Social Work in Primary Mental Health Care Institutions: The Quality of Services Aspect Cover Image

Socialinis darbas pirminėje psichikos sveikatos priežiūros institucijoje: paslaugų kokybės aspektai
Social Work in Primary Mental Health Care Institutions: The Quality of Services Aspect

Author(s): Vida Zabėlienė, Alina Petrauskienė
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: Mykolas Romeris University
Keywords: social work in mental health care; service user; quality of service; clients’ satisfaction

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this article is to stress the main aspects of quality social worker services (occupation and working activities, information, consulting and education) focused on clients with mental health disorders and review the approach of both consumer and service provider. Consumer perception of service quality model is based on client view (opinion) as a quality source of evidence and client satisfaction with service received is considered a significant indicator of quality. Survey object – social worker services in primary mental health care. The main problem of the survey includes these questions: What are the reasons that influence client satisfaction of social worker services in primary mental health care institutions? What kind of service quality improvement perspectives do social workers recognize? The results of the survey were analyzed and they revealed that clients’ satisfaction about mental health care is affected by participation in attending activities of psychosocial rehabilitation and variety of occupation forms and its offers, informal cooperation between social workers providing educational and consulting services. Clients are positive towards the contents and forms of employment services, informal communication with social workers while providing educational and consulting services, however, clients’ social participation is obstructed by limited information about social work services in mental health care institution, difficulties getting social services, especially in the countryside. Satisfaction with services of working activities is poorly expressed. Social workers relate quality prospects for improvement of given social services with offers of occupation activities in the institution and events or means outside for the clients that correspond to their various needs while initiating and implementing projects. However, the difficulties of service development and improvement are linked to limited staff resources and material facilities, labor organizational difficulties and absence of competence implementing various occupation services.

  • Issue Year: 10/2011
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 279-288
  • Page Count: 10
  • Language: Lithuanian