291716
Best practices in consumer operated services and programs (COSP): A descriptive study of program participants and impacts
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
: 2:30 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.
John Rorke, MSW,
Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ
Consumer operated services and programs (COSPs) represent a growing and central component of community mental health services. COSPs provide a low cost, low demand, and welcoming entry point to mental health treatment for many individuals newly diagnosed with a mental illness. These programs provide ongoing psycho-education and supportive services for individuals with severe functional deficits. COSPs can range from credentialed programs, certified by the International Center for Clubhouse Development, to less structured drop-in and activity centers; but all COSPs share the defining features of mental health consumer staffing and mental health consumer governance. COSPs represent a common adjunct to psychiatric treatment/psychiatric medication, professional case management, and outpatient treatment and can serve as a long term support for many individuals. This presentation is designed to achieve three learning objectives. First, information will be provided that describes the structure, organization, and general operations of Stand Together and Recover Centers, Inc. (STAR), and other COSPs. Second, the results of a structured research survey of STAR members will be presented. These structured research surveys were created with guidance from STAR participants. Participants completed an intake survey and follow-up surveys that captured clinical and demographic characteristics of the members, their service utilization and systems involvement, and their health and symptoms status. Examples of how these data have informed and transformed programming at STAR will be discussed. Third, strategies and lessons learned from creating a partnership between a mental health COSP and a university research center are shared.
Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Learning Objectives:
Describe key programatic characteristics of Consumer Operated Services & Programs.
Decribe the demographic and clinical charcateristics of participants of COSPs.
Describe the impacts and benefits that participants report as a result of attending COSPs.
Keyword(s): Mental Illness, Sever Mental Illness
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have lead the team of staff from Arizona State University that worked with the STAR Centers team in the conceptualization, development, and implementation of the study being reported. Three of the co-authors are supervised by me, one of which is a graduate student.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
