Support and capability

'Socialisation' has for some time been a central theme in mental health care in the Netherlands. The changes taking place under this banner involve not only the mental health care institutions themselves, but also care administration offices, local authorities, general care and service organisations and organisations for mental health care service-users. All parties share responsibility for the creation of a regional provision which is intended to enable psychiatric patients to lead an independent life. For the mental health care system, the changes have led among other things to the transfer of a part of their activities to other organisations. Care administration offices and local authorities, as well as providing the majority of general services, are being given new tasks and acquiring a new target group.

This report describes an exploratory study of the support for and ability to cope with these changes on the part of those involved in the 'socialisation' process. For the study, interviews were held in six mental health care regions in the Netherlands with representatives of eight organisations, viz.:

• mental health care organisations;
• care administration offices;
• local authorities (central municipalities for social care policy);
• social care organisations;
• home care organisations, particularly those specialising in family care;
• housing associations;
• municipal health services;
• client organisations.

This exploratory study forms part of a broader SCP study on the support for and ability to cope with the socialisation of mental health care.