Improving knowledge about mental illness through family-led education: the journey of hope.

Objective: Families often do not receive the information that they need to care for their adult relatives with mental illness. This study examined the effectiveness of a family-led education intervention, the Journey of Hope, in improving participants' knowledge about mental illness and its treatment and decreasing their information needs.

Methods: A total of 462 family members of adults with mental illness in Louisiana participated in the study; 231 were randomly assigned to immediate receipt of the Journey of Hope course (intervention group), and 231 were randomly assigned to a nine-month waiting list for the course (control group).

Family contact and housing stability in a national multi-site cohort of homeless adults with severe mental illness.

This study examined associations between family contact and housing stability among 4,778 homeless persons with mental illness who received intensive outreach and case management services through the national multi-site ACCESS project. Ordinary-least squares regression analysis found that, at 12-months post-study entry, greater contact with relatives to whom participants feel close, more frequent telephone contact, and greater satisfaction with family relationships were associated with a greater number of nights in stable housing. Program and policy implications for strengthening family ties as a means to reduce homelessness among this population are discussed.

Changes in caregiving satisfaction and information needs among relatives of adults with mental illness: results of a randomized evaluation of a family-led education intervention.

The authors examined changes in caregiving satisfaction and information needs among 462 relatives of individuals with mental illness who participated in a study of a family-led education course, the Journey of Hope (JOH). Participants were randomly assigned to receive JOH or to a control group waiting list and followed for 9 months. General linear model repeated measures analysis of variance found that, compared with the control group, the intervention group showed significant improvement in caregiving satisfaction and information needs following course completion and maintained these gains for another 6 months.

Psychological well-being and relationship outcomes in a randomized study of family-led education.

Context: Family members of adults with mental illness often experience emotional distress and strained relationships.

Objective: To test the effectiveness of a family-led educational intervention, the Journey of Hope, in improving participants' psychological well-being and relationships with their ill relatives.

Design And Setting: A randomized controlled trial using a waiting list design was conducted in the community in 3 southeastern Louisiana cities.

Clinical factors associated with employment among people with severe mental illness: findings from the employment intervention demonstration program.

Research has shown that supported employment programs are effective in helping psychiatric outpatients achieve vocational outcomes, yet not all program participants are able to realize their employment goals. This study used 24 months of longitudinal data from a multisite study of supported employment interventions to examine the relationship of patient clinical factors to employment outcomes. Multivariate random regression analysis indicated that, even when controlling for an extensive series of demographic, study condition (experimental versus control), and work history covariates, clinical factors were associated with individuals' ability to achieve competitive jobs and to work 40 or more hours per month.

Integration of psychiatric and vocational services: a multisite randomized, controlled trial of supported employment.

Objective: Although large-scale surveys indicate that patients with severe mental illness want to work, their unemployment rate is three to five times that of the general adult population. This multisite, randomized implementation effectiveness trial examined the impact of highly integrated psychiatric and vocational rehabilitation services on the likelihood of successful work outcomes.

Method: At seven sites nationwide, 1,273 outpatients with severe mental illness were randomly assigned either to an experimental supported employment program or to a comparison/services-as-usual condition and followed for 24 months.

Family education and support: just for women only?

Studies of education and support programs for families of adults with mental illness' show that the majority of participants are women. In examining why women are more likely than men to take part in these programs, this article reviews the role of women in caring for an adult with mental illness, with a focus on the demands experienced by mothers, sisters, and adult daughters. Given that most family education and support program participants are caring for male relatives, the differences in the demands of providing care to male versus female relatives also are explored.

Church-based support groups for African American families coping with mental illness: outreach and outcomes.

To better understand how church-based support groups help African American families of persons with mental illness, this study examined the outreach efforts used to provide information about the support group to congregants as well as the participation outcomes reported by families who attended support group meetings. Results indicate that advertising group information in the church bulletin and families sharing their experiences with other congregants may be effective outreach strategies. Respondents' improved knowledge and morale outcomes suggest that church-based support groups may be a valuable coping resource for African American families of persons with mental illness.

Employment histories of homeless persons with mental illness.

This study examined the work histories of 7,228 homeless persons with mental illness who were enrolled into the multi-site Access to Community Care and Effective Services and Supports (ACCESS) research demonstration program. Multiple logistic regression analyses suggest that use of vocational services is significantly associated with increased likelihood of paid employment. The role of vocational rehabilitation services in removing persons from homelessness and improving their quality of life is discussed.