Speakers: Catrina Brown, Marjorie Johnstone, Nancy Ross
Presenting results and recommendations from the research paper published by NSCSW in January, Repositioning Social Work Practice in Mental Health in Nova Scotia.
The researchers conducted in-depth research with mental health supervisors, providers and service recipients, and the findings are overwhelmingly consistent across the literature and through the consultations. All service users, providers, and supervisors critiqued the current implementation of the service delivery model and the standardization of approaches through a strict bio-medical framework. Their critiques included:
identified shortcomings of the bio-medical framework
unacceptable wait times for seeing a mental health provider
prescriptive use of short-term modalities, which includes the limited number of sessions
inadequate time to develop therapeutic relationships
devaluation of addiction-specific knowledge
increased paperwork; and management by non-social workers with little opportunity for clinical supervision
Dr. Catrina Brown, RSW, is an associate professor at the School of Social Work at Dalhousie University. Her teaching, research and writing focuses on women’s health and mental health issues, including “eating disorders,” substance use problems, depression, trauma and post-trauma and sexualized violence within a feminist postmodern/narrative lens. She is a private practitioner psychotherapist, and adopts a feminist, narrative, discursive and collaborative approach.
Dr. Marjorie Johnstone, RSW, is an assistant professor at the School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia. Her research interests are critical approaches to the history of social work, feminisms, critical practice, mental health and immigration. Prior to an academic career, she has worked in community mental health, psychiatric rehabilitation and adolescent residential care.
Dr. Nancy Ross, RSW, is an assistant professor in the School of Social Work, Dalhousie University. Her research interests include a focus on the role of social work in mental health, gender-based violence, adverse childhood experiences and resilience. She applies a peacebuilding and intersectional lens to analysis of justice system responses to domestic violence and systemic and policy responses to adverse childhood experiences.