The Participation of Mental Health Service Users in Ontario, Canada: A Canadian Application of the Consumer Participation Questionnaire

Background: Ontario mental health policy calls for the participation of service users in mental health organizations, but no studies have examined the extent to which this is occurring. Aims: This study measures the extent to which service users participate in Ontario, Canada community mental health organizations and measures the attitudes toward service user participation in planning and in employment. Methods: Members of the Ontario Federation of Community Mental Health and Addictions Programs were invited to participate in a modified form of the Consumer Participation Questionnaire, created by Kent and Read (1998) for New Zealand. Results: Participation in Ontario community mental health organizations was present in this order: planning, membership on boards of directors, attendance at staff training, policy, staff hiring, and teaching at staff training. Compared with New Zealand, the prevalence of participation was higher in Ontario, but attitudes toward participation were similar. The role with the highest prevalence of participation, planning, was the same for both locations. Conclusions: An updated New Zealand study is called for, as is a more continuous method that includes various voices for measuring participation.