A co-produced mixed methods protocol: Exploring perceptions of oral health care and quality of life in people with mental health conditions.

This planned mixed methods protocol is designed to explore oral health care for individuals living with serious mental health conditions (SMHC). It was co-produced by academics, people with lived experience of mental health conditions, and oral and mental health clinicians. The study seeks to explore oral health quality of life predictors and oral health care experiences of people diagnosed with serious mental health conditions (e.

Physician Assistant Student Attitudes About People With Serious Mental Illness.

Introduction: This study explored the attitudes of physician assistant (PA) students toward the future care of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). Physician assistant student education offers a unique opportunity to confront and reduce bias toward individuals with SMI. However, no previous literature has documented PA student attitudes toward SMI.

Physical therapy students' perceptions for working with persons with mental illness in the USA.

Background: Physical therapists provide important services for improving health and function for the general population; however, physical therapy (PT) is infrequently accessed by persons with a primary diagnosis of severe mental illness (SMI). This study examined the attitudes of PT students before and during their participation in a service-learning (SL) program for people with SMI.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional institutional review board approved qualitative study collected 1-h semi-structured qualitative interviews from seven graduates of a doctor of PT program.

Dental pre-doctoral student perceptions about serious mental illness: Concerns and role clarification.

Purpose/objectives: Little is understood about dental student perspectives providing care to people with serious mental illness (SMI), a population with significant oral health disparities. This study explored student perceptions, questions and beliefs about people with SMI using the Social Ecological Model as a framework to better understand perspectives and identify potential educational needs in dental medicine curricula for providing care to this population.

Methods: Survey data was collected in spring of 2021 from predoctoral dental students (n = 126) enrolled in a required course at a mid-Atlantic university.

Bridging religion and spirituality with gestalt psychotherapy to improve clinical symptoms: Preliminary findings using gestalt pastoral care.

An inherent tension between religion and psychotherapy has inhibited the conversation between the two paradigms in determining the most effective approaches to improving mental health outcomes for people of faith. Preliminary research has suggested that the intersection between the two may prove fruitful in providing mental health interventions. As a part of a broader big-data study sponsored by the Bridges Consortium of Brigham Young University and underwritten by the John Templeton Foundation, the present study evaluated the effectiveness of the spiritually integrated strategies of the modality Gestalt Pastoral Care (GPC) focusing on two goals: (a) determining the overall clinical effectiveness of GPC, not previously scientifically validated, and (b) evaluating the effectiveness of GPC in the reduction of symptoms most commonly seen in clients using empirically validated clinical measures.

Multidimensional wellness for people aging with mental health conditions: A proposed framework.

Objective: This project aimed to develop a synthesized framework of multidimensional wellness for people aging with serious mental health conditions (SMHC) using existing frameworks to serve as a guide for policy and interventions to address the unique needs, experiences, and strengths of the population.

Method: A concept analysis compared a widely used wellness approach (Swarbrick, 1997) for people with SMHC and one for older adults (Fullen, 2019) to synthesize into a practical framework for people aging with SMHC.

Results: Nine dimensions were proposed for conceptualizing the wellness of this population including: (a) Developmental, (b) Intellectual/Cognitive, (c) Physical, (d) Emotional, (e) Social, (f) Occupational, (g) Spiritual, (h) Environmental, and (i) Financial.

Old before their time: Comparisons of people with SMI and healthy older adults.

Objective: Compare physical functional measures of people with severe mental illness (SMI) to standardized geriatric values.

Method: Retrospective analysis of physical functioning sample data of middle-aged people with SMI was compared to standardized older adult data. Compared: Sit to Stand Test (STS; = 68), 6 min Walk Test (6MWT; = 71), and Single Legged Stance Test (SLS; = 55).

Service learning experiences of doctor of physical therapy students with a severe mental illness population.

Introduction: Physical therapists provide important services to improve physical health for the general population; however, physical therapy interventions are less utilized with underserved populations such as those with severe mental illness (SMI). The quality of services for these populations is impacted in part by negative provider attitudes and lack of preparation to work with the SMI population. This study examined the impact of structured educational field experience on the physical therapist's attitudes and knowledge about working with the SMI population.

Challenges Experienced by Behavioral Health Organizations in New York Resulting from COVID-19: A Qualitative Analysis.

This paper presents a qualitative content analysis of survey data collected from behavioral health care providers from throughout New York regarding the challenges faced as a result of COVID-19. Survey responses from 295 agency and program administrators and staff, representing 238 organizations, were analyzed. Ten themes were identified: business operations, service provision, telehealth, safety, client concerns, staff concerns, supplies, technology, illness/grief/loss, and communication.

Care2Caregivers: A Retrospective Examination of Needs Addressed and Services Provided by a Peer Support Helpline.

Family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (CADRD) provide significant support to their family members but often experience challenges and stress that impact their quality of life. Peer supporters can be an important resource to help alleviate stress associated with caregiving, yet few published studies have examined peer supporters for CADRD. This retrospective cohort study examined data collected from a peer support helpline for CADRD in a middle Atlantic state.

Faculty Mentorship in Allied Health Schools: A Program Evaluation of a Mentorship Initiative.

Mentorship is an important career development resource for junior faculty and one that may be particularly important for those who begin their career as allied health clinicians before transitioning to academia. To support junior faculty at an allied health school, a formal mentoring program was established within a rehabilitation and counseling department. The program was started in response to a school-wide effort to promote faculty development and increase scholarly productivity.

Tools for Moving On: Adapting an Evidence-Based Housing Curriculum for Individuals Receiving Services in an Inpatient Psychiatric Setting to Prepare for Community Living.

Individuals with serious mental illness transitioning from state psychiatric hospitals to community living need specialized skills to enter community housing programs. There are few examples of best practice hospital group programs to improve community living skills. To address this gap, the authors developed a community skills training and discharge readiness program, Tools for Moving On (TFMO), adapted from materials from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Permanent Supportive Housing: Tools for Tenants toolkit.

Multi-dimensional wellness interventions for older adults with serious mental illness: A systematic literature review.

Objective: Aging persons with serious mental illness present unique challenges for community mental health services. This population is increasing in numbers in mental health treatment settings. The combination of serious mental illness with the vicissitudes of aging suggest that a broader conceptualization of this population may improve services.

Sensitizing Inpatient Mental Health Staff to the Challenges of Aging.

Although the aging inpatient population in state psychiatric hospitals is growing significantly, there are few examples of available training to improve staff knowledge and practice. The current article describes a 10-week training series developed through a university and psychiatric hospital collaboration. Training was attended by 135 direct care nursing and rehabilitation staff and focused on improving aging awareness, problem solving, using person-centered therapeutic techniques, and engaging older adults.

Predictors of physical activity in persons with mental illness: Testing a social cognitive model.

Objective: This study examined whether the social cognitive theory (SCT) model can be used to explain the variance in physical exercise among persons with serious mental illnesses.

Method: A cross-sectional, correlational design was employed. Participants from community mental health centers and supported housing programs (N = 120) completed 9 measures on exercise, social support, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, barriers, and goal-setting.

Wellness for life: A pilot of an interprofessional intervention to address metabolic syndrome in adults with serious mental illnesses.

Objective: This paper evaluates a pilot multidisciplinary intervention intended to increase health-promoting behaviors and reduce the negative effects of metabolic syndrome disorders among persons with serious mental illnesses. Exercise, nutritional counseling, health literacy education, and peer wellness coaching were provided by allied health professionals and students.

Method: Participants with serious mental illnesses were recruited from partial hospitalization and supported housing programs.

The relationship of illness management and recovery to state hospital readmission.

The current study examined the association between number of hours attended of the Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) program and psychiatric readmission rates after discharge from a state psychiatric hospital. The study used archival data, N = 1186, from a large northeastern state psychiatric hospital in the United States. A Cox's regression survival analyses was conducted, adjusting for extreme outliers and controlling for sociodemographic covariates, to examine the association between different amounts of IMR and the risk for returning to the hospital.

Balanced life: a pilot wellness program for older adults in psychiatric hospitals.

Topic: This brief report describes a pilot wellness intervention for older people with mental illness receiving care at a state psychiatric hospital.

Purpose: People over 65 years of age with mental illness typically have comorbid health issues. Wellness interventions have the potential to improve quality of life, health, and coping skills.

Wellness coaching: a new role for peers.

Topic: This brief report presents the conceptual framework for the development of the peer wellness coach role including the definition of a new job role for peer providers and an overview of the knowledge and skills required for this role.

Purpose: People with serious mental illnesses are at greater risk of living with untreated chronic medical conditions that severely impact their quality of life and result in premature mortality. Wellness coaching represents an intervention that can help individuals persist in the pursuit of individually chosen health and wellness goals.