Research results: most interesting & important findings and experiences (Estonian team)

Transcription

1 Research results: most interesting & important findings and experiences (Estonian team) In focus: Needs of users of mental health services (living, working, training, socialising) Needs of family members and/ or next-of-kin Needs of practitioners, challenges of the system

2 Service users needs of the living area (1) Knowledge skills how to use one s existing resources better (e.g. leasing one s flat to generate income, acquiring a living space or adjusting it to meet one s needs, etc.) Organising the availability of public services (e.g. reparation works with high quality and just price, the assistance of ambulance and police for obtaining a restraining order, on-time dissemination of information about servicesbenefits, assistance with filling paperwork and its relatedness to services) Services supporting independent living (e.g. houses with labels do not contribute to blending in with the community; the need to take into account and maintain familiar community so that network and community would be familiar) Finding possibilities for communication (family, relatives, friends) and engaging into hobby activities; support the existing network and form new relationships (club houses)

3 Service users needs of the living area (2) Leaving responsibility (as value and right) with clients (so that they would feel the possibility for support, and also their responsibility) Support of activity supervisors and cooperation with local government specialists, government institutions, NGOs, entrepreneurs (incl. employers) in order to support clients (incl. client marketing) Developing new services supporting living, e.g. counselling for better economic coping, protection of legal rights; support for adjusting the living space Houses without labels Acknowledging local culture and community, knowing the possibilities

4 Service users needs of the working area (1) Lack of awareness of employers (myths, fears, etc.) People have little skills to implement their skills and knowledge Little suitable possibilities to get re-training and supplementary training (readiness of employer to teach) > when there have been periods of being away from work due to health Measures of labour market do not favour hiring (e.g. certain conditions do not apply for the state institutions, lack of awareness of employers) Lack of clear agreement with employers: responsibility for working Skilful marketing of clients Cooperation with social network in order to find work (e.g. through relatives) Joining hobby and work activities (e.g. our club house) Psycho-social counselling of next-of-kin of clients (as negative experience) Need for career counselling to discuss about capabilities and possibilities

5 Service users needs of the working area (2) Organising transport (e.g. when a person is not using public transport) Need for cooperation of work health care doctor and work health care specialist (in order to protect the client, assess the suitability of workplace, be involved in the marketing of the client) Assistance with communicating with colleagues. Supervision? Better cooperation with employers (constant exchange of information between different parties); Educating employers in order to decrease fears for obtaining good and loyal employees Supportive services for employers from providers of mental health services (informing about labour market services and benefits) Marketing the client (informing of clients strengths, capabilities, possibilities; taking into account restrictions and explaining them)

6 Service users needs of the training area (1) Lack of interest how persons cope with the responsibility of training and with establishing relationships Lack of noticing (noticing too late; important noticing by the specialists working with children) Little understanding Formal (system of mentors) and not content-related help e.g. for adjusting at the university Being little used to life-long learning, counselling. E.g. interest for languages, computers. Necessity to assess personal capabilities and wishes find individual possibilities. Otherwise capabilities remain undiscovered and are not let out Educating teachers on the topic of mental health There are obstacles in the education system to re-enter it once people have dropped out. Direction of training area: children with special needs to ordinary school (but at the same time teachers are un-trained) both in basic as well as vocational education, etc.

7 Service users needs of the training area (2) Linking the service of career counselling with those clients (so that education and work would correspond to one s capabilities and wishes). Incl. the need for training. More inclusion, communication (when the person is more quiet, etc.) Noticing at school (by teachers) and neutral, supportive direction so that help is asked and received Mentoring programs for adjusting at the university and for forming relationships Developing teacher training, teaching methods Teaching caring in order to value every person (throughout the education system, etc)

8 Service users needs of the socialising area (1) Limited network Lack of possibilities, places where to establish new relationships Need for counselling and intermediating (since the clients can create themselves some limitations by doubting, not trusting, blaming -> would wish to improve relations -> need for support) Labels on houses (What is the meaning behind the label? How to change it? Imago of the institution?) Lack of awareness about the users of mental health services due to that unfounded fears, prejudices Acquiring practical skills (adjusting consuming, creating relations, safety, etc.) Enabling the development of free-time spending possibilities (e.g. theatre, cinema, sports - information, conditions, safety, operating in that environment)

9 Service users needs of the socialising area (2) Developing further the activities of club houses Open community centres (places where people living in the community can come; interests in focus) Better availability of theatres-cinemas (times; different places no change of the system) universal design More possibilities for hobby activities (differently organised hobby activities) Using service users as experts (use existing skills more for the benefit of the community) Marketing client products and services (e.g. internationally) -> income, additional value for clients

10 Needs of family members (1) Lack of/ little services to support the sustainable functioning of family members Uncertainty towards the future and little information how local government/ state is responsible /acts when something happens to a family member Little inclusion of family members in terms of noticing and recognising them as a resource Inclusion, counselling, trusting, informing (family member as very important member of the network) Legal and economic counselling (e.g. in terms of real estate, so that the agreement would be legally sound; developing working models in the cooperation of lawyers and next-of-kin; e.g. for choosing the type of social insurance) Psycho-social counselling (so that next-of-kin could offer support and cope themselves)

11 Needs of family members (2) Developing counselling services for family members: psychological counselling/ crises counselling, legal and economic counselling Cooperation of specialists with family members, meaning that family members are as partners > discussing the future, ways how to act Recognising family members, noticing and psychologically supporting them Involving family members in the preparation of development plans, use of services

12 Cooperation between systems and needs (1) Expectations for the representatives of partner organisations are not realistic Shifting responsibility without the other party being able take over the responsibility to a necessary extent (lack of services and no clear understanding in whose area of responsibility they should be); Tasks of institutions are not clear incl. legal gaps (e.g. working with employers whose tasks is it) Areas of responsibility are hard to interpret (personal, community, state responsibility), no agreements here Cooperation takes place when institutions want to cooperate (personal level) Questions of information exchange Questions of training the employees (e.g. so called double diagnose, competency for working with a person suffering from a dependency)

13 Cooperation between systems and needs (2) People feel their rights are violated, e.g. in case of supported living service (when several people are in one room, when there are restrictions e.g. for watching TV, etc.) Need for complex cooperation solutions (only actual work will help) Further development of services (for clients with dependency issues) + see above Finding out the need for training: analysis of curricula (care workers, social workers, etc.) to what extent there is competency and skills for work; solving the issues of financing training; training, supplementary training