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Background: Although public-academic partnerships (PAPs) to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable populations have proliferated in public care for youth, existing literature lacks information about whether PAPs lead to public care agency leaders' use of research evidence and promote youth mental health and well-being. Aims and objectives: The document analysis was conducted to understand PAP contexts and mechanisms leading to public care agency leaders' use of research evidence. This paper introduces US public mental health and child welfare systems, shares strategies of identifying PAPs, obtaining and conducting systematic document review of PAPs, and documents analysis findings. Methods: This project conducted document analysis of US PAPs aiming to improve mental health and promote well-being of youth aged 12-25 years. Findings: The 23 PAPs analysed had diverse partnership goals including implementation and dissemination of research/evaluation evidence, information sharing, and prioritising and streamlining research priorities. PAPs sustained longer than 10 years had more focused goals of programme and policy evaluations and professional training, while PAPs 10 years or newer were engaged in more diverse goals. The majority of PAPs used journal articles, presentations, and multimedia as dissemination strategies of findings. Fewer than half of the PAPs reported on use of PAP-generated evidence in subsequent decision making by public care agency leaders. Discussion and conclusions: Further research should examine which mechanisms link partnership contexts, PAP leaders' research evidence use, and youth outcomes improvement. Future research should also examine PAPs by detailed stages of development and ask PAP leaders directly about their evidence use.

Background: Attribution models have been examined in Western countries. However, little is known about the applicability of the attitude–emotion–behavior model within Chinese culture. This study aimed to examine the association between familiarity, perceived dangerousness, fear, and social distance towards persons with mental illness (PMI) in the Chinese context. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted from October to November 2022 in mainland China. A total of 1493 college students completed a questionnaire evaluating familiarity, perception of dangerousness, fear, and social distance regarding PMI. Path analysis was employed to validate the model proposed in this study. Results: Participants expressed moderate to high levels of stigma towards PMI. Familiarity was negatively associated with social distance (p < 0.01). Participants who perceived PMI as dangerous were more prone to exhibit a reaction of fear (p < 0.001), consequently leading to social distance (p < 0.01). However, the mediating effect of perceived dangerousness and fear on the relationship between familiarity and social distance was not significant (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study provide support for Corrigan's attributional model of stigma in the Chinese context. Contact-based interventions for stigma reduction should emphasize multiple elements of contact, including the quality of contact, rather than familiarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is unclear whether the enhancing contact model (ECM) intervention is effective in reducing family caregiving burden and improving hope and quality of life (QOL) among family caregivers of persons with schizophrenia (FCPWS). Methods: We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial in FCPWS in eight rural townships in Xinjin, Chengdu, China. In total, 253 FCPWS were randomly allocated to the ECM, psychoeducational family intervention (PFI), or treatment as usual (TAU) group. FCPWS in three groups were assessed caregiving burden, QOL and state of hope at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), 3-month (T2), and 9-month (T3) follow-up, respectively. Results: Compared with participants in the TAU group, participants in the ECM group had statistically significantly lower caregiving burden scores both at T1 and T2 (p = 0.0059 and 0.0257, respectively). Compared with participants in the TAU group, participants in the PFI group had statistically significantly higher QOL scores in T1 (p = 0.0406), while participants in the ECM group had statistically significantly higher QOL scores in T3 (p = 0.0240). Participants in both ECM and PFI groups had statistically significantly higher hope scores than those in the TAU group at T1 (p = 0.0160 and 0.0486, respectively). Conclusions: This is the first study to explore the effectiveness of ECM on reducing family caregiving burden and improving hope and QOL in rural China. The results indicate the ECM intervention, a comprehensive and multifaceted intervention, is more effective than the PFI in various aspects of mental wellbeing among FCPWS. Future research needs to confirm ECM's effectiveness in various population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.01.046 Byline: Yin-Ling Irene Wong (a), Victoria Stanhope (b) Abstract: Housing and services for persons with developmental disabilities (DD) have been shaped by the normalization approach, a commitment to full integration within the general community. In contrast, housing and services for persons with psychiatric disabilities (PD) have had various and sometimes conflicting goals, including provision of custodial care, promotion of therapeutic community, and community integration. This cross-field study compares the neighborhood characteristics of publicly-funded housing for the PD and DD populations in a metropolitan community. The aim of the study was to examine whether the contrasting housing approaches are reflected at an ecological level and to consider how these findings relate to the goal of community integration for people with PD and DD. Administrative databases provided residential addresses of 1932 residents with PD living in 297 locations and 1716 residents with DD living in 749 locations in the city of Philadelphia. The 2000 U.S. Census and city's police department database provided information on neighborhood characteristics. Geographic information system (GIS) methodology generated maps displaying the distribution of housing locations in relation to spatial dispersion, distress, stability, safety, and race/ethnic diversity. Statistical analyses compared neighborhood characteristics of the DD and PD populations. Findings indicated that the DD population in supportive housing was more spatially dispersed, and lived in less distressed, less unstable, more secure, but equally racially/ethnically diverse neighborhoods when compared to the PD population in supportive housing. Greater geographic dispersal among persons with DD may be the result of more emphasis on normalization within policies and programs determining the location of their housing. The higher funding levels for housing and residential support for persons with DD also provided programs with the option of placing people in higher income neighborhoods. Given that community integration has emerged as an organizing principle within mental health services over other models, policymakers in the field of psychiatric disabilities may have much to learn from the normalization movement for people with developmental disabilities. Author Affiliation: (a) School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania, 3701 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6214, United States (b) New York University, Silver School of Social Work, 1 Washington Square, N, New York, NY 10012, United States

Emergency shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing are distinct programmatic responses to address the housing and service needs of the homeless population under the Continuum of Care (CoC) model for homeless service delivery. Using organizational-level data collected from a multi-site survey of 300 homeless residential programs in 14 communities, this study examines the extent to which operationalization of these programs is in accordance with the CoC model. Findings suggest consistency with as well as deviation from the CoC model in the operationalization of homeless residential programs. Recommendations are provided for local community service planning and development that can assure effective delivery of services for meeting the needs of homeless people. KEYWORDS. Continuum of care, homeless service delivery, management practices, organizational analysis

This paper examines mental health service use among publicly insured white and African-American pregnant and postpartum women who live in a metropolitan area. The study examines the extent to which ethnicity, physical health problems, and behavioral health risk factors are associated with the probability of service use during the prenatal-postpartum period. It also analyzes the patterns of service utilization for those women who used mental health services. Medicaid claims and eligibility data, County Reporting System claims and admissions data, and Pennsylvania State Vital Birth Records were integrated using a unique algorithm. Logistic regression was employed to estimate the probability of mental health service use among 3,841 low-income women residing in Philadelphia who were continuously enrolled in Medicaid for 9 months preceding delivery and 6 months postpartum. Analyses were also conducted on the intensity and location of service use, as well as psychiatric diagnosis, during pregnancy and the postpartum period. About 10% of the women used mental health services during the study period. Women were more likely to use services if they were Caucasian, had a number of chronic diseases, had a number of pregnancy complications, and smoked. Among users, the same proportion (ca. 6%) used services during pregnancy and postpartum, with the average number of outpatient visits slightly higher during pregnancy than during the postpartum period. Most outpatient services (86%) were delivered in the specialty sector. Most women who used mental health services (84%) were diagnosed with minor psychiatric disorders including minor depression and anxiety disorders. Women who used services during the postpartum only were more likely to be diagnosed with major depression, whereas women who used services throughout the perinatal period were more likely to be diagnosed with severe mental disorders. Health providers can use information generated in this study to identify women who are likely to have a need for mental health services. KEYWORDS. Mental health services, pregnant, postpartum, low-income, women, utilization

Given the profound physical and social deprivations associated with homelessness, it is not surprising that earlier research has consistently documented higher levels of psychological distress among homeless people compared with [...], Although research has documented the endemic nature of psychological distress among homeless people, little is known about the variation of and change in distress when psychiatric disabilities and housing status are considered. Using longitudinal data from a homeless sample, the author examined the pattern of distress across three groups--people with serious mental illness (SMI), people with drug or alcohol problem, and people with neither diagnosis. Distress symptoms were most pervasive and persistent among people with SMI. The effect of housing status on distress differed across the three groups and was statistically significant for people with no psychiatric diagnosis. Key words homelessness longitudinal analysis psychological distress residential mobility

This article introduces and illustrates the application of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to examine patterns of social services use in community-based interventions. By integrating management information system data from human service agencies and publicly accessible data from the U.S. Census within a spatially-referenced framework, the study illustrates that GIS analysis could help managers and planners of social services to assess the extent to which program implementation reflects adherence to a program concept and identify geographical areas with the greatest unmet service needs. The article demonstrates the application of GIS technology, based on an analysis of a citywide community-based homelessness prevention program in Philadelphia. KEYWORDS. Community-based interventions, homelessness prevention, geographic information system, social service utilization

Background and aims: The increasing prevalence of mental illness and low treatment rate presents a pressing public health issue in China. Pervasive stigma is a significant barrier to mental health recovery and community inclusion. In particular, stigmatizing or supportive attitudes held by healthcare providers could either perpetuate or mitigate self-stigma of people with mental illness. Moreover, mental health resources are unevenly distributed in China, with most of them concentrated in urban centers and provincial capitals. This study explores healthcare providers' attitudes toward mental illness and the challenges they faced at work in a rural Chinese county. Method: Four focus groups were conducted with 36 healthcare providers from a three-tier mental healthcare system in a rural county in southwestern China. Focus group discussions were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The team employed a conventional content analysis approach for data analysis. All transcripts were double-coded by three bilingual team members who are native Chinese speakers. Coding discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Results: Healthcare providers recruited from the county, township, and village levels varied in educational background, professional qualification, and experience of working with people with mental illness. Five thematic categories identified across four groups include (1) barriers to mental healthcare delivery, (2) keys to mental health recovery, (3) providers' attitudes toward providing care, (4) providers' perception toward patients and family members, and (5) providers' perception of training needs. Conclusions: This is a unique study that included healthcare providers from a three-tier healthcare system. Findings signal the importance of understanding healthcare practitioners' experiences and views to inform the design of training initiatives in rural or low-resource communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research suggests that single mothers in the United States are less well off in a relative sense than single mothers in other countries and that overreliance on income-tested programs in the United States is the principal culprit for this disparity. We test these hypotheses using multiple regression analysis and data from eight countries in the Luxembourg Income Study. We find that cross-country differences in demographic characteristics, labor force participation rates, levels of public and private transfers, and the degree of income testing account for much of the difference in the relative economic status of single-mother families in different countries.

Background: Although knowledge is a crucial component in contact theory delineating how prejudice changes toward out-groups with stigmatized conditions, little is known about the mediating role of knowledge on contact, stigmatizing attitudes, and behaviors toward mental illness. Aim: This study aimed to examine the mechanism underlie contact and stigma change by knowledge. Methods: A total of 366 participants including family members (FM), mental health providers (MHP), and community residents (CR) recruited across communities in Hong Kong and completed measures of contact level, contact quantity, contact quality, mental health related knowledge, prejudice, and discriminatory behaviors. Structural equation modeling was adopted to test the association among the key variables. Results: Higher level of contact was significantly correlated with better knowledge, less prejudice, and less discriminatory behaviors. Knowledge was directly and negatively correlated with prejudicial attitudes but was not significantly related to discriminatory behaviors. Furthermore, lower levels of prejudice were associated with less discriminatory behaviors. Conclusion: Enhancement of contact may increase understanding toward people with mental illness (PMI) and diminish stigmatizing attitudes and behaviors. Although prejudicial attitudes may be reduced by broadening mental health knowledge, increasing knowledge only might not ameliorate discriminatory behaviors. Future research should test mediators on contact and stigma by using longitudinal data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-stigma exerts a range of adversities for persons with severe mental illness (SMI), however, little is known about the association between peer contact, social support and self-stigma. Aims: This study aimed to explore the mediating role of social support on the relationship between peer contact and self-stigma among persons with SMI in Hong Kong. Methods: A total of 159 persons with SMI (schizophrenia and mood disorder) in community service centres participated in the study through completing a survey on self-stigma, social functioning, social support, perception of peer contact and mass media. Logistic regression was utilised to explore the influencing factors of self-stigma among the participants. Results: The results showed that 81.1% of participants reported moderate to severe levels of self-stigma. Self-stigma was significantly associated with diverse factors (e.g. social functioning). Importantly, positive peer contact was significantly associated with lower self-stigma of persons with SMI. Social support acted as a mediator between peer contact and self-stigma. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that contact-based interventions, such as enhancing positive peer-to-peer contact, should be conducted for reducing self-stigma among persons with SMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]