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Young homeless people have mental health needs. Research and national policies have highlighted that accommodation providers need to offer holistic interventions to encourage this vulnerable group to break the cycle of homelessness. Currently no research literature documents how homeless shelters respond to mental health needs. This research was intended to address this research question.A postal questionnaire was sent to 132 managers of homeless shelters, achieving a response rate of 64.4%. Frequencies and descriptive statistics were calculated, and written data was analysed using content analysis. Mental health problems were highly prevalent, and homeless shelters responded in a variety of ways (use of GP services, internal services, referring to external services, in‐house outreach services, no service provision, etc). Only 27.1% of managers of homeless shelters reported that their services were sufficient to meet their young people's needs. These findings reflect the need for inclusion of mental health in homeless shelters' strategic objectives, and development of commissioning of local partnerships with health agencies.

While much research examines the consequences of deinstitutionalization for caregivers, few studies address support mobilization strategies used by patients themselves. We examine the relationship between mental health patients’ needs, their activation of network ties for health discussion, and network dynamics during the course of treatment. We hypothesize that patients strategically activate their network ties for support that matches their needs. Linking activation to network dynamics, we also propose that patients with greater needs exhaust their supportive relationships and experience more network turnover.

We draw on a dataset of new mental health patients (N=173) and their associated network members (N=4,144) observed over three years. Random-intercept regression models test the relationship between patients’ needs and (1) network tie activation for health discussion and (2) network turnover.

Although the overall level of need does not predict network tie activation, mental health patients are more likely to activate network ties who provide support that matches their expressed needs for discussion, emotional, and financial support (although not instrumental or informational support). In addition, patients with elevated needs experience increased network turnover. Strategic activation and its unintended consequence together suggest a revolving door of support for patients in crisis.

In the post-deinstitutionalization era, patients’ informal social safety nets must compensate for needs that are left unmet by deficits in the formal treatment system. We find that patients seek out network members who are well-equipped to help them cope with the onset of illness. At the same time, network activation may lead to instability as high-need patients churn through supportive relationships. Future research should examine the consequences of tie activation and support needs for network dynamics in different treatment contexts.

This paper introduces service changes impacting on adults with learning disabilities, defines the concepts of learning disability, needs and need assessments, dual diagnosis and mental health needs and considers their service implications. Between 25% and 50% of adults with learning disabilities have mental health needs, and the main clinical types are outlined. The findings from a national multi‐professional survey of services for adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs are summarised and the difficulties of meeting the complex needs of these adults are demonstrated. Recent developments in clinical diagnostic assessment, needs assessment, care planning, outcome monitoring, staff training and service evaluation are discussed, including the possible advantages of the care programme approach (CPA). Recommendations are given for services for adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs and points for discussion with service users and carers are suggested.

This research aims to explore the nature of Chinese students' mental health information needs and to identify the online resources they use to meet those needs.

Data was collected from three Chinese research-oriented universities using semi-structured interviews and a survey. Twenty-five university students with varied backgrounds were selected for semi-structured interviews to explore the triggers and nature of their needs. Then, printed and online questionnaires were distributed to undergraduate and postgraduate students and 541 valid responses were processed for descriptive statistical analysis and variance analysis.

The following findings were incurred. First, the triggers of university students' mental health information needs mainly are mental health being in the news, personal interest in gaining mental health knowledge, mental health issues, required formal learning and preparation for mental health counselling. Second, eleven types of information are used, with an emphasis on employment pressure, study stress and self-understanding. Third, mental health information needs differ with mental health status and some social-demographic factors (including gender, urban or rural origin and educational stage). Fourth, information needs can be characterized as dynamic; complex and diverse but concentrated on a few types; ambiguous and hard for participants to define; private; stigmatized; self-dependent and substitutable. Fifth, Internet sources used to meet such needs are mainly search engines, Question and Answer platforms, public social media platforms. Finally, a model of mental health information needs was built based on the above findings to map the whole process from what triggers a need, to the content and characteristics of information need, and online resources used to meet those needs.

The paper provides suggestions for university mental health services in developing more tailored knowledge contents via effective delivery methods to meet diverse needs of student groups.

This research is novel in using empirical data to build a holistic model that captures the context and the nature of mental health information needs of university students.

This paper reports on a pilot project that helps women offenders and other women with multiple needs to access mental health care. The paper aims to increase understanding of the mental health needs of these women and the barriers they face in accessing and sustaining engagement with appropriate care.

Key principles and early findings are presented from the partnership project based in Anawim Women's Centre, in which a mental health nurse (MHN) is seconded to the centre one day a week. These are presented in light of research relating to the mental health needs of vulnerable women.

Early findings suggest mental health needs are largely trauma‐based and co‐occurring substance misuse problems are common. The MHN negotiated a pathway into secondary care with community mental health team managers but concerns continue about the ability of primary care services to meet the complex needs of these women. Principles for working with this group include: provision in a women‐only space; a focus on engagement; flexibility; holistic support and empowering women and voluntary sector staff.

Findings are based on eight months of one pilot project in which 22 women were seen.

Practical implications are outlined for commissioners and service managers of mental health care services for vulnerable women.

Research and experience suggest that women with multiple problems can struggle to engage with traditionally structured services and fail to access the holistic support they need. This paper increases understanding of this problem and suggests how these women might be better supported.

Forensic mental health programs (FMHPs) in Ontario, Canada provide rehabilitation and supervision services. However, models available to guide their delivery are primarily adapted from fields outside of forensic mental health. To partially fill this gap, this paper aims to provide a general review of the process a multi-professional team took to develop the Integrated Forensic Program [IFP]-Ottawa Model of Risk Management & Recovery.

Working groups were initiated to identify the needs of patients in their local setting, conduct a literature review on care delivery models in forensic mental health and build a service delivery model specific to forensic mental health.

The resulting model places patient engagement at its centre and encompasses eight domains of need that contribute towards the patient’s recovery and the management of the safety risk they pose to the public, namely, the basic needs, diversity and spirituality, social, occupational, psychological, substance use, physical health and mental health domains.

The IFP-Ottawa Model of Risk Management & Recovery provides a framework to which therapeutic group services for persons in FMHPs can be aligned.

The leadership teams in FMHPs could use this framework and the method used for its development to ensure group services provided at their FMHPs are evidence-informed and coincide with their patients’ specific needs.

Population‐based indices of needs have an influence on mental health care funding. Over the last 30 years, a number of needs indices have been developed that utilise sociodemographic and service utilisation data to calculate a proxy indicator of population‐based need. This approach is used because indicators of socio‐economic disadvantage expressed as weighted deprivation show a strong relationship with mental health morbidity. In this paper, we review the existing indices, illustrate the application of these indices using east London as an example, and consider the methodological and conceptual limitations of these indices. Although none of the current indices provide a definitive picture, commissioners and providers may find them to be a useful source of contextual information, which may be useful in combination. In England, this is particularly relevant in the light of the increased liberalisation of commissioning services and changes in the funding process.

Four routes or pathways have now been identified by which individuals may come within the scope of PSA 16 National Indicator 149, which is concerned with monitoring efforts to achieve settled accommodation for individuals with significant mental health problems. This article focuses on their needs and the identification of those with mental health needs as seen through these four principal routes. An understanding of these four possible pathways can help to identify areas for priority action, local delivery chains and partnerships, and also highlight some of the challenges and risks in and for delivery.

In the last decade we have witnessed much debate and activity around the provision of mental health services for people with learning disabilities in England. This article looks not only at current initiatives to improve mental health care from around England, but also places them within a policy context. Unfortunately there are areas that still fail to provide a basic care standard, some of which has been reported throughout the media from recent investigations. Where this is the case, we outline the responses and actions that have been put in place to address these issues.To maintain a momentum for positive change for the mental health care of people with learning disabilities, there now needs to be cooperation between services that traditionally have not worked together for the benefit of this client group. Before an equality of mental health service provision, in line with national standards, can be realised the traditional views and values of service providers and commissioners will need to be challenged and tuned to the needs of this group of people.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how faculty staff on health and social care programmes support students with mental health issues.

The study used a qualitative survey design to gain in-depth information on faculty staff experiences. Seventy-one faculty staff at two universities in the South East of England out of an eligible population of 115 staff responded to an anonymous online questionnaire which were thematically analysed.

The findings indicated that faculty staff faced uncertainties in providing support to students with mental health needs. They reported tensions between their academic, professional and pastoral roles. There was a wide recognition that supporting students was physically and emotionally demanding for faculty staff and especially challenging when their roles and expectations were unclear. This was compounded by lack of explicit guidelines and an apparent severed connection between faculty staff and student support services.

A need for clearly defined roles and responsibilities for faculty staff in supporting students with mental health needs including a review of their pastoral role were identified. The study reinforces the need for effective collaborative arrangements and collective decision making and clearer procedures in the planning and implementation of students' personal support plans. A concerted effort into adopting a transpersonal approach which incorporates mental health staff awareness training, restorative spaces for reflection and supportive pathways for faculty staff are recommended.

This paper provides rare empirical evidence of faculty staff views on their role in supporting students with mental health needs on health and social care programmes.