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Parents' perspectives on quality in family support programs.
S E Herman1, M O Marcenko, K L Hazel
1Michigan Department of Mental Health, Lansing 48913, USA.
Journal of Mental Health Administration
|April 1, 1996
Summary
Parents of individuals with developmental disabilities prioritize information access, empowerment, and staff relationships in support programs. They value these factors more than formal accreditation criteria for quality services.
Area of Science:
- Family Support Services
- Developmental Disabilities
- Mental Health Systems
Background:
- Family empowerment is central to support services for families with members having developmental disabilities.
- Parents and staff face challenges in achieving meaningful parental participation in program development and evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors parents consider essential for quality family support programs.
- To compare parents' perspectives with existing theoretical frameworks for program quality.
Main Methods:
- Utilized nominal group techniques to gather parent input on quality factors.
- Compared parent-identified quality factors with a theoretical quality framework.
Main Results:
- Parents emphasized access to information, adherence to empowerment principles, and positive interpersonal relationships with staff.
- Parents placed less importance on factors typically included in accreditation criteria.
Conclusions:
- Parental priorities for support services differ from traditional accreditation standards.
- Effective family support programs should focus on information, empowerment, and relational aspects.