정신건강문제가 있는 클라이언트를 위한 사회복지기관의 서비스 제공과정 연구: 사회복지사의 현장체험을 바탕으로

초록

The purpose of the study is to reveal the difficulties experienced by social work practitioners as they attempt to serve low income clients with mental health problems, and to brainstorm directions for service improvement. Focus group interviews were conducted with eighteen practitioners who had been recruited from four types of agencies serving economically vulnerable population (i.e., Gu case manager, Dong social welfare officer, community welfare agency home care staff, community workfare center staff). The interview sessions were transcribed and analyzed via Nvivo2, a computerized analysis program for qualitative date. Revealed were the following themes: (1) the prevalence of diverse mental health problems and unfavorable life situations of the clientele; (2) the burden laid upon social welfare agencies of meeting their mental health service needs; and (3) the need for a system of care to meet sufficiently the complex needs of the clientele. The authors recommended to improve the ability of practitioners as the first contact point to recognize mental health problems, include a wider spectrum of recipients and service modality into the current community mental health system, and locate mental health staffs in social welfare agencies.

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