Objective Intensive whole family mental health treatment has a long history (Brendler, 1987; Nakhla, Folkart, & Webster, 1969; Orford, 2015; Persson & Wallin, 2006; Wood, 1981) with select empirical evidence (Siegel &... [ view full abstract ]
Objective
Intensive whole family mental health treatment has a long history (Brendler, 1987; Nakhla, Folkart, & Webster, 1969; Orford, 2015; Persson & Wallin, 2006; Wood, 1981) with select empirical evidence (Siegel & Whitmong, 1990; Sunsei, 2004), however, treatment involving the whole family has not become general practice.
In June 2015, Wood’s Homes opened the Vermilion Energy Whole Family Treatment Program; a short term family live-in program designed to improve the safety, wellbeing, adaptive functioning, and knowledge of families dealing with mental health concerns. This initiative was supported by a grant to pilot the clinical foundation of the program as well as to establish an evidence-base for whole family treatment.
The objective of this oral presentation is to present: a) the clinical basis for the program, and b) preliminary outcome data for the first year of operation related to family functioning and treatment/program satisfaction.
Methods
The oral presentation will consist of a presentation of a literature review, the translation of the literature review into clinical practice model/approach, and preliminary quantitative results of family capacity change and satisfaction.
Results, Conclusions and Implications
The Child Welfare system costs Alberta approximately $712,706 per year primarily in child intervention/protection, the cost of emergency services due to untreated mental health issues, and the cost of services in the justice system (Alberta Human Services Annual Report, 2015). Early and comprehensive intervention prior to or during welfare involvement and/or other intrusive interventions, reduces costs to the province and to the family by maintaining children in the home and preventing long term family separation. This presentation will speak to one innovative project spearheaded to intercept this burden on families and the systems in place to support them. The presenters will showcase preliminary findings on the impact of whole family treatment services within the mental health treatment continuum.
