Consumer Quality Initiatives

Consumer Quality Initiatives (CQI) is a mental health consumer operated research, evaluation and quality improvement organization based in Massachusetts A primary activity of CQI is to conduct personal interviews and focus groups with people with disabilities and/or their family members using semi-structured surveys and interview guides, leading to in-depth data-driven reports. CQI utilizes a Community-based Participatory Action Research framework, with an emphasis on protocols that are designed to impact policy and practice directly. CQI also consults locally and nationally on achieving significant involvement of consumers in the "change" process to promote mental health systems transformation and quality improvement.

Read about Research at CQI


	CQI's young adult research trainees recently presented the data from its project: "Desired Qualities of Mentors for Young Adults" Moving Towards Independence: The Perspectives of Group Home Residents This is a Mass. DMH funded report where CQI conducted qualitative interviews with 27 people living in DMH-funded privately-operated group homes. Included in the report are findings and practice recommendations. Developing the DMH Research Agenda- Stakeholder Focus Groups This report is a collaborative effort of CQI and Dougherty Management Associates. Statewide consumer research priorities are listed hrein, as well as many current mental health reearch projects taking place in Massachusetts. Our thanks to Mass. DMH for financial support and to Medical Director Mary Ellen Foti for her consistent support of community-driven mental health research. _______________________ Do you see a psychiatrist who prescribes medication(s) for you? If you do, we invite you to take this very important survey. CQI is making a strong effort to better understand how mental health consumers participate in making medication decisions with their psychiatrist, and how they would prefer to participate. This survey is gather that information without taking too much of your time. The results of this survey will be used to inform all policy makers, providers, and community members about psychiatric medication decision making. On June 25th, CQI and DMH co-sponsored a policy summit: Shared Decision Making in Mental Health Services: First Steps towards a Statewide Approach. Close to 100 people attended. Videos of speakers, photos, and a White Paper to follow on this website. This Policy Summit is the first of several being funded by a 2008 Robert Wood Johnson Communtiy Health Leadership award to Jonathan Delman . See RWJ produced video See Boston Globe coverage: "Man Battles own Mental Illness, wins Leadership Prize" Photovoice Young Adult Project Read More....


	New Report on the Frequent Use of Psychiatric Emergency Services One year ago, CQI director Jon Delman presented the "10 Things I've learned about Mental Health [in Massachusetts] in 10 years at CQI". We are also placing this document on our Facebook page, so feel free to disucss there. Examining the Role of the Peer Specialist Working at a Day Treatment Program This report was completed for the Mass. Behavioral Health Partnership, based on interviews with consumers attending day programs with a peer component. We also make recommendations for future consideration. Consumer-Led Evaluation Teams:A Peer-Led Approach to Assessing Consumer Experiences with Mental Health Services CQI recently prepared a report for National Empowerment Center on best practices in consumer-run evaluation organizations. The report examines current consumer-run evaluation teams, identifies their core and innovative features, and presents recommendations for those planning to start a consumer-led evaluation team. Recent CQI Publications: R. Beinecke and J. Delman (2008) Commentary: Client Involvement in Public Administration Research and Evaluation. The Public Sector Innovation Journal vol. 13, no. 1. J. Delman and A. Lincoln (2009) Service Users as Paid Research Workers: Principles for Active Involvement and Good Practice Guidance in Handbook of Service User Involvement in Mental Health Research (J. Wallcraft, M. Amering, B. Schrank John Wiley and Sons), Indianapolis, IN