Pilot Study of the Support Needs and Service Use of Women with SMD

A Pilot Study of the Support Needs and Service Use of Women with Severe Mental Disorder (SMD)

Principal Investigator: Lynn Videka-Sherman, Ph.D, SUNY Albany; Co Investigators: Zvi Gellis, Ph.D., Lisa Easterly, MSW, Jenneth Carpenter,Ph.D. candidate, SUNY Albany

PROJECT GOALS

This project aims to:

1) identify the parenting needs and concerns of women with SMD who are parents;
2) describe the mental health, child welfare and other support services used by these women and their children to support parenting, as well as gaps in services, and the quality and salience of services; and
3) develop a model that identifies characteristics of women with SMD who are parents, their children and service structures associated with good parental functioning.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS

Method: From 12/00 to present, the full sample of 100 mothers was recruited and first interviews with each participant completed. Fifty-five also have completed the one-year follow-up interview to date. Every woman who volunteered for a screening interview has subsequently participated in the study. There have been no incidents warranting crisis response as a result of the interview. Race and ethnicity data is reported in the table below.

Results: Presentations based on preliminary data analysis were made to several mental health organizations including Albany County Mental Health Clinic, Rennselaer County Unified Services, Duchess County Mental Health Association, Saratoga County Mental Health Clinic, the Mental Health Association of New York State (MHANYS) and several regional task forces affiliated with the MHANYS' Parents With Psychiatric Disorders Project. Three presentations have been made to the Society for Social Work and Research Parenting Symposium. These have been on a needs-services gaps analysis, a critique of parenting measures, and a preliminary exploration of factors that support positive parenting. A literature review has been accepted for publication in Families and Society and several other manuscripts are under preparation.

SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS/ POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Preliminary data analysis indicates that the lack of communication and coordination between child welfare and mental health services poses a major policy challenge in providing recovery-oriented services to SMD women and their children. Social support and maternal internal resources (mastery coping style, lower level of mental health symptoms) predict positive parenting.

PLANS

In Year 3 we will complete the sample of 100 mothers. Longitudinal data analyses will be conducted. An application to NIMH to develop an intervention program based on study findings will be developed.

INCLUSION OF GENDER/ MINORITY SUBJECTS

	American Indian or Alaskan Native	Asian or Pacific Islander	Black, not of Hispanic Origin	Hispanic	White, not of Hispanic Origin	Other of Unknown Origin	TOTAL
Female	1	0	20	5	74	0	100
Male	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Unknown
TOTAL	1	0	20	5	74	0	100

Entered: 7/22/02