Grant: Project Grant

Among severe mental illnesses, which are responsible for 3.8% of hospital stays in Canada, schizophrenia is one of the most costly and difficult to treat. Multiple hospitalizations are common and, for many, the period of time immediately after discharge from inpatient hospitalization is one of heightened risk as they shift from a very high level of support to much less support in community settings. We propose to examine the effectiveness of a brief intervention that might better facilitate the transition into the community for people with schizophrenia - one that has in preliminary research been found feasible and associated with positive outcomes. The intervention is called the Welcome Basket. It involves Peer Support Workers (individuals with lived experience of mental illness working as supports) connecting with hospitalized individuals in the days before discharge and again in the community in the weeks immediately following discharge. The intervention involves two elements: (i) The 'Welcome Basket', which provides individuals with a small package of staple supplies and comfort items to support their move along with orientation to community resources and, (ii) environmental supports, which are items such as calendars, alarm clocks, reminders and organizers, that assist people with engaging with community activities and routines. Peers also facilitate the connecting of inpatient and outpatient clinical staff and engagement with services. Building upon initial success with implementing this approach, a test of effectiveness will be conducted. This will involve comparing the outcomes of discharge from hospital as usual with the full 6 week version of the welcome basket and a preliminary test of an abbreviated version of the intervention. Engaging in this research is an important step in determining how well this intervention works and facilitating its uptake in clinical settings where it might have an impact.