Case Managers Discovering What Recovery Means Through an HIV Prevention Intervention

Abstract

Following a randomized trial of case manager delivered HIV prevention intervention to persons with severe mental illness (SMI), this study sought to document changes within the service environment and with case managers themselves as a result of their experience and skills training. Utilizing qualitative methods, researchers conducted focus groups and in-depth interviews with 22 case managers and 3 administrators at an urban community mental health center. Beyond confirming previously established barriers to case manager delivery of HIV prevention interventions for persons with SMI, most noteworthy was the finding that case managers were generally unskilled in conducting assessments and tended to focus on “spoiled identity” and illness parts of their consumers. Experimental case managers revealed that they had been transformed by the training experience in a manner permitting them to both understand and work from a recovery model. Implications and directions for further study are discussed.

“What is the work of Recovery Oriented Practice? A systematic literature review”

“…Moving beyond diagnostic labels to reduce stigma is a pivotal element of the work of ROP. There is sufficient evidence that consumers with SMI value being treated with dignity and respect, rather than as an illness (Tennille et al ). This process of moving beyond labels necessitates both practice changes, and deliberate changes of context.…”

Addressing Unmet Sexual Health Needs among Black Adolescents with Mental Illnesses

“…Based on agency capacity and client preferences, risk reduction education and counseling can be done in small groups or individual sessions. Mental health case managers are also capable of delivering HIV prevention messages, and their practice may become enhanced through the process (Tennille, Solomon, & Blank, 2010). Collaborative efforts between primary care and mental health providers are essential, in addition to family involvement, to prevent unintended sexual health outcomes (e.g., unwanted teen pregnancies) in this demographic (Brown et al, 2014; Brown et al, 2013).…”

Directions for Future Patient-Centered and Comparative Effectiveness Research for People With Serious Mental Illness

“…95,[165][166][167][168] For example, Tennille et al 168 and Munson et al 167 examined the transformative influence of providing care to consumers with HIV and depression. Mental health case managers in the HIV intervention learned that they knew little about their clients despite working with them for years and that adding clinical care for HIV to their responsibilities helped them to better understand their clients' mental health recovery.…”