The Dilemma Of Social Support In Welfare Triangle

The research is an exploratory and descriptive study of the social support dilemma of hospitalized patients with psychosis. Based on the concept of the welfare triangle and social support theory, medical system, family support and social welfare supply are considered as an interconnected triangle, which is the social support source of hospitalized patients with psychosis. From the three aspects, this study explored the following questions. First, what obstacles or dilemma are having in the social support of hospitalized psychiatric patients which come from the welfare triangle. Second, what help does the intervention of social work have to this dilemma. The research used literature, participant observation and non-participant observation, depth interviews for collecting and analyzing data.The research has the following major findings. The problems of "user charge", drug-based treatment philosophy and staff shortages in the medical system add to the difficulties of financial support and member caring in the family. It is the public stigma in society and the patient’s own stigma that cause they too afraid the vision of the public to apply proper health insurance, and it increased economic pressure on families. The problems of medical insurance in social welfare supply and the shortage of community service lead to the troubles of member caring in family and the staff shortages in hospital increased in some degree. The matter in the medical system, family support and social welfare supply, these three lays are influenced and restricted each other and reduced the social support to mental patients as a whole which come from the welfare triangle. In order to alleviate such dilemma, social work could play a role in the following aspects. First, the idea of social work could produce an effect on the treatment of psychiatric orientation. Second, provide some social work practice service. Third, demand and promote the social welfare of the mental patients. The above aspects play an important role in ease the plight of social support of mental patients in welfare triangle. The results of this study have significant advancement for the development of mental health and enacting and improving the related social policy. This paper attests to the necessity of the involvement of social work in mental health. Some concrete policy suggestions on mental health social work were discussed in the last part of the dissertation.