Research Drives Change in Mental Health Services
Conduct Disorder (CD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents between the ages of four and 16. Children with this disorder have great difficulty following rules and behaving in a socially acceptable way. Young people with CD appear to consume the most resources of the mental health system and appear to be responsible for at least half of the illegal offences committed by juveniles.
Given this situation, it's no surprise that George Harris, Regional Supervisor of Mental Health Outreach Services, with Alberta Health Services in Medicine Hat, chose a CD-related topic for his SEARCH VI local project. He was interested in determining what the best practices are for CD treatment. His findings have already driven changes in local programs, enhancing the help given to clients as well as improving relationships between the health system and school districts.
"If we had to wait for 'big R' research to identify best practices, we'd still be waiting," says Harris. "The benefit of having SEARCHers available at the organizational level is that we can look at evidence-based practices and apply them to organizational change very quickly. "In an era of rapid change initiatives, SEARCH has embedded a process where relevant information can be made available and accessible for practice, planning, and policy-making through knowledge transfer and knowledge translation."
On a personal level, Harris says SEARCH has been very rewarding. "It's been a privilege to be given this opportunity to enhance my skills as a manager and healthcare practitioner. SEARCH has provided tools for inquiry into delivery of services and influencing positive, evidence-based, theory-driven application in changing programming in mental health."