IMPROVING ACCESS TO FAMILY SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS - A MEMBER SURVEY OFTHE AMI-QUEBEC ALLIANCE FOR THE MENTALLY-ILL

Family support organizations such as die Quebec Alliance for the Menta lly Ill (AMI-Quebec) provide services for mentally ill individuals and their families, Despite possible benefits, there is often a lengthy p eriod between identification of mental illness and involvement of fami ly members with family support organizations, A survey of AMI-Quebec m embers was undertaken to assess this delay. Of the 186 respondents, 47 percent experienced a delay of more than two years, Only 10 percent w ere referred to the organization by psychiatrists, The majority would have liked to have become involved with AMI-Quebec earlier Some approv ed of more proactive methods of recruitment by AMI-Quebec, such as a t elephone call after an initial hospitalization.