A framework for a community-based programme for people with mental illness and their families in a rural setting

ABSTRACT While community-based programmes have gained recognition as an effective mental health intervention to improve the well-being and promote quality of life, their implementation remains a challenge. This is attributable to lack of necessary skills amongst professionals who have a responsibility to establish and manage these programmes. This article provides a framework for social workers to develop and implement community-based programmes for rural people with mental illness and their families. The framework was developed from an in-depth literature review and a comprehensive empirical study into the factors that influence the functioning and well-being of people with mental illness and their families at Mashashane, a rural community in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The article argues that incorporating community inputs in the development of a framework ensures the relevance of the interventions to the identified needs and increases the likelihood of community acceptance.