A study of program efforts to facilitate access and increase the utilization of community mental health services by Puerto Rican/Hispanic clients.
Item
-
Title
-
A study of program efforts to facilitate access and increase the utilization of community mental health services by Puerto Rican/Hispanic clients.
-
Identifier
-
AAI9431374
-
identifier
-
9431374
-
Creator
-
Vazquez, Rene Gilberto Del Valle.
-
Contributor
-
Adviser: Mildred Mailick
-
Date
-
1994
-
Language
-
English
-
Publisher
-
City University of New York.
-
Subject
-
Sociology, Public and Social Welfare | Social Work | Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies
-
Abstract
-
The purposes of this study were: first to determine if the utilization of services by the Spanish-speaking Hispanic community residents could be increased through active outreach interventions; and second to determine what type of intervention proved to be most engaging for the Hispanic client.;The research questions to be explored were (1) what were the Hispanic patterns of utilization of services both before and after program development, (2) which forms of outreach resulted in increased generation of referrals and admissions of Hispanic community residents in need of mental health services into outpatient treatment, (3) was there any correlation between outreach and level of acculturation, (4) were there any other significant bio-psycho-sociodemographic differences between those who were admitted to the clinic through varying outreach interventions and those who utilize clinic services without outreach.;This program evaluation descriptive study used process analysis in monitoring and measuring the independent variables (no outreach vs. information dissemination vs. outreach to agency directors vs. kiosk outreach) to determine intervention success or failure. The study utilized a combined time-lag non-equivalent comparison group design. The study reported on four separate time phases which comprised the stages of program development.;The results from this study have implications for policy analysis and implementation, program planning, program monitoring, and for clinical psychotherapeutic treatment. Mental health programming and service delivery models which incorporate culturally relevant outreach interventions were shown in this study to be effective for: increasing the outpatient utilization of services by the Hispanic population, overcoming barriers to utilization for patients with numerous hospitalizations and prior histories of treatment, and overcoming the cultural barriers around perceived need experienced by the unacculturated Hispanic client when help seeking.;This program evaluation study showed that access to the mental health delivery system was facilitated and the problem of Hispanic underutilization of services improved through active outreach methods.
-
Type
-
dissertation
-
Source
-
PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
-
degree
-
D.S.W.
