Consumer/Survivor Businesses in Ontario: Challenging the Rehabilitation Model

Abstract

In recent years the field of vocational programming for people with serious mental health problems has been undergoing major changes. This paper examines one of the new approaches which has emerged: consumer/survivor-run businesses. These models typically feature as key players people who have used the mental health system themselves. Cooperative businesses are set up in which those involved are employees rather than clients. There is little or no input from professional staff. Consumer/survivor-run businesses represent a challenge to the idea that vocational programs should be based on professional rehabilitation service models. Early results indicate that involvement in these programs substantially reduces the use of mental health services such as inpatient hospitalization.

A longitudinal study of mental health consumer/survivor initiatives: Part V–Outcomes at 3‐year follow‐up

“…Few studies of self-help in mental health have used longitudinal designs with a comparison group, and there are no studies of self-help in mental health, of which we are aware, that have followed up participants for more than 2 years. Moreover, there have been even fewer studies of consumer-run organizations in mental health~Mowbray & Tan, 1993;Segal & Silverman, 2002;Trainor et al, 1996Trainor et al, , 1997Trainor & Tremblay, 1992!. We were also able to compare groups of participants who had participated for different lengths and amounts of time.…”

“…Perhaps the global measure of self-esteem that we used was not sensitive to changes in perceptions of control. Like other studies~Edmunson, Bedell, & Gordon, 1984;Kennedy, 1989;Trainor et al, 1997;Trainor & Tremblay, 1992!, we did find a significant reduction in days of psychiatric hospitalization for those who participated in CSIs. However, there was a similar reduction in days of hospitalization for those in the comparison group.…”

Vocational services offered to people with severe mental illness

“…Some social enterprises, such as the cooperatives in Trieste, Italy, are non-profit businesses where workers are also coowners and vote on business decisions (Ramon, 1995). Consumer-run businesses distinguish themselves from other social enterprises by their consumer-only orientation (Latimer, 2005;Trainor & Tremblay, 1992). The major advantages of the social enterprise model are real-world remuneration and a sense of belonging to the enterprise, not to mention the accommodations offered to compensate for deficits or symptoms.…”

Putting Values into Practice: Public Policy and the Future of Mental Health Consumer‐run Organizations

“…There is growing research evidence attesting to the effectiveness of these organizations which has influenced mental health policy and practice (Davidson et al 1999;Nelson et al 2006a;Solomon 2004;Solomon and Draine 2001). The development of consumer-run organizations, including business enterprises (Trainor and Tremblay 1992), the inclusion of mental health consumers as staff in mainstream mental health organizations, and mental health self-help groups are all examples of innovative practices that have been shown to be effective and which are now receiving some support in government mental health policies.…”