Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Strategies for living
- Author:
- FAULKNER Alison
- Journal article citation:
- A Life in the Day, 4(2), May 2000, pp.16-17.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
In March 2000 the Mental Health Foundation launched a groundbreaking report based on a three-year investigation on the ways in which people with mental health problems manage their own mental illness. This article introduces and discusses the key findings and recommendations.
A helping hand: taking peer support into the 21st century
- Authors:
- FAULKNER Alison, BASSET Thurstine
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 16(1), 2012, pp.41-47.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Peer support or mutual support has a long history in mental health. Recent developments mean that peer support, which originated informally through participation in service user groups, has become incorporated into statutory services through the use of employed intentional support roles. The purpose of this paper is to explore service user perspectives on peer support, particularly looking at the benefits and pitfalls of these developments. The paper is informed by a literature review, and by a series of consultations with 5 service user and peer support groups. The findings suggest that there are many benefits to service users from engaging in peer support, including: shared identity; development and sharing of skills; increased confidence; improved mental health and wellbeing; and the potential for challenging stigma and discrimination. Most of the challenges were associated with intentional support, including: role conflict; setting boundaries; and ensuring adequate training and support. A key theme that divided opinion was the degree to which peer support should be ‘professionalised’ as part of statutory services. The findings suggest that it is vital to acknowledge the different views about payment, equality and professionalisation arising in different service user and voluntary sector groups. The paper concludes that peer support arose from people wanting to create their own support networks, and that any plans to formalise it needs to acknowledge that pre-existing grassroots expertise.
User involvement in forensic mental health research and development
- Authors:
- FAULKNER Alison, MORRIS Brigid
- Publisher:
- NHS National Programme on Forensic Mental Health Research and Development
- Publication year:
- 2002
- Pagination:
- 42p.,bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Liverpool
Service users are increasingly undertaking research themselves and/or campaigning for greater involvement in research. Some organisations are also undertaking user controlled research where decisions made at the different stages of the research process are in the control of service users themselves and are not just influenced by them. Several units or departments dedicated to user involvement in research have become established in the last few years, and other organisations have established programmes of work dedicated to 'user-led' research (which recognises and supports the potential of service users to undertake their own research). For some time now, the National Programme on Forensic Mental Health R&D has engaged users of mental health services on its Advisory Committee. In April 2002, it invited expressions of interest from people with a track record of research into user involvement, or organisations of service users, to produce an expert paper on user involvement in forensic mental health research. This paper is the result of that process. (Edited publisher abstract)
Learning about service user involvement in mental health research
- Authors:
- TELFORD Rosemary, FAULKNER Alison
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Mental Health, 13(6), December 2004, pp.549-559.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
Service user involvement in mental health research is a relatively new concept for health professionals. The aims of this paper were to investigate: how far service user involvement in mental health research appears to have been understood, how far it is happening, reasons why service users get involved in research, and barriers to closer involvement from both service user and researcher perspectives. The literature was examined to explore the extent of service user involvement in mental health research, and ways in which service users are carrying out research. It was concluded that while there is little empirical research in this area, increasingly service user involvement in mental health research can be found in the peer-reviewed domain, and at all levels of the research process. The alternative literature (including what is commonly called the grey literature) offers a rich source to learn from. Consideration of the barriers to closer service user involvement highlights likely challenges to traditional researcher-led ideologies and processes.
Strategies for living: a report of user led research into people's strategies for living with mental distress
- Authors:
- FAULKNER Alison, LAYZELL Sarah
- Publisher:
- Mental Health Foundation
- Publication year:
- 1999
- Pagination:
- 115p.,list of orgs.
- Place of publication:
- London
Report of the latest stage of a major study of service users' coping strategies. Presents a detailed descriptive study of a small number of people who were interviewed in depth to find out exactly how they coped with psychosis, depression and other forms of distress. Includes chapters on: relationships and informal support; therapeutic supports; personal and self help strategies; and a summary of the most helpful supports and strategies.
Being there in a crisis: a report of the learning from eight mental health crisis services
- Editors:
- FAULKNER Alison, PETIT-ZEMAN Sophie, SHERLOCK Joanne, WALLCRAFT Jan
- Publisher:
- Mental Health Foundation,|Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health
- Publication year:
- 2002
- Pagination:
- 89p.,bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
Report demonstrates the value of partnerships between mental health users and providers in the development of community-based crisis services. Service users and the user movement have been calling for 24 access to care and admissions . Most of the services reported were strongly led, staffed or supported by service users or those with personal experience of crisis.
Strategies for living
- Authors:
- FAULKNER Alison, NICHOLLS Vicky
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Care, 3(1), September 1999, pp.28-29.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
Users are researching the many strategies people devise to help them live with mental health problems. 'Strategies for Living' is a three-year user-led programme of work stemming from the increasing demands from mental health service users for choices and alternatives to the traditional medical models of treatment. This article gives some of the research findings.