A Longitudinal Study of the Consumer/Survivor Initiatives in Community Mental Health in Ontario

Principal: Geoffrey Nelson
Location: Waterloo

This project will evaluate three consumer/survivor initiatives that focus on peer support. Data will be collected over an 18-month period in a quasi-experimental design. The research will:

• evaluate impact of participation in CSIs in terms of how the program is experienced, personal growth for members (individual level) and social and community change (systems level)
• examine the nature and amount of work over time by CSI members to effect organizational, community, planning and policy changes
• examine organizational, community, planning and policy impacts over time in the context of CSI activities
• examine the tasks, processes, systems interactions, and critical issues at different points in time in the development and evolution of CSIs

Outcome variables will include quality of life, psychosocial functioning, community integration, empowerment, and utilization of health care.