Putting values into practice: public policy and the future of mental health consumer-run organizations.
The purpose of the paper is to reflect on value dilemmas in mental health consumer-run organizations and to discuss implications for research, policy, and practice. We review the roots of consumer-run organizations in the self-help movement and the psychiatric survivor liberation movement, focusing on the distinctive values espoused by consumer-run organizations. We also discuss evidence-based and value-based approaches to mental health policy formulation and mental health reform, noting the particular importance of value-based approaches and the role that consumer-run organizations can play in mental health reform. Based on our experiences conducting a participatory action research study of four mental health consumer-run organizations, we identify and examine several value dilemmas, discuss the lessons that we learned about these value dilemmas, and note their implications for future directions in research, policy, and practice.
Nelson
Geoffrey
G
Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3C5. gnelson@wlu.ca
Janzen
Rich
R
Trainor
John
J
Ochocka
Joanna
J
D003255:Consumer Organizations / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009864:Ontario; D011050:Policy Making; D011640:Public Policy; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012945:Social Values