The Ontario Common Assesment of Need (OCAN) is a means by which the mental health system will be better able to serve individuals who access mental health services in Ontario. The intention is to offer individuals voice and choice in terms of what they see as problematic and how they believe the problem can best be resolved. The research that OCAN is built on clearly indicates three important findings:
- Meeting consumer-identified unmet needs improves outcomes (Drukker 2008, Lasalvie 2005, Slade (1998, 2005))
- Increasing agreement between consumers and staff improves outcomes (Fleury 2006, Junghan 2007, Lasalvia 2008, Leese 1998)
- Repeated reassessments improve outcomes (Knaup 2009)
As with any service offered, OCAN involves a giving up of power. An exchange of information can be viewed as a giving up of power. When you access a service you give information. This is true of simple transactions such as using a credit card to pay for coffee. Social media sites are other good examples where we trade the power of information for convenience of service. The OCAN is no different. Information is collected whenever a person has contact with the mental health system. This was true before OCAN existed and it is true even for those who chose not to participate in the assessment. However, because it is system-wide, consistent in approach, and current technologically, the information can be managed in a more secure and efficient manner.
Second, it is an assessment of need. It is not an assessment of hopes or dreams. There is the opportunity for individuals to elaborate on needs through comments and action steps present with each question. However, such elaboration will rely on the investment of time and energy on the part of the person and their supports. OCAN will allow an individual to look back and reflect on action steps and past successes. A person will be able to identify ways they have personally implemented resiliency in their life. The power truly rests in their hands with OCAN.
OCAN is built upon the Camberwell Assessment of Need. For more information on OCAN see the following links:
Community Mental Health Common Assessment Project (CMHCAP)
eLearning Overview of OCAN
eLearning Consumer Information on OCAN
eLearning Self-Assessment Information
Full OCAN
Core OCAN
Core and Self OCAN
References
Drukker, M., Van Dillen, K., Bak, M., Mengelers, R., Van Os, J., Delespaul, P. (2008) - The use of the Camberwell Assessment of Need in treatment: what unmet needs can be met? Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 43, 410-417
Fleury, M., Grenier, G., & Lesage, A. (2006) - Agreement between staff and service users concerning the clientele’s mental health needs: A Quebec study. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry , 51 (5), 281-286
Junghan, U. M., Leese, M., Priebe, S., & Slade, M. (2007) - Staff and patient perspectives on unmet need and therapeutic alliance, British Journal of Psychiatry, 191, 543-547
Knaup, C., Koesters, M., Schoefer, D., Becker, T., Puschner, B. - (2009) Effect of feedback of treatment outcome in specialist mental healthcare: meta-analysis. British Journal of Psychiatry, 195, 15–22
Lasalvia, A., Bonetto, C., Malchiodi, F., Salvi, G., Parabiaghi, A., Tansella, M., et al. (2005). - Listening to patients’ needs to improve their subjective quality of life. Psychological Medicine , 35, 1-11
Lasalvia, A., Bonetto, C., Tansella, M., Stefani, B., Ruggeri, M. (2008) - Does staff-patient agreement on needs for care predict a better mental health outcome?, Psychological Medicine, 38, 123-133
Leese, M., Johnson, S., Slade, M., Parkham, S., Kelly, F., Phelan, M., et al. (1998) - User perspective on needs and satisfaction with mental health services. British Journal of Psychiatry , 409-415
Slade, M., Leese, M., Taylor, R., & Thornicroft, G. (1999) - The association between needs and quality of life in an epidemiologially representative sample. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica , 100, 149-157
Slade, M., Leese, M., Cahill, S., Thornicroft, G., & Kuipers, E. (2005) - Patient-rated mental health needs and quality of life improvement