Stigma and discrimination in individuals with severe and persistent mental illness in an assertive community treatment team: Perceptions of families and healthcare professionals.

Aim: To explore family member and staff perceptions of clients' experiences of stigma and discrimination, in those living with severe and persistent mental illness in an Assertive Community Treatment Team.

Method: This qualitative study used the Discrimination and Stigma Scale to conduct structured face-to-face and telephone interviews of family members and healthcare professionals, working with the Assertive Outreach Team (AOT) (an Assertive Community Treatment Team) of a northern inner suburban catchment of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Results: Forty-one people participated in the study (23 AOT clinical staff members and 18 family members).

Stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with severe and persistent mental illness in assertive community treatment settings.

Aims: To describe the perceived experiences of stigma and discrimination among people living with severe and persistent mental illness in assertive community treatment (ACT teams) settings in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Methods: The Discrimination and Stigma Scale (DISC) was used in this cross-sectional study with people living with severe and persistent mental illness. The DISC is a reliable and valid, quantitative and qualitative instrument used to explore and measure levels of negative, anticipated and positive discrimination.