best practice guidelines. The panel in both phases comprised experts through lived experience, policy, practice and research. Findings: The Authentic and Meaningful Participation in Heritage or Related Activities (AMPHORA) guidelines cover three stages: project development, project delivery and project follow-up, with a set of action points for each stage. Of particular importance was authentic participation and expertise to ensure appropriate management of heritage/ historic environment assets and support for participants. Social implications: The AMPHORA guidelines can assist all organisations in the delivery of safe projects that support the mental health of those involved, as well as enhancing and protecting the historic environment. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, these are the first research-led guidelines that help heritage organisations support those living with mental health issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This service evaluation aims to understand the experiences of service users (SUs) who accessed an early intervention in psychosis (EIP) service during the Coronavirus pandemic using qualitative and quantitative methodologies and compare these to a previous pre-pandemic study conducted within the same service (Watkins et al., 2018). Design/methodology/approach: This paper collated experiences of individuals accessing an EIP service to inform service development. Questionnaires and individual interviews were conducted to provide quantitative and qualitative data. Descriptive statistics and T-test confidence intervals were created from the results and compared to findings of Watkins et al. (2018). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis. Findings: Data showed participants were largely satisfied with all areas of the service with "work or education", "living skills", and "addictions" scoring highest. Though participants reported no overall dissatisfaction, satisfaction levels dropped in "social activities" compared to the findings of Watkins et al. (2018), perhaps due to the national restrictions put in place to manage the spread of Coronavirus during this time. Interview analysis identified three themes of importance consistent with prior literature, highlighting the importance of relationships and validation during recovery. Research limitations/implications: This evaluation did not consider whether participants had accessed the service prior to the pandemic or only during, meaning that some participants could have a point of comparison with the service pre-pandemic, whereas others might not. Similarly, the participants were not the same as those of the Watkins et al.'s (2018) evaluation, meaning that direct comparisons of pre- and post-pandemic experiences were not possible. In addition, this evaluation collected data at only one time point early in the pandemic; therefore, it is unknown if client experiences of services differed as the pandemic and restrictions continued over time. Originality/value: The Covid-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented challenge for health services, and the effects of this are becoming widely reported. This evaluation of clinical services offers a valuable perspective of service user experience of receiving mental health services during a global health crisis further offering a comparison to pre-pandemic services and the experiences of those who used them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: By older adulthood, the majority of individuals will have experienced at least one traumatic event. Trauma-informed care (TIC) is proposed to improve effectivity of health-care provision and to reduce likelihood of services causing retraumatisation. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of staff training in TIC in older adult services. Design/methodology/approach: TIC training was delivered across eight Older Adult Community Mental Health Teams in the same UK organisation. Questionnaires were administered before and after training: a psychometrically robust measure, the Attitudes Related to Trauma-Informed Care, was used to assess TIC-related attitudes, and a service-developed scale was used to measure changes in TIC competence. Data was analysed using linear mixed effects modelling (LMM). Qualitative data regarding the impact of training was gathered one month after training through a free-text questionnaire. Findings: There were 45 participants, all of whom were white British. LMM on pre- and post-data revealed that staff training significantly increased competencies across all measured TIC domains. Overall, staff attitudes were also significantly more trauma-informed after training. Qualitatively, staff identified time as the only additional resource required to deliver the skills and knowledge gained from training. Practical implications: Training was found to be effective in increasing TIC-related skills and attitudes. Organisations aiming to become trauma-informed should consider staff training as one aspect of a wider development plan. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first to examine TIC training for staff working in Older Adults Mental Health Services. Recommendations for services aiming to develop a trauma-informed culture have been provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Those with severe and enduring mental ill health are at greater risk of long‐term physical health conditions and have a reduced life expectancy as a result. Multiple factors compound this health inequality, and the need for setting research priorities in this area is highlighted with physical and mental healthcare services being separate, and limited multimorbidity research. Methods: The aim of this exercise was to work in partnership with healthcare professionals and carers, family, friends and individuals with lived experience of both mental and physical health conditions, to set research priorities to help people with mental health conditions to look after their physical health. The exercise was guided by the James Lind Alliance approach. For this, a steering group was set up, two surveys were completed and a final priority workshop was conducted. Results: This priority setting exercise guided by people's needs and lived experience has produced a set of well‐defined research topics. Initially, 555 research questions were suggested in the first survey, which were refined to 54 questions for the second survey. A priority setting workshop was then conducted to get the final 10 priorities. Conclusions: Taking these topics forward to improve services and treatment for both mental and physical ill health may in turn improve physical health and lessen the reduced life expectancy of those living with mental ill health. Patient or Public Contribution: This work was completed in collaboration with people who have lived experience of mental ill health and physical health conditions, as well as carers, family and friends. Their contribution has been significant for this work from piloting surveys, amending language used and educating the researchers and contributing to this paper. The initial work was completed with a steering group and continued with surveys and workshops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This paper describes the process of implementing a family focused model, The Family Model, in child and adolescent and adult mental health services in Sweden. Additionally, it describes a service development project carried out in both services within a defined geographical area of Region Stockholm. The Family Model is a communication tool designed to assist clinicians in both services to have family focused conversations with their patients and relatives. Internationally, the needs of individuals experiencing mental health challenges (parents, children and young people) and their close relatives are now well recognized, but barriers to family focused practice nevertheless persist. The aim of this study was to better understand clinicians' experiences in implementing The Family Model in both services. Methods: Three preplanned focus group interviews were carried out with 14 clinicians and managers across both services and the data were analyzed in accordance with methods of Naturalistic inquiry. Result: Findings suggest that The Family Model has utility in both services. The Naturalistic inquiry analyses revealed three main themes: individual, relational and organizational aspects with a total of 10 sub-themes of how the models influence the participants. Furthermore, analyses on a meta understanding level explored that participants underwent a developmental journey in learning about and using The Family Model in practice which was expressed through three themes: "Useful for burdened families", "Influencing prevention", and "To integrate this would be fantastic". Conclusions: The Family Model, when adapted for the Swedish context, is a useful tool for assisting experienced clinicians to engage in family focused practice in both child and adolescent and adult mental health services. The Family Model highlights different aspects in everyday clinical services that were of special interest for clinicians, families, and the system. Future research could explore families' perspectives of the utility of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Perceptions of ageing towards the self and towards others can positively and negatively impact an older adult's mental wellbeing. This paper aims to consolidate literature examining the relationship between perceptions of ageing and depression in older adults to inform both practice and policy for older adult mental health services. Design/methodology/approach: Quantitative research articles examining perceptions of ageing and depression in older adults were identified through searches on three electronical databases, alongside forward and backwards citation searches. A total of 14 articles involving 31,211 participants were identified. Findings: Greater negative attitudes towards ageing were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms and greater positive attitudes towards ageing were associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms or higher levels of happiness. However, the causal direction of this relationship could not be determined. Studies demonstrated that perceptions of ageing also act as a moderator in the relationship between depression and health status, hopelessness and personality traits. Future research should attempt to examine the relationship between perceptions of ageing and depression in older adults to attempt to identify the causal direction of this relationship. Originality/value: This is the only systematic review the authors are aware of consolidating literature which explores the relationship between older adults' perceptions of ageing and depression. It is hoped that these findings will be able to inform both policy and practice to improve older adults' care and support for depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The period of compulsory school attendance is a mentally very challenging period for children in foster care, which can be impacted by complex developmental trauma stemming from the child's experience in foster care with cumulative and chronic traumatic events in his/her biological family. These events have taken place over a long period of time in interpersonal relationships usually related to caregivers, in the form of abandonment of the child by the caregiver, changing caregivers, lack of safe space and necessary support for the child from the family and school, and/or deficiencies in the provision of coordinated health and social care for both the child and the foster parents. The paper presents research findings supported by a statistical analysis of health and school difficulties in children in foster care related to their school attendance. The purpose of the research was to support the quality and coordination of services of non-profit organizations providing social, health and educational services to foster families and their children during school attendance to support the school success and well-being of children. The study was implemented as part of a dissertation at the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice in the Czech Republic on the topic of promotion of the health, social and psychological well-being of school-aged children in the context of their school and family environment. The authors carried out a questionnaire survey in the Czech Republic among a selected sample of respondents, who were foster parents of children aged 6 to 15 attending primary school in the Pardubice Region. In a total sample of 102 respondents, we identified two different groups. One group – 64 respondents with healthy children and another group – 38 respondents with children with health difficulties. The aim of the research was to compare the assessments of the intensity of school difficulties of children in foster care in groups of respondents with or without a child with health difficulties or mental illness in their foster care. The hypothesis of a difference in assessments of school difficulties in children with/without health difficulties was formulated and statistically tested (H0: ratings of the intensity of difficulties are the same in both groups). Statistical testing of the hypothesis utilised the non-parametric MannWhitney test with the test results being significant at the level of significance p<0.05. Correlation was observed for each difficulty and exploratory cluster analysis shows their interrelationships. The study results according to the foster parents' assessment show a high intensity of difficulties of school-aged children in foster care in their inclusion in the classroom in establishing relationships with classmates (p-value =0.9), in a negative attitude towards learning and lack of motivation to learn (p-value =0.7) experiencing nervousness, internal tension and staying focused when learning. In addition, when comparing the groups of respondents with healthy children and children who have health difficulties/mental illness, there was a statistically significantly higher intensity of difficulties in the group of respondents with children with health difficulties when doing prep work for the classes (p-value =0.00075). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a list of references for a research paper on various topics related to mental health, artificial intelligence, and data analysis. The references cover studies on loneliness and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors, medical big data, machine learning techniques, and the use of artificial intelligence in mental health research. The document also includes resources on the validation and accuracy of diagnoses, classification of psychiatric disorders, and the challenges and opportunities of data sharing in mental health research. [Extracted from the article]

While psychotherapeutic e-mental health interventions may circumvent barriers that many men face in accessing mental health care, the effects of men using these interventions have not been evaluated. We aimed to synthesise the characteristics of psychotherapeutic e-mental health interventions for depression or anxiety that have been trialled and evaluated in men, and synthesise and meta-analyse the effects of these interventions on men's depression and anxiety, including examining influences of participant, intervention, and study characteristics on outcomes. Seven papers (N = 552 participant men) identified from systematic literature searches met inclusion criteria. A total 177 studies were excluded because although they met all other inclusion criteria, they did not present analysable data on participant men. The seven included interventions varied in content, length, and format; only one intervention was gender sensitive, having been designed specifically for men. All three randomised controlled trials detected no post-trial difference in men's depression symptoms between intervention and control participants. All four treatment studies presenting pre-post data reported post-intervention improvements in depression or social anxiety symptoms; this was supported by our meta-analysis of two studies, which found a medium-sized, positive effect of depression treatment interventions on depression symptoms in pre-post data (g = 0.64, p < 0.005). Further meta-analyses could not be conducted due to data limitations. Psychotherapeutic e-mental health treatment interventions result in pre- to post-intervention improvements in men's depression symptoms. There is urgent need for consideration of gender and sex in the development, evaluation, and dissemination of e-mental health interventions for men, and for further information on their effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a registered psychotherapist and art therapist, my clinical training was primarily based on North American clinical approaches influenced by traditional Euro and western‐centric clinical theories of human behavior. I completed my training feeling certain that traditional clinical mental health practices were not an appropriate fit for racialized communities and could have negative implications for their healing and well‐being. As clinicians, it is our moral obligation to support and enhance the quality of life for marginalized groups. We can do this by challenging our values and knowledge that have been defined and influenced by structures (i.e., education, training, etc.) embedded in these colonial teachings. For this paper, I used a heuristic self‐inquiry research method to investigate these concerns. I interviewed other racialized psychotherapists practicing in Turtle Island (currently mostly occupied by the political entities of Canada and the United States) with the aim to learn how and if decolonization can be used in therapy practice. With this research, I (1) identified a gap in care for racialized communities, (2) questioned if or how a decolonizing approach to care should be considered, (3) explored my discomfort with practitioners in the field that claim their position on decolonizing therapy, practice, and approaches, and lastly (4) propose other ways of knowing that can inform new ways of practicing therapy. The results of this research helped to problematize the language and use of decolonizing therapeutic practices while learning about other concepts that may be relevant yet distinct, such as principles of coloniality/decoloniality. Those of us, therapists or researchers, wanting to disrupt the current practice of therapy need to work together, share knowledge, and challenge each other, so that we can transform the way we practice as psychotherapists. This paper is my contribution to this conversation. Highlights: I interviewed racialized psychotherapists to learn how and if decolonization can be used in therapy.Traditional psychology can lead to ineffective mental health care for racialized communities.I propose other ways of knowing that can inform new therapy practices for racialized communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers matters of time in online mental health peer support. Significant evidence of the value of peer support exists, with new digital platforms emerging as part of the digitisation of mental health support. This paper draws from a project exploring the impact of digital platforms on peer support through interviews with users of a major UK-based online peer support platform. Drawing on Gilles Deleuze's concept of the 'living present', the paper highlights how notions of past, present and future operate as co-existing dimensions of the present. The analysis highlights how the immediacy of digital platforms elicits expectations of peer support being 'on tap', which creates challenges when support is not received synchronously. Unlike in-person support, digital platforms facilitate the archiving of support, which can (re)enter the present at any moment through asynchronous communication. Anticipations of the future feature as dimensions of the present in terms of feelings regarding when support may no longer be needed. The paper offers potential implications for social scientific understanding of digital peer support, which include valuable insight for mental health services designing and delivering digital peer support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychotherapy is widely used to treat different mental health disorders and emotional difficulties. The main objective of psychotherapy is to help clients become aware of and have control over their thoughts, moods, feelings and behaviours, as well as create healthy strategies to respond to challenging situations. Since the existing psychotherapy approaches and other methods of treatment are not always effective in treating mental health disorders, there is still space for new approaches to fill this gap. In this paper, we provide information about internal cohesion psychotherapy, which is a new integrative approach. This paper presents a new approach to eclectic psychotherapy, focussing on four detrimental aspects of human functioning through different time perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Participation in sports during youth is typically beneficial for mental health. However, it is unclear whether elite sport contexts contribute to greater risk of psychological distress or disorder. The aims of this paper are to highlight conceptual issues that require resolution in future research and practice, and to examine the key factors that may contribute to the mental health of elite youth athletes (EYAs). Evidence Acquisition: A narrative overview of the literature combined with the clinical and research expertise of the authors. Study Design: Narrative overview. Level of Evidence: Level 5. Results: EYAs experience a range of biopsychosocial developmental changes that interact with mental health in a multitude of ways. In addition, there are various sport-specific factors that contribute to the mental health of EYAs that may become more prominent in elite contexts. These include - but are not limited to - patterns relating to athlete coping and self-relating styles, the nature of peer, parental, and coach relationships, organizational culture and performance pressures, and mental health service provision and accessibility. Conclusion: A range of critical factors across individual, interpersonal, organizational, and societal domains have been shown to contribute to mental health among EYAs. However, this evidence is limited by heterogeneous samples and varied or imprecise terminology regarding what constitutes "youth" and "elite" in sport. Nevertheless, it is clear that EYAs face a range of risks that warrant careful consideration to progress to best practice principles and recommendations for mental health promotion and intervention in elite youth sport. SORT: Level C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reciprocal relationship between psychiatric and substance use disorders is well-known, yet it remains largely unknown whether mental health morbidity causally leads to addictive behaviours. This paper utilises a fixed effects instrumental variables model, which is identified by time-varying sources of plausibly exogenous variations in mental health, and a nationally representative panel dataset from Australia to present robust evidence on the causal impact of mental distress on cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking behaviours. We find that mental distress significantly increases the prevalence and intensity of either cigarette or alcohol consumption. Further analysis reveals that mental distress also substantially increases household monetary expenditures on either tobacco or alcohol. The impact is greater for lower educated individuals or children of smokers, and is slightly higher for males. Our findings highlight the importance of mental health screening and treatment programs, especially among lower educated individuals or children of smokers, to assist in the prevention of addictive activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate how institutional and organisational factors affect case management of patients with mental disorders by GPs in Italy and Spain. The paper highlights the importance of improving the effectiveness of primary care to ensure easy access to mental health services, which is crucial in responding to the increasing incidence of mental disorders and preventing negative outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: This article details a qualitative research study that examines the management of patients with mental disorders by general practitioners (GPs) in Italy and Spain, using cross-national comparison and in-depth interviews with GPs as research methods. Findings: The study revealed that Italian self-employed GPs have more scheduling autonomy than Spanish Health Centre GPs. Both face high work pressure and resource scarcity, highlighting the need for targeted training. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rise in phone consultations. Originality/value: This study provides novel insights into mental health management by examining the case management of patients with mental disorders by GPs in Italy and Spain, with a focus on the impact of institutional and organisational factors. The cross-national comparison and in-depth interviews enhance the originality of the study, offering a nuanced understanding of the constraints faced by GPs in their work context. Furthermore, the comparison of the similar primary care frameworks of Italy and Spain may offer insight into their evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by electronic medical record (EMR) systems. EMR systems have the potential to transform medical data into meaningful information and improve patient outcomes. However, there are hurdles to overcome, such as high implementation costs, interoperability issues, data privacy concerns, and security risks. The article also highlights several studies that explore different aspects of EMR, including its impact on professional autonomy, the integration of data from smartwatches, the use of digital mental health interventions, and the utilization of EMR data for research purposes. Overall, the article emphasizes the need for further research and interdisciplinary exploration to fully leverage the potential benefits of EMR. [Extracted from the article]

There are significant disparities in mental health care between First Nations and non-Indigenous people in settler-colonial nations. This paper, authored by a crosscultural and interdisciplinary team, argues that settler-colonial legislation, the tools and technologies of architecture, and the clinical practice of psychiatry are all implicated. Taking inspiration from Tanganekald, Meintangk-Bunganditj legal scholar Irene Watson, who yearns for freedom to roam across Country and connect with the land of her ancestors, we propose tactics for 'roaming' from the conventions of architecture and psychiatry to decolonize our practices. These include yarning, walking Country, and representing these itinerant practices through wandering lines. The outcomes are processes for developing new therapeutic places and practices for mental health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the prehistorical to contemporary periods, prisoners' mental health has been a burgeoning issue in the United States (USA). After a decade of incarceration and a misleading penal system, prisoners' mental health has become a discussed topic for scholars not only in the correctional system but also in other disciplines. Despite having diverse initiatives for the improvement of the penal system, few initiatives have been held to take into consideration of prisoner's mental health. To fill this gap, the main purpose of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the mental health of prisoners by analyzing previous research on the mental health of prisoners along with suggesting some probable ways from management information perspectives that can be helpful to reduce a great number of prisoners and bring some positive changes in the correctional system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol use disorders (AUD) are associated with several mental health, family, and social consequences. This paper analyzes the few studies on BIs in primary care in Chile and Latin America through a culturally critical view. Future research should address the need of culturally appropriate BI for AUD, so that decisions on policies and programs are made based on evidence-based, culturally appropriated practices. The Chilean context presents a unique opportunity to implement BI, since primary care counts on resources and protocols already installed. Clinical social workers should play a key role in this challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Executive Summary: Millions of Venezuelans have fled their country in hopes for a better future outside the political and financial turmoil in their home country. This paper examines the self-reported needs of Venezuelans in the United States and Colombia. Specifically, it looks at perceived discrimination in each country and its effect on the service needs of Venezuelan immigrants. The authors used data from a larger project conducted in October to November 2017 to perform a qualitative content analysis on the specific services that participants and others like them would need following immigration. The sample consisted of 647 Venezuelan immigrant adults who had migrated to the United States (n = 342) or Colombia (n = 305). Its findings indicate statistically significant differences between the two countries. Venezuelan immigrants in the United States were more likely to identity mental health and educational service needs, while those in Colombia were more likely to list access to healthcare, help finding jobs, and food assistance. When looking at perceived discrimination, means scores for discrimination were significantly greater for participants who indicated needing housing services, who indicated needing assistance enrolling children in school and who indicated needing food assistance, compared to participants who did not list those needs. Venezuelans who had experienced greater negative context of reception were less likely to indicate needing mental health services, where 11.9 percent of those who did not perceive a negative context of reception responded that they needed mental health services. Evaluating existing service networks will be essential in working to bridge the gap between the services provided to and requested by Venezuelans. Collaboration between diverse government actors, community-based organizations (CBOs) and other stakeholders can help identify gaps in existing service networks. CBOs can also facilitate communication between Venezuelan immigrants and their new communities, on the need to invest in necessary services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eating disorders (EDs) are serious, deadly disorders that emerge in adolescence and early adulthood. Further, reported incidences of EDs are increasing worldwide. As such, accessible, affordable, and effective early intervention and prevention efforts are critical. The Body Project is a well-established ED prevention program with demonstrated success at reducing ED symptom severity and the risk of onset of EDs in young females. However, it has not yet been formally evaluated in an Australian population, nor have the benefits of the treatment for young people of all genders been thoroughly investigated. This protocol paper outlines the design for a study which aims to investigate the outcomes and feasibility of the Body Project as a brief ED prevention program within an Australian youth mental health service: headspace Camperdown. This pragmatic trial will compare outcomes between a Body Project treatment group and a Treatment-as-usual control group. Primary outcomes include body image concerns, ED symptomatology and general psychological distress, measured pre- and post-treatment, and at one-month follow-up. All young people attending headspace Camperdown for care are eligible for participation in the trial. The Body Project program is comprised of four group-based 1.5 h sessions run over 4 consecutive weeks. Overall, a trial of the Body Project as an ED prevention program is warranted to investigate the outcomes of the intervention in this sample and will provide valuable information about the feasibility for widespread implementation of the treatment as part of a stepped-care approach to intervention for EDs at youth mental health service locations across Australia. ANZCTR Trial Registration Number: ACTRN12623000695606 (registered 29 June 2023). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, social assistive robots have gained significant acceptance in healthcare settings, particularly for tasks such as patient care and monitoring. This paper offers a comprehensive overview of the expressive humanoid robot, Qhali, with a focus on its industrial design, essential components, and validation in a controlled environment. The industrial design phase encompasses research, ideation, design, manufacturing, and implementation. Subsequently, the mechatronic system is detailed, covering sensing, actuation, control, energy, and software interface. Qhali's capabilities include autonomous execution of routines for mental health promotion and psychological testing. The software platform enables therapist-directed interventions, allowing the robot to convey emotional gestures through joint and head movements and simulate various facial expressions for more engaging interactions. Finally, with the robot fully operational, an initial behavioral experiment was conducted to validate Qhali's capability to deliver telepsychological interventions. The findings from this preliminary study indicate that participants reported enhancements in their emotional well-being, along with positive outcomes in their perception of the psychological intervention conducted with the humanoid robot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current literature emphasizes the necessary and increasing role of the emergency department (ED) psychologist. This perspective paper will illustrate that the recent focus on an ED psychologist is necessary, but insufficient. Equally important, is an understanding of when a patient in a potential crisis does not require an ED admission, but rather an assessment that is made prior to the patient going to the ED. The essential role of an outpatient crisis team is vital in differentiating when an ED admission is indicated for a psychiatric crisis (true positive) and when an ED admission is not indicated for a psychiatric crisis (false positive). Evaluating crises prior to ED admissions accomplishes two critical healthcare objectives in a parallel process: 1) accurately assessing the proper level of care needed when a patient reports they are experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms (which may or may not necessitate emergency department level of care, and 2) reducing burden on an already over-extended ED when emergency care is not indicated. Our findings are uniquely drawn from a highly diverse youth patient population in Northern California, United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topic: Internationally, preventing suicide in children and young people is a priority and there are a range of preventative approaches available for health professionals to use, including brief interventions. Safety planning is one such brief intervention. Safety plans have long been recommended for use with young people who are suicidal but, these were initially developed for adults. A recent scoping review revealed safety plans need to be tailored to children and young people. This review also identified an important practice gap, that parents also require plans supporting them to keep their child safe. Purpose: This paper highlights how a Scottish clinical child and adolescent mental health setting in the UK's National Health Service developed and implemented evidence‐based safety plans for suicidality–the Lothian Safety Plan for young people and the Lothian Safekeeping Plan for parents. This paper outlines both plans and gives recommendations for their use by healthcare professionals. The parental Lothian Safekeeping Plan is discussed in more depth as this is a novel intervention. Conclusion: The Lothian Safekeeping Plan is a clinically led evidence‐based practice innovation. It is a specific suicide prevention plan for use by parents as an additional, complementary, and enhanced resource to the Lothian Safety Plan for young people. It is recommended that healthcare professionals also use a parental safety plan when supporting young people presenting with suicidal crisis. Further research is needed to evaluate the impact of these plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This position paper from the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry discusses the mental health needs of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and the historical stigma and discrimination they have faced. It addresses the removal of homosexuality as a mental disorder and the ongoing debate around gender dysphoria. The paper emphasizes the negative impact of stigma and discrimination on mental health and the barriers to healthcare faced by 2SLGBTQ+ individuals. It concludes with recommendations for inclusive and nondiscriminatory care. Additionally, the document provides a glossary of terms related to 2SLGBTQ+ issues, emphasizing the importance of understanding and respecting diverse identities and experiences within the community. It also discusses the history of psychiatric treatment and ongoing challenges in accessing appropriate mental healthcare. Another document focuses on mental health and well-being for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, highlighting the negative impact of stigma and discrimination on mental health. It emphasizes the importance of acceptance and support from family and peers, addresses barriers to healthcare, condemns conversion therapy, and provides recommendations for creating inclusive environments. Lastly, a glossary of terms related to the 2SLGBTQ+ community is provided, emphasizing the importance of using inclusive language and respecting individuals' chosen names and pronouns. The glossary includes definitions for various terms and acknowledges that these terms may vary and evolve over time. It also highlights the need for inclusive materials, gender-neutral facilities, and non-discriminatory policies. [Extracted from the article]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Mentalizing is the capacity to understand both one's own and other people's behaviour in terms of mental states, such as, for example, desires, feelings and beliefs.The mentalizing capacities of healthcare professionals help to establish effective therapeutic relationships and, in turn, lead to better patient outcomes. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: The personal factors positively associated with the mentalizing capacities of healthcare professionals are being female, greater work experience and having a more secure attachment style. Psychosocial factors are having personal experience with psychotherapy, burnout, and in the case of female students, being able to identify with the female psychotherapist role model during training. There is limited evidence that training programmes can improve mentalizing capacities.Although the mentalization field is gaining importance and research is expanding, the implications for mental health nursing have not been previously reviewed. Mental health nurses are underrepresented in research on the mentalizing capacities of healthcare professionals. This is significant given that mental health nurses work closest to patients and thus are more often confronted with patients' behaviour compared to other health care professionals, and constitute a large part of the workforce in mental healthcare for patients with mental illness. What are the implications for practice?: Given the importance of mentalizing capacity of both the patient and the nurse for a constructive working relationship, it is important that mental health nurses are trained in the basic principles of mentalization. Mental health nurses should be able to recognize situations where patients' lack of ability to mentalize creates difficulties in the interaction. They should also be able to recognize their own difficulties with mentalizing and be sensitive to the communicative implications this may have. Introduction: Mentalizing capacities of clinicians help to build effective therapeutic relationships and lead to better patient outcomes. Few studies have focused on factors associated with clinicians' mentalizing capacities and the intervention strategies to improve them. Aim: Present a systematic review of empirical studies on factors associated with healthcare professionals' mentalizing capacities and the effectiveness of intervention programmes designed to improve these capacities. Method: Following PRISMA‐guidelines, a systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library and CINAHL. Results: Out of a systematic search with 1537 hits, 22 studies were included. Personal factors positively associated with mentalizing capacities of healthcare professionals are being female, greater work experience and having a more secure attachment style. Psychosocial factors are having personal experience with psychotherapy, burnout, and in the case of female students, being able to identify with the female psychotherapist role model during training. Evidence that training programmes improve mentalizing capacities is limited. Discussion: Mental health nurses are underrepresented in research on mentalizing capacities of healthcare professionals and training programs to improve these capacities are practically absent. Implications for Practice: For mental health nurses, training in basic mentalizing theory and skills will improve their capacities in building effective working relationships with patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This debate essay proposes possible remedies to the shortage of nurses in acute inpatient mental health settings and draws inspiration from a Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing editorial, Glascott and McKeown (2022, 29, 767). Aim: The aim is to stimulate debate within the profession. The art and science of nursing continues to develop but staffing shortages in key areas undermine practice, leadership, academic and policy efforts to improve the quality of care for people attending services. Method: This is a debate essay which draws on the authors' experience and presents ideas based on extant literature. Results: Organisational, professional and wider societal challenges are explored. Practice‐based solutions as well as recommendations for improving the terms and conditions of employment of nurses are made. Opportunities which may empower the nursing profession are promulgated. Discussion: It is intended that this paper will provoke further discourse and may reflect the 'call to action' advocated by Glascott and McKeown (Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 2022, 29, 767). Implications for Practice: While the focus is on acute inpatient mental health nursing, the ideas presented may have an application to wider nursing groups or a wider cadre of public sector workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nationwide shortage of psychiatric providers delays patients from receiving vital mental health (MH) treatments. Mental Health clinical pharmacist practitioners (CPPs) are qualified to provide comprehensive medication management (CMM) services and expand care; however, many MH interdisciplinary teams have not incorporated MH CPPs or have not optimized their role. The purpose of this paper is to highlight how MH CPPs leveraged telemedicine to provide CMM to outpatient MH clinics requiring provisional coverage for other prescribing providers. This paper also reviews supplemental services and barriers to implementation. The Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN) 6 Clinical Resource Hub‐Telemental Health (CRH‐TMH) is a centralized interdisciplinary team that provides telemental health services to veterans through coordination with their local Veterans Health Administration Health Care Systems located in North Carolina and Virginia. The MH CPPs serve as advanced practice providers with a scope of practice that authorizes prescriptive authority including controlled substances. The VISN 6 CRH‐TMH program was initiated in 2020 and expanded from one MH CPP to include three MH CPPs and a MH CPP supervisor. Since initiation, the MH CPPs have supported 10 outpatient MH clinics. From October 2021 to March 2023, the MH CPPs have completed 5080 clinical encounters. The MH CPPs decreased phone appointments and increased the percentage of video‐to‐home encounters from 56% in fiscal year 2021 to 91% by March fiscal year 23. Virtual same‐day access was implemented at three locations and the substance use disorder program provided timely access to life‐saving treatments. The joint intake clinic optimized veterans' intake into the MH clinic by the therapist providing diagnostic services and the CPP performing CMM during the same appointment. The telehealth learning experience increased training opportunities for residents. The success of this initiative further supports the expansion of MH CPPs as advanced practice providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ensuring adequate representation and the active, meaningful and visible involvement of groups likely to be most impacted by research findings and/or the lack of research inquiry are increasingly acknowledged. This is particularly relevant for Black racially minoritised groups who are less visible as research participants and in patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) roles. Our viewpoint article sought to discuss reflections and insights on their involvement experience, with particular attention to perceived barriers and enablers to PPIE involvement. Methods: Qualitative data were collected as part of facilitated group discussions from nine Black racially minoritised experts‐by‐experience involved in a PPIE advisory group. Data were subjected to thematic analysis to identify key themes. Results: Five main themes were identified that reflected factors linked to practicalities: role unfamiliarity, benefits for the larger community, acknowledgement of previous harm and mental health stigma. Conclusion: Given the existence and importance of the direct links between research and service and treatment innovations in health and social care, ensuring that those from underrepresented Black racial communities are meaningfully and equitably supported to have roles in advising and influencing research programmes should be prioritised and an ongoing consideration for different stakeholders, including research funders, researchers, healthcare providers and community leaders/representatives. Patient or Public Contribution: This viewpoint article is a collaboration between lived experience stakeholders and researchers, comprising conceiving the original idea for the paper, its conceptualisation and data generation and the coproduction including editing of the manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document introduces a special issue on technological applications in mental health and mental health services research. The advancements in computer technology have allowed for innovative applications in collecting and analyzing data related to mental health. The use of personal electronic devices and the internet provides a rich stream of data that can offer insights into individuals' mental health. The special issue includes papers on topics such as video therapy, measurements in daily life, and automated coding of psychotherapy sessions. These papers highlight the potential of technology in improving mental health outcomes and expanding the accessibility of mental health services. [Extracted from the article]

This article is an editorial that explores the experiences of mental health professionals in psychiatric settings. It highlights the various stressors faced by these professionals and the negative impact on their well-being. The article emphasizes the need for attention to the health and well-being of mental health professionals and the lack of available data on their experiences. The editorial includes five papers that discuss different aspects of this topic, such as the impact of childhood adversity on the well-being of frontline psychiatry staff and the implementation of feedback models in psychiatric residency programs. The research aims to identify risk factors and effective strategies for supporting the mental health of mental health professionals and improving their work. [Extracted from the article]

A recent paper published in the European Addiction Research journal highlighted the discrepancies in addiction medicine and psychology training across European countries. The paper specifically mentioned Belgium as having no specific training and only four academics working on addictive disorders. However, further investigation revealed that the situation in the French-speaking part of Belgium is less dire than described in the paper. Three universities in this region have research groups focusing on addiction research, and courses related to addiction are routinely provided to students. Additionally, there are inter-university diplomas available for medical professionals and a dense network of care for addictive disorders in the French-speaking part of Belgium. Despite these strengths, challenges remain in terms of the education of caretakers specialized in addiction and the quality of treatment offered. Proposed solutions include improving continuous training, reducing the treatment gap, and strengthening preventive laws and policies. Collaboration between French- and Dutch-speaking clinicians and researchers is also crucial for improving addiction treatment in Belgium. [Extracted from the article]

According to the National Institute of Public Health -- National Institute of Hygiene, cardiovascular diseases account for 34.8% of deaths in Poland. In 2020 and 2021, contrary to the previous downward trend, cardiovascular disease mortality increased by 8.7% and 12.6%, respectively [1]. In addition to pharmacological intervention, physical activity, adherence to dietary recommendations, weight reduction, mental health care, and psychosocial and smoking interventions play a key role in preventing the development of cardiovascular disease [2]. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the impact of lifestyle and environmental factors on the development of cardiovascular risk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of thermotherapy on cardiovascular fitness indices and to analyze the efficacy and safety of this form of treatment in people with cardiovascular disease. For this purpose, the literature from 2013-2023 available in the Pubmed database was searched. The results of the papers suggest beneficial effects of various forms of thermotherapy on cardiovascular function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Philippine Mental Health Act upholds the rights and inclusivity of all people, regardless of gender and sexual orientation, within mental health services and programmes. Nevertheless, a noteworthy challenge lies in the inadequate attention given to the needs of LGBT+ individuals within the medical and health professions education in the country. Therefore, it is imperative to integrate LGBT+ mental health into psychiatric residency training. To address this gap, this paper proposes the inclusion of concepts relevant to LGBT+ mental health, including minority stress, intersectionality, identity concealment and LGBT+-affirming practices, to enhance the understanding and response to the needs of LGBT+ Filipinos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence-based mental health policies are key to supporting the expansion of community-based mental health care and are increasingly being developed in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite this, research on the process of mental health policy development in LMICs is limited. Engagement between researchers and policy makers via an integrated Knowledge Translation (iKT) approach can help to facilitate the process of evidence-based policy making. This paper provides a descriptive case study of a decade-long policy and research collaboration between partners in Vietnam, Canada and Australia to advance mental health policy for community-based depression care in Vietnam. Methods: This descriptive case study draws on qualitative data including team meeting minutes, a focus group discussion with research team leaders, and key informant interviews with two Vietnamese policy makers. Our analysis draws on Murphy et al.'s (2021) findings and recommendations related to stakeholder engagement in global mental health research. Results: Consistent with Murphy et al.'s findings, facilitating factors across three thematic categories were identified. Related to 'the importance of understanding context', engagement between researchers and policy partners from the formative research stage provided a foundation for engagement that aligned with local priorities. The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst to further advance the prioritization of mental heath by the Government of Vietnam. 'The nature of engagement' is also important, with findings demonstrating that long-term policy engagement was facilitated by continuous funding mechanisms that have enabled trust-building and allowed the research team to respond to local priorities over time. 'Communication and dissemination' are also crucial, with the research team supporting mental health awareness-raising among policy makers and the community, including via capacity building initiatives. Conclusions: This case study identifies factors influencing policy engagement for mental health system strengthening in an LMIC setting. Sustained engagement with policy leaders helps to ensure alignment with local priorities, thus facilitating uptake and scale-up. Funding agencies can play a crucial role in supporting mental health system development through longer term funding mechanisms. Increased research related to the policy engagement process in global mental health will further support policy development and improvement in mental health care in LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about the effectiveness of, and implementation complexities associated with, service delivery models for children and young people (CYP) experiencing 'common' mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, behavioural difficulties and self-harm. This paper outlines how a model for high-quality service design for this population group was developed by identifying available services, their effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and acceptability, and the barriers and enablers to access. Methods: Sequential, mixed-methods design, combining evidence syntheses (scoping and integrative reviews of the international literature) with primary research (a collective case study in England and Wales). Data from these two elements were collaboratively synthesised in a subsequent model-building phase. Results: The scoping review yielded a service model typology. The integrative review found effectiveness evidence only for four models: collaborative care (the only service model to also have cost-effectiveness evidence), outreach approaches, brief intervention services and an organisational framework called 'Availability, Responsiveness and Continuity'. No service model seemed more acceptable than others. Three case study themes were identified: pathways to support; service engagement; and learning and understanding. The model-building phase identified rapid access, learning self-care skills, individualised support, clear information, compassionate and competent staff and aftercare planning as core characteristics of high-quality services. These characteristics were underpinned by four organisational qualities: values that respect confidentiality; engagement and involvement; collaborative relationships; and a learning culture. Conclusions: A consistent organisational evidence-base for service design and delivery in CYP's mental health spanning many years appears to have had little impact on service provision in England and Wales. Rather than impose – often inflexible and untested – specific local or national models or frameworks, those commissioning, designing and delivering mental health services for CYP should (re)focus on already known, fundamental components necessary for high-quality services. These fundamental components have been integrated into a collaboratively produced general model of service design for CYP with common mental health problems. While this general model is primarily focused on British service provision, it is broad enough to have utility for international audiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This exploratory study investigated worker experiences of utilising the Before During After (BDA) harm reduction instrument to engage well with service users in a residential mental health service setting. Stakeholder interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of two senior nurses and one senior allied health staff at the study site to explore the impacts of BDA implementation on their work after 3 years of its use. A thematic analysis was conducted, including two-level coding. Five major themes were discussed. Of particular interest, and the focus of this paper, are the themes of effect on service users and effect on staff. The study found improved engagement between staff and service users, reduced stigma and more holistic care that was collaborative. In regard to staff, it was found that staff knowledge and confidence increased in addressing harm reduction issues with consumers and this was sustained over 3 years. Use of the BDA clinical instrument and package was reported to enhance worker engagement, knowledge and confidence in dual diagnosis work with service users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition of care represents a key point in the hospital admission and discharge process. A comprehensive transition could lead to fewer medication-related problems. The hospital clinical pharmacist could help in the transition of care process with a comprehensive medication reconciliation process, which has been poorly described in mental health hospitals. This study presents two clinical cases in which hospital clinical pharmacists identified omitted medications and other medication-related issues, including medication errors, during the transition of care in a mental health hospital. These positive experiences may encourage other countries to establish similar collaborations with hospital clinical pharmacists in mental health hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social participation is positively related to mental health recovery and wellbeing, yet people with mental health problems are often socially isolated. This article investigates how social participation was incorporated into an Australian-integrated program that aimed to improve the wellbeing of people with chronic mental health needs. The data are from a longitudinal evaluation of the integrated program, including data linkage (5533 participants) and interviews (111). The paper uses concepts from the network perspective of social capital (bonding, bridging, linking, horizontal, and vertical) as lenses to re-examine the evaluation's findings about the consumers' social participation in life areas (social, leisure, and productive) facilitated by the program. This social capital perspective offers a lens to examine the breadth and intensity of participation experienced by the consumers taking part in the support program. The article adds to the literature about how service providers can improve social participation and therefore consumers' opportunities for recovery and wellbeing. The analyses found that the support increased people's social interaction and their capacity in the community. Their social interaction was mostly with other people in the service. Often their interactions in the community were only transactional. Few consumers participated in activities in productive life areas, and few of the activities promoted vertical social capital in social networks outside the service. The implications are that service providers need greater attention on facilitating a variety of social participation activities that can extend mental health consumers' horizontal and vertical social capital and so further contribute to their current and future recovery and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]