Project Overview
Open Dialogue (OD) is considered both as a therapeutic approach to support people dealing with an acute mental health crisis and a way of organising clincal care in repsonse to the mental health crisis.
OD was first introduced as a clinical care pathway to West Cork Mental Health Service in 2012 to respond to the needs of people who experience severe and enduring mental illness.
While existing research has provided information on clinical outcomes and implementation challenges in other countries, there is a gap with regards to how OD is experienced from an Irish perspective.
By evaluating the experiences of the mental health professionals, the service user and that of their family/support worker, we aimed to obtain real insight into how OD as a recovery-orientated model is experienced.
Project Aims
The current study seeks to evaluate both the impact and implementation of Open Dialogue within the West Cork Adult Mental Health Service, from multiple points, including clients’ experiences of their care processes, that of their social network and professional team in comparison to Treatment as Usual.
Team Members Involved
Prof Ella Arensman, Eileen Williamson, Dr Anvar Sadath, Carolyn Holland and Dr Aileen Callannan