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Background Social cognition is an independent structure from the positive symptoms of schizophrenia and contributes to negative symptoms, neurocognitive impairment, and social functioning. Aim To examine the effectiveness of the metacognitive training intervention on social cognition in people with schizophrenia. Design This study was conducted as a randomized quasi-experimental (pre-test/post-test and follow-up) design with a control group. Methods Thirty-nine patients with schizophrenia were enrolled and randomly assigned to either the control group (n = 19) or the metacognitive training group (n = 20). A 10-week metacognitive training program was offered to the intervention group. The study involved a pre-test/post-test design with a 3-month follow-up assessment. The primary outcome was social cognition, as measured by the Facial Emotion Discrimination/Identification Tests, Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, and Attributional Style Questionnaire. The secondary outcome was measured by the metacognitive training subjective efficacy form. Results Completion at follow-up was high (92.3%). The results show that the changes over time in the False Belief Task 1st level, Attributional Style Questionnaire negative events global-specific dimension, and positive events stable-unstable dimension mean scores, time interaction, were statistically significant. Metacognitive Training was efficacious on the theory of mind and in performing more functional attributions. Patients in the intervention group showed high-level positive feedback. Conclusion Metacognitive Training applied by psychiatric and mental health nurses demonstrated a user and practitioner-friendly, safe and effective program on social cognition. Also, the social and cultural feasibility and effectiveness of the Metacognitive Training program were shown for the first time in a Turkish population.

Our initiation of a reverse-integration practice model revealed numerous advantages and rewards, as well as many challenges, for which we found solutions.

Introduction The Brazilian psychiatric reform has revolutionized the way that mental health care is provided all over the country, introducing the Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS) and encouraging care at liberty. The CAPS have been assigned many objectives, such as prevention of hospitalizations and intervention in crises or suicide. This paper aims to describe the correlation between the implementation of CAPS and the rates of psychiatric hospitalizations and suicides from 2008 to 2018. Methods This study has an ecological time series design and included residents of the city of Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, who were hospitalized through the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). The data were obtained from official databases (DATASUS, CNES, and IBGE) and indicators were calculated (CAPS coverage, hospitalization rate, and suicide rate). Associations between the indicators were tested using Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Results We found a negative correlation between provision of CAPS and psychiatric hospitalizations (r = -0.607 p = 0.048). Conclusion These results support the hypothesis that there is a negative correlation between implementation of the CAPS and psychiatric hospitalizations. This reinforces the importance of implementing policies related to improving psychiatric reform.

Background Family involvement for persons with psychotic disorders is supported by scientific evidence, as well as legal and ethical considerations, and recommended in clinical practice guidelines. This article reports a cross-sectional measurement of the level of implementation of such guidelines in fifteen community mental health centre units in Norway, and presents a novel fidelity scale to measure basic family involvement and support. The aim was to investigate current family involvement practices comprehensively, as a basis for targeted quality improvement. Methods We employed three fidelity scales, with 12–14 items, to measure family involvement practices. Items were scored from 1 to 5, where 1 equals no implementation and 5 equals full implementation. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, a non-parametric test, and calculation of interrater reliability for the scales. Results The mean score was 2.33 on the fidelity scale measuring basic family involvement and support. Among patients with psychotic disorders, only 4% had received family psychoeducation. On the family psychoeducation fidelity assessment scale, measuring practice and content, the mean score was 2.78. Among the eight units who offered family psychoeducation, it was 4.34. On the general organizational index scale, measuring the organisation and implementation of family psychoeducation, the mean score was 1.78. Among the units who offered family psychoeducation, it was 2.46. As a measure of interrater reliability, the intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.99 for the basic family involvement and support scale, 0.93 for the family psychoeducation fidelity assessment scale and 0.96 for the general organizational index scale. Conclusions The implementation level of the national guidelines on family involvement for persons with psychotic disorders was generally poor. The quality of family psychoeducation was high, but few patients had received this evidence-based treatment. Our novel fidelity scale shows promising psychometric properties and may prove a useful tool to improve the quality of health services. There is a need to increase the implementation of family involvement practices in Norway, to reach a larger percentage of patients and relatives. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03869177. Registered 11.03.19.

Purpose This study evaluates the effect of a 10-week psychoeducation program (PP) on disease burden, depression, and anxiety levels in relatives of psychotic patients. Design and methods The participants were 43 relatives of patients attending a community mental health center. The Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCBS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to collect psychometric data. Findings Administering the PP to caregivers significantly reduced their ZCBS, BAI, and BDI scores. Practice implications We recommend integrating the PP into treatment and rehabilitation programs within the scope of psychiatric-care services.

Resumo Objetivo: Analisar os gastos com internações psiquiátricas no estado de São Paulo, Brasil, nos anos de 2014 e 2019. Métodos: Estudo ecológico descritivo, com análise de dados das internações hospitalares psiquiátricas no estado, obtidos do Sistema de Informações Hospitalares do Sistema Único de Saúde. Resultados: Foram analisadas 115.652 internações ocorridas em 2014, e 79.355 em 2019 (redução de 31,38%). Observaram-se reduções nos valores gastos com internações psiquiátricas (-42,94%), destacando-se as internações de caráter de urgência, de pessoas do sexo feminino (-46,46%), nas idades de 15 a 49 (-36,85%) e mais de 50 anos (-51,54%). Conclusão: As reduções de frequência e de valores gastos com internações psiquiátricas fornecem elementos para a avaliação e alocação de recursos destinados à atenção da saúde mental, no âmbito das internações hospitalares e da utilização de serviços de base comunitária. Resumen Objetivo: Analizar el gasto en hospitalizaciones psiquiátricas en el Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, en los años 2014 y 2019. Métodos: Estudio ecológico descriptivo, con análisis de datos de ingresos hospitalarios psiquiátricos en el Estado de São Paulo, obtenidos del Sistema de Información Hospitalaria del Sistema Único de Salud. Resultados: Se analizaron 115,652 hospitalizaciones ocurridas en 2014 y 79,355 ocurridas en 2019 (reducción del 31.38%). Hubo reducciones en los montos gastados en hospitalizaciones psiquiátricas (-42,94%), con énfasis en hospitalizaciones de urgencia, de pacientes del sexo femenino (-46,46%), en los grupos de edad de 15 a 49 años (-36,85%) y mayores de 50 años (-51,54%). Conclusión: Las reducciones en la frecuencia y los montos gastados en hospitalizaciones psiquiátricas proporcionan elementos para la evaluación y asignación de recursos para la atención de la salud mental, dentro del alcance de las admisiones hospitalarias y el uso de servicios comunitarios. Abstract Objective: To analyze expenditure on psychiatric hospitalizations in the State of São Paulo in 2014 and 2019. Methods: This was a descriptive ecological study, with analysis of data on psychiatric hospital admissions in the State of São Paulo, retrieved from the Hospital Information System. Results: 115,652 hospitalizations that occurred in 2014 and 79,355 that occurred in 2019 were analyzed (reduction of 31.38%). There were reductions in the amounts spent on psychiatric hospitalizations (-42.94%), in particular expenditure on urgency hospitalizations, on female patients (-46.46%), on people aged 15-49 years (-36.85%) and on those aged over 50 years (-51.54%). Conclusion: The reduction in expenditure on psychiatric hospitalizations and the reduction in their frequency provide elements for the assessment and allocation of resources for mental health care, within the scope of hospital admissions and use of community-based services.

RESUMEN La política nacional de salud mental de la niñez y la adolescencia aún está mal estructurada en Brasil. En términos generales, se trata de una copia de su equivalente para adultos, lo que dificulta su vinculación con la red. El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar y caracterizar las acciones desarrolladas en un Centro de Atención Psicosocial Infanto-Juvenil con camas, que atiende las 24 horas del día en la ciudad de Curitiba, Brasil. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo, de análisis de historias clínicas y datos de productividad del año 2016, que fueron provistos por el Departamento de Informática del Sistema Único de Salud (DATASUS). Los resultados muestran que el servicio realizó 29.449 procedimientos, atendió a 112 niñas, niños y adolescentes en la recepción de 24 horas. Las historias clínicas indican el amplio uso del servicio por parte de la red. El 52% de la demanda provino de la atención primaria, pero la otra mitad de una amplia variedad de servicios. Esa variedad de acciones sugiere una clínica más flexible, que reemplaza el hospital psiquiátrico clásico por los principios de la clínica ampliada. Además, la existencia de camas facilitó la administración de la crisis de forma más vinculada al territorio ABSTRACT The National Policy on Mental Health for Children and Adolescents is still poorly structured in Brazil. In general, it replicates the policy aimed at adults, which creates problems for its articulation with networks. The objective of this study was to analyze and describe the actions carried out at a 24-hour Child and Adolescent Psychosocial Care Center (CAPSi) with beds in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. This is a descriptive study based on the analysis of medical record data and productivity data between 2016-2017, provided by the Department of Informatics at the Unified Health System (DATASUS). Results show that the center performed 29,449 procedures and attended to 112 children and adolescents through its 24-hour service. Medical records indicate extensive use of the service by the network. Primary care accounted for 52% of demand, while the other half could be attributed to a wide range of services. The variety of actions carried out suggests a high degree of flexibility at the clinic, replacing the classic model of the psychiatric hospital with the principles of the expanded clinic. Furthermore, the existence of beds made it easier to manage crises in a manner more closely linked to the community.

School based health centers (SBHC) provide healthcare services to youth and their families. In response to the global health crisis from COVID-19, schools' closures have impacted the access to vital services during times of increased need for physical and mental healthcare. Youth of minority racial and ethnic backgrounds living in urban settings face compounding factors including adverse childhood events, economic disadvantages, and barriers to healthcare. The mental health response of SBHCs in New York City as it relates to population specific factors such as family supports, economic considerations, and healthcare correlates is explored. The role of school based health centers and recommendations for interventions addressing mental health concerns in youth during COVID-19 are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

As mental health services are increasingly embracing the recovery model, we conducted a study to better understand how social adversity impacts recovery. We also examined how associations between social adversity and recovery are influenced (moderated or mediated) by symptom severity. Data on seven social adversity measures, eight recovery measures, and symptom severity were collected from 300 English-speaking participants, ages 18-65 years, with a diagnosis of a psychotic or mood disorder, from five community mental health agencies in diverse neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. We employed standard correlation, exploratory factor analyses, analysis of variance, and hierarchic regression procedures. Diagnostic category and gender impacted Home Environment Adversities (e.g., food insecurity, perceived neighborhood disorder), the diagnostic category-by-gender interaction influenced Social and Economic Adversities (e.g., years of education and income), and gender affected Recovery. Controlling for diagnostic category and gender, Social and Economic Adversities accounted for 1.7% of variance in Recovery, while Home Environment Adversities accounted for 8.6% (their joint influence was 3.4%). Although symptom severity did not moderate these associations, it partially mediated the effect of Social and Economic Adversities on Recovery, and substantially mediated the effect of Home Environment Adversities on Recovery. The extent to which patients with serious mental illnesses experience recovery may be meaningfully influenced not only by symptoms, but by their social and environmental circumstances.

Contains fulltext : 205886.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Objectives: Memory clinics (MCs) have been established to improve diagnosis and treatment of cognitive disorders, including dementia. The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics and working methods of MCs in the Netherlands in 2016. More insight into different working methods can be used to improve the quality of care in Dutch MCs. Additionally, the findings will be compared with earlier results to investigate the development of MCs since 1998. Methods: A survey was sent in 1998, 2004, 2009, and 2017 to all operational Dutch MCs with questions about organization, collaboration, patients, and diagnostic procedures. Results: From 1998 to 2016, the number of MCs increased substantially from 12 to 91. The capacity increased from 1,560 patients to 24,388. In 1998, most patients received a dementia diagnosis (85%), while in 2016, half of the patients were diagnosed with milder cognitive problems. MCs are more often part of regional care chains and are better embedded within regional care organizations. Diagnostic tools, such as blood tests (97%), neuropsychological assessment (NPA) (95%) and neuroimaging (92%), were used in nearly all MCs. The number of patients in whom these tools were used differed greatly between MCs (NPA: 5-100%, neuroimaging: 10-100%, CSF: 0.5-80%). There was an increase in the use of NPA, while the use of neuroimaging, CSF, and EEG/ECG decreased by 8 to 15% since 2009. Conclusions: Since 1998, MCs have developed substantially and outgrown the primarily research-based university settings. They are now accepted as regular care facilities for people with cognitive problems. 8 p.

Since the 1990s, facilities for individuals at putative risk for psychosis have mushroomed and within a very short time have become part of the standard psychiatric infrastructure in many countries. The idea of preventing a severe mental disorder before its exacerbation is laudable, and early data indeed strongly suggested that the sooner the intervention, the better the outcome. In this paper, the authors provide four reasons why they think that early detection or prodromal facilities should be renamed and their treatment targets reconsidered. First, the association between the duration of untreated psychosis and outcome is empirically established but has become increasingly weak over the years. Moreover, its applicability to those who are considered at risk remains elusive. Second, instruments designed to identify future psychosis are prone to many biases that are not yet sufficiently controlled. None of these instruments allows an even remotely precise prognosis. Third, the rate of transition to psychosis in at-risk patients is likely lower than initially thought, and evidence for the success of early intervention in preventing future psychosis is promising but still equivocal. Perhaps most importantly, the treatment is not hope-oriented. Patients are more or less told that schizophrenia is looming over them, which may stigmatize individuals who will never, in fact, develop psychosis. In addition self-stigma has been associated with suicidality and depression. The authors recommend that treatment of help-seeking individuals with mental problems but no established diagnosis should be need-based, and the risk of psychosis should be de-emphasized as it is only one of many possible outcomes, including full remission. Prodromal clinics should not be abolished but should be renamed and restructured. Such clinics exist, but the transformation process needs to be facilitated.

Qualitative methods were used to explore mothers' perceptions of structural family therapy (SFT) delivered in a semi-rural community mental health clinic. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen mothers who received SFT after seeking services for their children. Thematic analysis suggests mothers found SFT acceptable and valuable. Mothers reported using SFT strategies to regain parental authority, which they believed improved their ability to manage their child's needs and decreased their own stress. SFT also increased some mothers' receptivity to individual treatment. Mothers identified their low dose of treatment and lack of father involvement as impediments to improvement, raising concerns about intervention sustainability.

Psychosocial rehabilitation for people with chronic-severe mental illness mainly aims to social integration by restoring independent functioning in the community, improving quality of life, and addressing risk factors that lead to social disability. Support groups (SG) are usually part of this multilevel mental health process. Given that non-adherence to treatment is a common phenomenon in people with chronic- severe mental illness, the aim of the current study was to identify which factors influence members' attendance in a support group in a vocational training Program of the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Unit of Byron-Kaissariani Community Mental Health Centre. The SG sessions were weekly, with 45-minute duration, opened to any new member of the Program and coordinated by two therapists. Members' demographic and psychiatric data were gathered from the medical records of the Center. Information about SG was obtained from the reports of the sessions. The sample consisted of 18 women, with mean age 38.56 (±6.92) years. Most of them were high school graduates (61.1%), unmarried (83.3%), with low socioeconomic status (55.5%), suffering from a schizophrenic spectrum disorder (61.1%) with a mean duration 15.22 (±8.44) years. Out of 83 sessions in total, twenty-two (26.5%) were in absence of a co-therapist, 11 (13.3%) after a member's entrance or withdrawal and 11 (13.3%) after a session cancellation. Furthermore, an average of four issues was discussed per session, with mental illness (62.7%) and interpersonal relationships (73.5%) being the most popular topics during the sessions. The statistical analysis demonstrated that members' demographic (age, education, marital status, residence, socioeconomic status, working experience) and psychiatric characteristics (diagnosis, illness duration, rehabilitation program experience) were not associated with the attendance rate in the SG. Similarly, the proportion of participants attending the sessions did not seem to be significantly related to the absence of a co-therapist, to a member's entrance or withdrawal and to a session cancellation. In contrast, attendance seemed to be significantly reduced when the topic of a session focused on members' future expectations/goals (having a family, further education, finding a job) (Beta=-0.32, p=0.006). This finding highlights the need for future research in order to incorporate interventions that promote and address future goals and expectations of people with chronic-severe mental illness in psychosocial rehabilitation services.

This longitudinal mixed-methods study explored variation in organizational readiness for change and leadership behavior across seven organizations during a 12-month training initiative in person-centered care planning. Quantitative data was used to examine trajectories of organizational readiness for change and leadership behavior over time and qualitative data explored provider perspectives on the trajectory of these organizational factors during the 12-month training initiative. Findings indicated that levels of organizational readiness for change and leadership behavior varied across clinics, but most experienced a significant positive change at the mid-point of the training. Organizational readiness for change was positively correlated with leaderships behaviors across time. Provider focus group findings gave insight into their initial resistance to adopting the new practice and their increasing receptivity in the second six months due to increased understanding of the practice and leadership endorsement. Increasing provider openness to a new practice prior to training and having a consistently engaged leadership have the potential to improve the efficiency of a training initiative.

This study examined the availability of primary care and wellness services in community mental health centers (CMHCs) and outpatient mental health facilities (OMHFs).This study used data from the 2016 National Mental Health Services Survey to examine the proportion of facilities that reported offering integrated primary care and wellness services (smoking and tobacco cessation counseling, diet and exercise counseling, and chronic disease and illness management). The study used logistic regression to model the odds that a facility offered integrated primary care as a function of facility characteristics.Across states, 23% of CMHCs and 19% of OMHFs offered integrated primary care. The odds of offering integrated primary care were significantly higher among facilities that reported more quality improvement practices, prohibited smoking, or offered wellness services. Less than one third offered smoking and tobacco cessation counseling or other wellness services.Integrated primary care remains uncommon in CMHCs and OMHFs and is more likely among facilities with certain characteristics.

Embedding psychosis research within community mental services is highly desirable from several perspectives but can be difficult to establish and sustain, especially when the clinical service has a rural location at a distance from academic settings with established research expertise. In this article, we share the experience of a successful partnership in psychosis research between a rural Irish mental health service and the academic department of a Dublin medical school that has lasted over 30 years. We describe the origins and evolution of this relationship, the benefits that accrued and the challenges encountered, from the overlapping perspectives of the academic department, the mental health service and psychiatric training. We discuss the potential learning that arose from the initiative, particularly for national programme planning for early intervention in psychosis, and we explore the opportunities for enhanced training, career development and professional reward that can emerge from this type of partnership.

Many older community-living persons with schizophrenia report unmet psychological and social needs. The Amsterdam-based New Club is a novel facility that intends to foster self-reliance and social participation in this group. To explore participants’ and staff perceptions, a naturalistic qualitative study combined participant observation with interviews. The results illustrate how the New Club contributes to the personal and social recovery of its participants. At the personal level, attending the facility, activation and feeling accepted were valued positively. At the social level, engaging with others, experiencing a sense of community, and learning from one another’s social skills were positive contributors. Next, various environmental factors proved important. The New Club demonstrates the feasibility of creating a facility that offers an accepting and non-demanding social environment to older community-living individuals with severe mental illnesses. It may offer a suitable alternative for the more demanding psychotherapeutic interventions offered to younger populations.

The NAVIGATE program was developed for the Recovery After Initial Schizophrenia Episode-Early Treatment Program (RAISE-ETP) study, which compared NAVIGATE to usual Community Care in a cluster randomized design involving 34 sites and 404 patients. This article describes the approach to training and implementing the NAVIGATE program at the 17 sites (including 134 practitioners) randomized to provide it, and to evaluating the fidelity of service delivery to the NAVIGATE model. Fidelity was evaluated to five different components of the program, all of which were standardized in manuals in advance of implementation. The components included four interventions (Individualized Resiliency Training, Family Education Program, Supported Employment and Education, Personalized Medication Management) and the overall organization (staffing and structure) of the NAVIGATE team. Most of the sites demonstrated acceptable or higher levels of fidelity in their implementation of the four interventions and the organization of the program, with all 17 sites demonstrating at least acceptable overall fidelity to the NAVIGATE program. The results indicate that the NAVIGATE program can be implemented with good fidelity to the treatment model in a diverse array of community mental health care settings serving persons with a first episode psychosis.

Aim To report on the development of an early intervention service in Modena, Italy, with information relevant to the first 4 years of implementation. Methods The 2-year service was offered to people aged 18-35 with psychotic manifestations, within 2 years from psychosis onset/or naive to antipsychotics, by teams placed within community mental health Centres, according to a "specialist within generalist" model. Treatment included pharmacological consultation, psychoeducation and social inclusion programs. Health of the Nation Outcome Scale was administered at baseline and every 6 months. Results One hundred cases accepted the treatment from 1 March 2013 to 31 December 2016. Of these, 71% were male with a median age of 23. Ninety percent were diagnosed with non-affective psychosis, yielding an estimated treated incidence of 19.1/105 . General practitioners (GPs)represented the most frequent referrers to the program (38%), followed by referrals from acute general and psychiatric hospital units (22%) and self-referrals (14%). Meaningful clinical improvement was observed, 6 months after enrolment. Conclusions An early intervention service for psychosis was successfully implemented within existing community outpatient services. GPs represented the main referrals, providing some validation of the "specialist within generalist" model of care. A promising clinical improvement and trend of reduction in duration of untreated psychosis was found, supporting the variety of early detection efforts in the community. The high median age and lack of information about pathways to care underline possible barriers to access for younger patients. These findings will inform refinement of treatments and service models for the Region.

Clinician burnout is presumed to negatively impact healthcare quality; yet scant research has rigorously addressed this hypothesis. Using a mixed-methods, randomized, comparative effectiveness design, we tested two competing approaches to improve care-one addressing clinician burnout and the other addressing how clinicians interact with consumers-with 192 clinicians and 469 consumers at two community mental health centers. Although qualitative reports were promising, we found no comparative effectiveness for either intervention on burnout, patient-centered processes, or other outcomes. Discussion includes identifying ways to strengthen approaches to clinician burnout.

Stakeholder engagement is an important component of pragmatic trials seeking to improve mental health care in real-world settings. Models of stakeholder engagement outline the benefits of involving a diverse array of partners in all phases of research. This column describes a stakeholder engagement plan for a comparative-effectiveness pragmatic trial of a care navigator program to increase linkage between emergency departments and outpatient treatment at community mental health centers. Benefits of stakeholder engagement include meaningful input on program design and implementation, insights into balancing the need for flexibility among clinical sites while implementing the program with fidelity, and early discussions about program sustainability and dissemination.

Professional placement experiences have been considered as an approach to improving nursing attitudes towards mental health nursing and selection of mental health nursing as a career. Mental health nursing placements are now occurring in less traditional settings, however, published research of these placements remains scarce. The aim of this non-experimental comparative study was to investigate the impact of nursing student participation in a non-traditional placement, compared to participation in traditional placement. Particular focus was on the attitudes of nursing students toward mental health nursing and career preferences. Participants of the intervention group attended the non-traditional placement, (n = 23). Participants of the comparison group attended traditional placement settings (n = 27), including placements in inpatient and community mental health. The study utilised The Preplacement Survey. Results showed significant differences in scores of the non-traditional placement Recovery Camp cohort related to reduced anxiety, reduced negative attitudes, and increased preparedness for mental health. These correlated with a comparatively increased desire to pursue a future career in mental health; albeit not a statistically significant increase. Considering mental health care, in any setting, is highly dependent on the training and ability of nurses to deliver effective service, the findings of the current study are important.

Objectives As implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in publicly funded children's mental health services has become increasingly common, concerns have been raised about the appropriateness of specific EBPs to the diverse client populations served in these settings. Exploring stakeholder perspectives can provide direction for refinements of EBPs when delivered with Latinx families. The current study used qualitative methods to examine therapist and Latinx parent perceptions of therapist-parent interactions and the intervention process when therapists are trained to deliver AIM HI (An Individualized Mental Health Intervention for ASD), a structured, parent-mediated intervention for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method Therapist and parent participants were a subset of participants from a large-scale community effectiveness trial. Perceptions were gathered through focus groups with therapists (n = 17) and semistructured interviews with Latinx parents (n = 29). Therapists were 94% female, 35% Latinx, and 47% were fluent in Spanish. Parents were 93% female, 100% Latinx, and 66% preferred Spanish. A coding, consensus, co-occurrence and comparison approach was used to analyze data. Results Three primary themes emerged: (a) limited parental knowledge about ASD and the need to address knowledge gaps; (b) differing perceptions regarding parental participation in treatment; and (c) identification of influences on parent-therapist interaction, including the cultural value of respeto/deference (emphasized by therapists), and importance of personalismo/personal connection (emphasized by parents). Conclusions The themes provide specific direction for enhancements to AIM HI to maximize engagement of Latinx families. The themes also have broader implications for intervention development and community implementation including refinement of EBPs to facilitate fit and sustained implementation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Background Recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) is often considered at odds with harm reduction strategies. More recently, harm reduction has been categorized as both a pathway to recovery and a series of services to reduce the harmful consequences of substance use. Peer recovery support services (PRSS) are effective in improving SUD outcomes, as well as improving the engagement and effectiveness of harm reduction programs. Methods This study provides an initial evaluation of a hybrid recovery community organization providing PRSS as well as peer-based harm reduction services via a syringe exchange program. Administrative data collected during normal operations of the Missouri Network for Opiate Reform and Recovery were analyzed using Pearson chi-square tests and Monte Carlo chi-square tests. Results Intravenous substance-using participants (N = 417) had an average of 2.14 engagements (SD = 2.59) with the program. Over the evaluation period, a range of 5345–8995 sterile syringes were provided, with a range of 600–1530 used syringes collected. Participant housing status, criminal justice status, and previous health diagnosis were all significantly related to whether they had multiple engagements. Conclusions Results suggest that recovery community organizations are well situated and staffed to also provide harm reduction services, such as syringe exchange programs. Given the relationship between engagement and participant housing, criminal justice status, and previous health diagnosis, recommendations for service delivery include additional education and outreach for homeless, justice-involved, LatinX, and LGBTQ+ identifying individuals.

The rate of alcohol-related mortality in people experiencing homelessness and alcohol use disorder is high and necessitates accessible and effective treatment for alcohol use disorder. However, typical abstinence-based treatments do not optimally engage this population. Recent studies have shown that harm-reduction treatment, which does not require abstinence, but instead aims to incrementally reduce alcohol-related harm and improve health-related quality of life, is acceptable to and effective for this population. The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of combined pharmacological and behavioural harm-reduction treatment for alcohol use disorder (HaRT-A) in people experiencing homelessness and alcohol use disorder.This randomised clinical trial was done at three community-based service sites (low-barrier shelters and housing programmes) in Seattle (WA, USA). Eligible participants were adults (aged 21-65 years) who met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for alcohol use disorder and who experienced homelessness in the past year. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) by permuted block randomisation, stratified by site, to receive either HaRT-A plus intramuscular injections of 380 mg extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX; HaRT-A plus XR-NTX group); HaRT-A plus placebo injection (HaRT-A plus placebo group); HaRT-A alone (HaRT-A alone group); or community-based supportive services as usual (services-as-usual control group). Patients assigned to receive HaRT-A attended sessions at baseline (week 0) and in weeks 1, 4, 8, and 12. XR-NTX and placebo injections were administered in weeks 0, 4, and 8. During the study, participants, interventionists, and investigators were masked to group assignment in the two injection arms. All participants were invited to follow-up assessments at weeks 4, 8, 12, 24, and 36. The primary outcomes were self-reported alcohol use quantity (ie, alcohol quantity consumed on peak drinking occasion, as measured with the Alcohol Quantity Use Assessment questionnaire) and frequency (measured with the Addiction Severity Index), alcohol-related harm (measured with the Short Inventory of Problems-2R questionnaire), and physical and mental health-related quality of life (measured with the Short Form-12 survey). Using piecewise growth modelling and an intention-to-treat model, we compared the effects of the three active treatment groups with the services-as-usual control group, and the HaRT-A plus XR-NTX group with the HaRT-A plus placebo group, over the 12-week treatment course and during the 24 weeks following treatment withdrawal. Safety analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01932801.Between Oct 14, 2013, and Nov 30, 2017, 417 individuals experiencing homelessness and alcohol use disorder were screened, of whom 308 were eligible and randomly assigned to the HaRT-A plus XR-NTX group (n=74), the HaRT-A plus placebo group (n=78), the HaRT-A alone group (n=79), or the services-as-usual control group (n=77). Compared with the services-as-usual control group, the HaRT-A plus XR-NTX group showed significant improvements from baseline to 12 weeks post-treatment across four of the five primary outcomes: peak alcohol quantity (linear B -0·48 [95% CI -0·79 to -0·18] p=0·010; full model Cohen's d=-0·68), alcohol frequency (linear B -4·42 [-8·09 to -0·76], p=0·047; full model Cohen's d=-0·16), alcohol-related harm (linear B -2·22 [-3·39 to -1·06], p=0·002; full model Cohen's d=-0·56), and physical health-related quality of life (linear B 0·66 [0·23 to 1·10], p=0·012; full model Cohen's d=0·43). Compared with the services-as-usual control group, the HaRT-A plus placebo group showed significant improvements in three of the five primary outcomes: peak alcohol quantity (linear B -0·41 [95% CI -0·67 to -0·15] p=0·010; full model Cohen's d=-0·23), alcohol frequency (linear B -5·95 [-9·72 to -2·19], p=0·009; full model Cohen's d=-0·13), and physical health-related quality of life (linear B 0·53 [0·09 to 0·98], p=0·050; full model Cohen's d=0·35). Compared with the services-as-usual control group, the HaRT-A alone group showed significant improvements in two of the five primary outcomes: alcohol-related harm (linear B -1·58 [95% CI -2·73 to -0·42] p=0·025; full model Cohen's d=-0·40) and physical health-related quality of life (linear B 0·63 [0·18 to 1·07], p=0·020; full model Cohen's d=0·41). After treatment discontinuation at 12 weeks, the active treatment groups plateaued, whereas the services-as-usual group showed improvements. Thus, during the post-treatment period (weeks 12 to 36), the services-as-usual control group showed greater reductions in alcohol-related harm compared with both the HaRT-A plus XR-NTX group (linear B 0·96 [0·24 to 1·67], p=0·028; full model Cohen's d=0·24) and the HaRT-A alone group (linear B 1·02 [0·35 to 1·70], p=0·013; full model Cohen's d=0·26). During the post-treatment period, the services-as-usual control group significantly improved on mental health-related quality of life compared with the HaRT-A alone group (linear B -0·46 [-0·79 to -0·12], p=0·024; full model Cohen's d=-0·28), and on physical health-related quality of life compared with the HaRT-A plus XR-NTX group (linear B -0·42 [-0·67 to -0·17], p=0·006; full model Cohen's d=-0·27), the HaRT-A plus placebo group (linear B -0·42 [-0·69 to -0·15], p=0·009; full model Cohen's d=-0·27), and the HaRT-A alone group (linear B -0·47 [-0·72 to -0·22], p=0·002; full model Cohen's d=-0·31). For all other primary outcomes, there were no significant linear differences between the services-as-usual and active treatment groups. When comparing the HaRT-A plus placebo group with the HaRT-A plus XR-NTX group, there were no significant differences for any of the primary outcomes. Missing data analysis indicated that participants were more likely to drop out in the services-as-usual control group than in the active treatment groups; however, primary outcome findings were found to be robust to attrition. Participants in the HaRT-A plus XR-NTX, HaRT-A plus placebo, and HaRT-A alone groups were not more likely to experience adverse events than those in the services-as-usual control group.Compared with existing services, combined pharmacological and behavioural harm-reduction treatment resulted in decreased alcohol use and alcohol-related harm and improved physical health-related quality of life during the 12-week treatment period for people experiencing homelessness and alcohol use disorder. Although not as consistent, there were also positive findings for behavioural harm-reduction treatment alone. Considering the non-significant differences between participants receiving HaRT-A plus placebo and HaRT-A plus XR-NTX, the combined pharmacological and behavioural treatment effect cannot be attributed to XR-NTX alone. Future studies are needed to further investigate the relative contributions of the pharmacological and behavioural components of harm-reduction treatment for alcohol use disorder, and to ascertain whether a maintenance treatment approach could extend these positive outcome trajectories.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Objective: High-quality, person-centered care is a priority for mental health services. The current study conducted secondary data analysis to examine the impact of job stress (i.e., interaction with high-risk consumer cases, increased caseload, emotional exhaustion) and resources (i.e., increased organizational and supervisory support, autonomy, role clarity) on providers' perceived quality of care. Methods: Data consisted of 145 direct care providers from an urban community mental health center. Structural equation modeling was used for testing the hierarchical regression model, sequentially adding job stress and resource variables in the prediction models for the quality of care (i.e., person-centered care, discordant care [conflict with consumers and tardiness]). Results: Person-centered care was positively associated with increased role clarity, organizational support, and larger caseload size, while a lower level of discordant care was associated with lower emotional exhaustion, smaller caseload size, less interaction with high-risk consumer cases, and with increased role clarity. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: Resources on the job may be particularly important for improved person-centered care, and lowering job stress may help reduce discordant care. The current study suggests the need for the mental health organizations to attend to both job stress and resources for providers to improve the quality of care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Background Mental health professionals usually decide patients’ access to inpatient care to ensure care based on need and potential benefit. The purpose of the current study is to investigate how patients evaluate admissions under a contract of Patient-Controlled Admissions (PCA), where the patient could initiate 5 day stays at a community mental health center at their own discretion. Methods Patients with a PCA contract in 2011 and 2012 were invited to participate in the study. Staff first recorded clinical baseline values for patients. Towards the end of each PCA stay, staff conducted a structured discharge interview of the admission with the patient. A structured follow-up interview evaluating the PCA arrangement 2 years after inclusion was also performed. We report frequencies from data on PCA requests, PCA admissions and the 2 year evaluation interview, and we used multiple regression models to explore predictors of perceived helpfulness and improvement from the PCA admissions. Results The included patients (n = 74) made 628 requests for PCAs during the 2 years after inclusion, and 507 PCAs took place. The five-day limit could not be upheld in 7.5% of PCAs. Patients rated PCAs as helping considerably (33.1%), a good deal (30.4%) or somewhat (21.1%), and reported feeling considerably (15.2%), a good deal (26.2%) or somewhat (36.3%) better during the admission. Significant predictors of helpfulness and feeling better were socializing more during the stay and reporting higher motivation to get away from a difficult situation or getting to the ward safety and calmness. A diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum or bipolar disorder and more services from mental health specialist care also predicted feeling better during the PCA. In the two-year follow-up interview, 90% rated themselves as very or quite satisfied, and more than 90% would recommend PCAs to others. Conclusions The PCA arrangement was feasible and was frequently utilized by patients. Patients were satisfied with PCAs and the PCA arrangement. These short stays seemed particularly helpful for patients with a more severe diagnosis. Strong patient satisfaction gives reasons for testing and implementing increased patient influence on the mental health admission procedures in the form of PCAs.

Background Self-referral to inpatient treatment (SRIT) is built on user participation and patient autonomy. SRIT was conducted for patients with severe mental disorders in a Norwegian Community Mental Health Centre. The aims of the present study were to describe the implementation of SRIT, explore the professionals’ experiences of SRIT and assess the costs entailed. Methods Qualitative document analysis, interviews with professionals and quantitative analysis of register data from a randomized controlled trial were used. Results SRIT seemed to be implemented as intended. According to the professionals, SRIT allowed the patients to cope, be empowered, more active and responsible. Some professionals experienced increased responsibility for patients’ medication and for assessing health and suicide risks. SRIT did not reduce hospital costs. The professionals were satisfied with nurse-led SRIT treatment. Conclusions SRIT appears to be a high-quality mental health service that empowers and activates patients. Nurse-led treatment may entail more efficient use of professional resources. In future implementations of SRIT, the efficient use of service resources and the administration of beds should be investigated. More flexible availability should be considered in line with the intentions behind SRIT, as well as ensuring adequate professional training in assessing health and suicide risk.

Peru reported its first case of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on March 6, 2020 (Worldometer, 2020) and it has become the sixth most infected nation, with 814.829 cases and the second country with the highest mortality rate (98.1 deaths per 100.000 inhabitants) (Worldometer, 2020). Exposure to viral epidemics (Zuercher et al., 2020), such as COVID-19, increases mental health issues...

Treatment of acute leukemia has been delivered predominantly in academic and larger leukemia treatment centers with the infrastructure and staff needed to manage patients receiving complex therapeutic regimens and supportive care. However, in recent years, several oral agents and less-myelosuppressive regimens were approved, making it possible for these patients to receive therapy in smaller community hospitals and oncology office practices. In this review, we discuss the optimum community setting, type of patient who can be treated, agents that can be applied, and an appropriate clinical circumstance in which a referral to a tertiary center should be made.

Objectives Bipolar disorder is a chronic condition which significantly impacts the functioning and quality of life of patients with the disorder. Recognized efficacious psychological interventions, such as group psychoeducation, can help better address some of the limitations observed when pharmacotherapy is used alone in the management of bipolar disorder. However, access to these evidence-based interventions seems to be limited for most patients. Indeed, the translation of knowledge acquired through research towards actual clinical settings poses a significant challenge. Assessing the implementation of these efficacious interventions in clinical practice is thus a priority. The objective of this study is to describe the implementation of a psychoeducative intervention, the Life Goals Program (LGP), for the treatment of bipolar disorder in community mental health settings in Quebec City. Methods The LGP was implemented in three different clinical settings located in Quebec City. Fifteen healthcare service providers chosen by their respective clinical site were trained to deliver the intervention. They delivered the treatment to 73 patients with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Healthcare service providers filled a log book after each group session, in order to assess whether they had properly delivered the content of the program. At the end of the study, they also participated in a group interview in order to get a better understanding of their experience delivering the intervention and their appreciation of the research process. Results Following qualitative content analysis, four main categories of factors that could influence the implementation of the intervention were identified: 1) healthcare service providers' characteristics (academic training, clinical experience, personality, knowledge of the program, and dynamic between animators); 2) participants' characteristics; 3) organizational context (physical and material environment, staff stability, administrative management and research requirements); and 4) facilitation (perception of research, research team support, and facilitation tools). These categories derived from data analysis coincide with those observed in the literature. The following factors seemed to have had the most impact in the differences observed between sites in the implementation of the LGP: the support offered by the research team; staff stability; and the academic training of healthcare services providers. Conclusion Dissemination and implantation studies can not only help determine factors that are important to consider when implementing a program, but can also help improve and adapt these programs in order to increase acceptability and effectiveness in real world clinical settings.

Most adolescents presenting to community mental health centers have one or more comorbidities (internalizing, externalizing, and substance use problems). We evaluated an integrated family-based outpatient treatment for adolescents (OPT-A) that can be delivered in a community mental health center by a single therapist. A sample of 134 youth/families were randomized to receive OPT-A or usual services, delivered at the same public sector mental health center. Repeated, multi-informant assessments occurred through 18-months post-baseline. At baseline, the sample displayed low internalizing symptoms, moderate substance use, and high externalizing problems. Compared to usual services, OPT-A had effects on abstinence rates, retention, motivation, parent involvement, and satisfaction, but not on internalizing or externalizing problems. While OPT-A achieved some key improvements for youth who present to community mental health centers, and families were satisfied with treatment, continued work is necessary to examine treatments for comorbidity while balancing treatment feasibility and complex strategies to boost treatment effectiveness.

Η πρόληψη των ψυχικών διαταραχών στα παιδιά και στους εφήβους συνδέεται άμεσα με την ποιότητα της οικογενειακής ζωής. Στόχος της παρούσας μελέτης είναι η αξιολόγηση μίας παρέμβασης πρωτογενούς πρόληψης σε ομάδα γονέων παιδιών σχολικής ηλικίας μέσω της προαγωγής της ψυχικής υγείας και της ενίσχυσης των προστατευτικών παραγόντων οικογενειακής λειτουργίας. Η παρέμβαση πραγματοποιήθηκε στο Κέντρο Ψυχικής Υγείας του ΕΠΙΨΥ και διήρκησε ένα σχολικό έτος. Στην ομάδα συμμετείχαν, σε σταθερή δεκαπενθήμερη βάση, 7 μητέρες υπό τον συντονισμό δύο ψυχολόγων. Διενεργήθηκαν 13 συνεδρίες, με προκαθορισμένη θεματολογία, η οποία σχεδιάστηκε βάση των αναγκών της ομάδας αλλά και το αναπτυξιακό στάδιο των παιδιών των συμμετεχόντων. Η παρέμβαση αξιολογήθηκε με μια μικτή μεθοδολογική προσέγγιση, ποσοτικά μέσω της χορήγησης ερωτηματολογίου ικανοποίησης στο τέλος της παρέμβασης και ποιοτικά μέσω ημιδομημένης παρατήρησης καθ’ όλη τη διάρκεια των συναντήσεων. Τα αποτελέσματα της παρέμβασης αναδεικνύουν τη σημασία της υποστήριξης των γονέων στο ρόλο τους. Όλες οι μητέρες δήλωσαν ιδιαίτερα ικανοποιημένες από τη συμμετοχή τους στην ομάδα, αναγνωρίζοντας ότι αισθάνονται πιο ικανές να ανταποκριθούν στις απαιτήσεις του ρόλου τους και στις ανάγκες των παιδιών τους. Επιπρόσθετα, η ομάδα ανέδειξε θεματικές που απασχολούν έντονα τους γονείς, όπως ο ρόλος του σχολείου και των εκπαιδευτικών στη ζωή του παιδιού. Τα ενθαρρυντικά αποτελέσματα της παρέμβασης οδηγούν στην επέκταση παρόμοιων δράσεων στην κοινότητα., Quality of family life is one of the most important factors in the prevention of psychological disorders in children and adolescents. The present study describes and evaluates a pilot intervention, targeting a group of parents of elementary school-aged children. The intervention focused on primary prevention of disorders through promoting mental health and strengthening protective factors for positive family functioning. Sessions took place at the Community Mental Health Center of UMHRI and lasted one school year. The group, which consisted of seven mothers, was conducted bimonthly, and was facilitated by two psychologists. The topics of the 13 sessions were predetermined and were chosen based on the needs of the participating mothers and on the developmental stage of their children. The intervention was evaluated through a mixed methodology approach; quantitatively through the administration of a satisfaction questionnaire at the end of the program, and qualitatively through semi-structured observations conducted during the course of the intervention. The results signify the importance of supporting parents in their role. All mothers reported being very satisfied from the group and feeling more able to respond to the demands of their parental role as well as to the needs of their children.Additionally, the group process signified certain themes that are important to parents, such as the influence of the school and its teachers on their children’s lives. The encouraging results of this pilot study lead to the wider implementation of similar such interventions in the community.

Background Family involvement for persons with psychotic disorders is under-implemented in mental health care, despite its firm scientific, economic, legal and moral basis. This appears to be the case in Norway, despite the presence of national guidelines providing both general recommendations on family involvement and support in the health- and care services, and specific guidance on family interventions for patients with psychotic disorders. The aim of this project is to improve mental health services and the psychosocial health of persons with psychotic disorders and their relatives, by implementing selected recommendations from the national guidelines in community mental health centres, and to evaluate this process. Methods The trial is cluster randomised, where 14 outpatient clusters from community mental health centres undergo stratified randomisation with an allocation ratio of 1:1. The seven intervention clusters will receive implementation support for 18 months, whereas the control clusters will receive the same support after this implementation period. The intervention consists of: 1. A basic level of family involvement and support. 2. Family psychoeducation in single-family groups. 3. Training and guidance of health care personnel. 4. A family coordinator and 5. Other implementation measures. Fidelity to the intervention will be measured four times in the intervention arm and two times in the control arm, and the differences in fidelity changes between the arms constitute the primary outcomes. In each arm, we aim to include 161 patients with psychotic disorders and their closest relative to fill in questionnaires at inclusion, 6 months and 12 months, measuring psychosocial health and satisfaction with services. Clinicians will contribute clinical data about patients at inclusion and 12 months. Use of health and welfare services and work participation, for both patients and relatives, will be retrieved from national registries. We will also perform qualitative interviews with patients, relatives, health care personnel and leaders. Finally, we will conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis and a political economy analysis. Discussion This project, with its multilevel and mixed methods approach, may contribute valuable knowledge to the fields of family involvement, mental health service research and implementation science. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03869177. Registered 11.03.19.

Identification, enrolment, and retention in treatment are challenging processes in mental health care. The present paper highlights the challenges in tracing and reenrolling non-adherent persons with mental illness for treatment in a rural community mental health center. Unclear address, phone numbers not in use, relocation from the given address, no further contact details etc. are the barriers to trace and make the home visits. A detailed review of the medical record, having a network with the village informal health care workers and groups, utilizing peer group support, etc., are the facilitators for tracing the treatment non-adherent persons in the community.

This case study reports on a quality improvement strategy used by a community mental health clinic (CMHC) to improve the intake process at the clinic. Patient Flow Analysis (PFA) was used to assess outpatient intakes, identify possible areas of improvement, and test an intervention to improve the intake process. At baseline, the mean time to complete intakes for 22 clients was 106.9 min. Using these data, an intervention was designed to reduce the mean intake time, with a target time of 90 min. Post-intervention data revealed that the mean time to complete intakes decreased to 94.5 min for 28 clients. Patient Flow Analysis is a cost-effective way to assess current processes and identify areas of improvement in the intake flow at CMHCs. The present study used PFA in a CMHC to improve the intake process and saw favorable results from this quality improvement initiative.