title: Improving access to family support organizations: a member survey of the AMI-Quebec Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
abstract: Family support organizations such as the Quebec Alliance for the Mentally Ill (AMI-Quebec) provide services for mentally ill individuals and their families. Despite possible benefits, there is often a lengthy period between identification of mental illness and involvement of family members with family support organizations. A survey of AMI-Quebec members was undertaken to assess this delay. Of the 186 respondents, 47 percent experienced a delay of more than two years. Only 10 percent were referred to the organization by psychiatrists. The majority would have liked to have become involved with AMI-Quebec earlier. Some approved of more proactive methods of recruitment by AMI-Quebec, such as a telephone call after an initial hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Looper
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fielding
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Latimer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Amir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008604:Mental Health Associations; D011792:Quebec; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*