Diverse Conceptualizations of Deinstitutionalization as a Barrier to the Implementation of Discharge Policies

Abstract

There are various reasons why the regular movement of people with intellectual disabilities from the institution to the community has been impeded in the United Kingdom. Some of these include the lack of a formal national policy, the difficulty of forming joint planning groups, fiscal difficulties, the lack of appropriate accommodation, inadequate development of services in the community, and resistance from the community. Using a case study approach, the author undertook to identify the particular barriers that arose in one specific discharge program, and to produce guidelines for avoiding such difficulties in future projects. Data were collected by means of interviews, and a grounded theory approach was employed for their analysis. It was found that the main obstacles to deinstitutionalization in this particular discharge program included: (1) a lack of a coherent approach; (2) a failure to develop discharges consistently according to professionals' plans or service users' needs; (3) a lack of holistic support for professionals undergoing transition; (4) ambiguous model of management; and (5) a lack of interest in joint working. It was concluded that the different conceptualizations of what deinstitutionalization meant constituted the main barrier to policy and practice. Professionals need to reach a shared understanding and conceptualization of the discharge program, and, in order to proceed with the huge workload of a discharge program, there should be a consortium approach in place among the main stakeholders.

Typology of Community Living Transitions for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Are Current Experience in Rehabilitation Centers Tied to the Best Practices?

“…Organizational transition services and the lack of available housing resources (MSSS, ; OPHQ, ; Parlalis, ) are factors that can significantly influence the course of community living transitions. According to the participants, the organizational transition services help maintain the false sense of emergency that hold a culture of powerlessness.…”

“…Educators and stakeholders feel distant from decisions that affect the community living transition. Educators are struggling with the desire to achieve the goals prescribed by political commitments, such as giving the person with ID the right to choose, yet without having the conditions to succeed (Bigby & Fyffe, ; Cohu, Lequet‐Slama, & Velche, ; OPHQ, ; Parlalis, ). Thus, their feeling of powerlessness is heightened and the notion that the ideal transition is not attainable is maintained.…”

Modèles D’intervention Médical Et Environnemental Auprès Des Personnes Manifestant Un Trouble Grave Du Comportement, Quelles Sont Les Divergences?

“…Dans la perspective du second objectif de recherche, une plus grande couverture temporelle permettrait de nuancer les propos de cet article relativement à de potentielles lacunes dans la couverture de certains thèmes d'étude identifiés. Par exemple, la transition à la communauté est un sujet qui a été amplement couvert durant la période de désinstitutionnalisation jusqu'à récemment, précédemment à l'année 2012 (Beadle-Brown et al, 2007;Martin et Ashworth, 2010;Parlalis, 2009;Stewart et al, 2010). Finalement, la méthode d'analyse qualitative thématique des titres et résumés d'articles a pour avantage d'être économique et efficiente.…”