NCJ Number
52842
Journal
British Journal of Social Work Volume: 6 Issue: 3 Dated: (AUTUMN 1976) Pages: 353-376
Date Published
1976
Length
24 pages
Annotation
A FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING GROUP HOMES FOR THE MENTALLY ILL IS DEVELOPED AND APPLIED IN AN ASSESSMENT OF A HOME HOUSING EIGHT MEN IN A NORTHERN CITY IN ENGLAND.
Abstract
THE NEED FOR AN EVALUATIVE FRAMEWORK IS DISCUSSED, WITH REFERENCE TO THE IMPORTANCE OF SEPARATING IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT OBJECTIVES. POSSIBLE OBJECTIVES FOR GROUP HOMES ARE EXPLORED WITHIN THE CONTEXTS OF POWER AND NORMALITY--WHO DECIDES WHAT THE OBJECTIVES ARE TO BE, HOW THE OBJECTIVES ARE DEFINED, AND WHAT THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE IDEA OF NORMALITY IS. ALSO CONSIDERED IS THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THE CLIENT'S INDEPENDENCE IS TO BE FOUND WITHIN THE GROUP HOME OR BEYOND IT. THE ELEMENTS OF A GROUP HOME'S REGIME--THE MEANS OF ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES--ARE CONSIDERED. PROBLEMS IN MEASURING THE ELEMENTS, WHICH INCLUDE BOTH CONTROL AND GROUP SUPPORT, ARE MENTIONED. AN EVALUATIVE SCHEME BASED ON THESE CONSIDERATIONS IS SET FORTH AND APPLIED TO A SPECIFIC GROUP HOME. THE SCHEME HAS THREE STAGES: DETERMINING THE EXPLICIT OBJECTIVES OF THE GROUP HOME FOR BOTH STAFF AND RESIDENTS, DETERMINING THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE OBJECTIVES ARE BEING MET, AND EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE REGIME OF THE HOME AND THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE HOME HELD BY STAFF AND RESIDENTS. THE EVALUATION, WHICH IS BASED ON OBSERVATIONS, INTERVIEWS WITH STAFF, AND REVIEWS OF CASE FILES AND POLICY DIRECTIVES, CONCLUDES THAT RESIDENTS OF THE HOME (MOST OF WHOM HAD SPENT SEVERAL YEARS IN A GOVERNMENT-OPERATED HOSTEL FOR FORMER PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS) EXPERIENCED LITTLE OVERALL CHANGE IN THEIR LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE OVER A 2-YEAR PERIOD. THE REGIME OF THE FACILITY IS FOUND TO BE ONE IN WHICH RESIDENTS ACT DEPENDENTLY TOWARD STAFF, AND STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF CONTROL AND SUPPORT DIFFER FROM THOSE OF RESIDENTS. A LIST OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)