In this paper we examine the changes in continuity of care (CoC) likely to be affected by new system investments and the contributing factors. A mixed method approach was used. Decision-makers participated in two rounds of qualitative interviews. A 3-year cross-sectional quantitative data collection approach was used with clients and case managers. A main finding was that new system investments can improve CoC in terms of increased care access. However, it is not clear how other CoC dimensions will be affected. New funding can also have negative consequences related to the service models in which investments are made.
The present study surveyed police services in Ontario to learn about changes in volume of contacts with persons with mental illness and use of pre-arrest diversion practices between 2003 and 2007, when significant new funding was provided to community mental health services. Participants included 37 municipal services (54% of services serving 92% of provincial population) and the Ontario Provincial Police. Findings indicated a trend of increasing police encounters with persons with mental illness. Police services had a range of diversion practices in place although actual implementation was lower. Some of these practices were implemented after 2005, coinciding with the entry of the new resources, although other system activities during that period also promoted police-mental health system collaboration and pre-arrest diversion. Police service ability to report data improved over the study period, but common reporting practices are lacking. Continuing work to create a provincial standardized database of police-citizen encounter data would facilitate efforts to better understand when and how diversion practices are implemented and with what results.
This article describes recent work to support recommendations for improving Ontario's system of housing for people with serious mental illness. This multifaceted project engaged stakeholders in discussions concerning strategies for improving the system based on (a) values that underlie housing programs, (b) evidence of effective housing practices, (c) the current status of the system, and (d) international practices for monitoring community mental health systems. Stakeholders reviewed summaries of the work and discussed implications for improving the provincial system of housing and supports. Recommendations are made for improving the system, focusing on both regional and provincial level actions. Housing is an essential component of an effective community mental health system for people with serious mental illness. Without accessible, good quality housing and support, successful community living and recovery are not possible. Ontario has provided housing dedicated to people with serious mental illness since the onset of deinstitutionalization. Since the 1960s, the system has grown substantially to encompass a variety of forms of housing and to become a cornerstone of the community mental health system. Despite its growth and importance, this housing system faces a number of significant challenges. It remains inadequate for meeting consumer demand, with very long waiting lists reported by most programs in the province. There is a lack of good data on the system, documenting who is being served and how they are being served, as well as on the needs of those who cannot access the system. This lack of information makes it difficult to effectively manage the system and to plan for its future.In 2003, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care funded a research project to examine the province's dedicated housing system and to make recommendations for improving it. This paper describes the multifaceted project that was conducted to develop a foundation for planning system improvements. The project developed three foundations for system planning: (a) a vision for the system by identifying values that should guide the delivery of services, (b) research evidence about the status of the system and effective practices, and (c) consultations with stakeholders from across the province about directions for system improvement.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.