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Empowerment and self-help agency practice for people with mental disabilities
- Source :
- Social Work. November 1993, Vol. 38 Issue 6, p705, 8 p.
- Publication Year :
- 1993
-
Abstract
- During the past 15 years, there has been tremendous growth in the number of self-help groups and agencies for mental health clients. This article examines the self-help perspective in relation to problems with traditional mental health services and the need for client-run services. Self-help agencies see their goal as empowerment on an individual, organizational, and societal level. They strive to accomplish this by helping members obtain needed resources and develop coping skills; providing means of enhancing members' self-concept and lessening the stigma of perceived mental disability; giving members control in the agencies' governance, administration, and service delivery; and furthering member involvement in social policy-making. The goal of this article is not to endorse the self-help perspective but to use it as the basis for raising research questions that will further the mental health practitioner's understanding of this service modality.<br />Self-help is an attempt by people with a mutual problem to take control over the circumstances of their lives. Founded on the principle that people who share a disability have [...]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00378046
- Volume :
- 38
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- Gale General OneFile
- Journal :
- Social Work
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- edsgcl.14794917