BARRIERS TO SOCIAL NETWORK INTERVENTIONS WITH PERSONS WITH SEVERE ANDPERSISTENT MENTAL-ILLNESS - A SURVEY OF MENTAL-HEALTH CASE MANAGERS

In order to empirically assess the existence, strength, and relative i nfluence of barriers to social network interventions for persons with severe mental disability which have been cited in the literature, a su rvey of the knowledge and attitudes of social networks and social netw ork interventions of eighty mental health case managers and case manag ement supervisors was conducted. Findings indicate gaps in case manage rs' level of knowledge of social networks, with items based on empiric al knowledge about social networks and severe mental disability least likely to be answered correctly. Case managers both perceive, and have experienced, a significant number of obstacles that affect their abil ity to develop social network interventions-system barriers (paperwork , caseload size, lack of case manager time, etc.), community barriers (stigma and lack of resources), and client/family barriers (lack of in terest in social networks, clients having a ''burnt out'' network, cli ents not wanting to identify social network needs, etc.). Case manager s cited few major barriers pertaining to their own level of knowledge, skills, or interest in, social network interventions. Strategies to a ddress identified barriers are presented.