J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2016 Nov;55(4):365-375. 10.4306/jknpa.2016.55.4.365.

A Study of the Current State of the Mental Health Service Delivery System Using the Focused-Group Interview

• Park S
• Jun JY
• Nam YY
• Lim HY
• Lee DY
• Kim EJ
• Hong JP
• Choi S
• Ha K

• KMID: 2361225
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2016.55.4.365

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To use focus-group interviews (FGI) to determine the current state of the Korean mental health service delivery system, inter-agency patient links, and identify associated problems.
METHODS
The FGI were conducted by seven workers from psychiatric rehabilitation centers and community mental health centers and seven social workers from mental health hospitals.
RESULTS
Within the mental health service delivery system, disconnection of the community network after discharge is considered a serious problem. The following improvement proposals are suggested : 1) the control tower should govern the community network after discharge, 2) consider insurance costs during activation of hospital links, and 3) expand information sharing related to community social facilities. With regard to non-voluntary admission and long-term hospitalization, most focus group members considered the revolving-door phenomenon to be more serious than non-voluntary admission. In order to prevent unnecessary long-term hospitalization, the FGI results indicated that the government should proactively intervene in the admission/discharge process. In addition, the following improvement proposals were suggested : 1) functional activation of the mental health review board via the reinforcement of workers' expertise, 2) expansion of local mental health centers, and 3) undertake institutional changes related to the family-related issue of preferring hospitalization over a stay at a secure facility.
CONCLUSION
For the government to improve the efficiency of the mental health service delivery system, it is necessary to improve institutional linkages, expand mental health infrastructure, and develop an integrated management system.

Keyword

Mental health service delivery system; Non-voluntary admission; Long-term hospitalization

MeSH Terms

Community Mental Health Centers
Community Networks
Focus Groups
Hospitalization
Humans
Information Dissemination
Insurance
Mental Health Services*
Mental Health*
Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Social Work
Social Workers

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