Outreach 321 Pediatric 88tal Health Literacy: Improving Library Service Delivery and Integration of Resources

This project proposes to develop a mental health literacy program designed for the pediatric patients in a crisis center in Florida. This program will use four tracks of bibliotherapy texts to deliver personalized bibliotherapy services to build mental health literacy skills Cannon, 2018. Research suggests that integrating books into therapy can reduce treatment costs, increase the effectiveness of therapy, decrease time spent in treatment and the stigma associated with it, provide access to therapeutic services for those who would not be able to afford them, and empower consumers with a sense of control over their treatment and condition Shereff, Palmer, & Cannon, 2017. Furthermore, curating a collection of resources that could positively contribute to an individuals mental health literacy MHL increases their knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders, which help in their recognition, management, or prevention Jorm et al., 1997. This proposal is modeled on the DACCO Library that and this proposal for pediatric residents will offer similar services by helping them find bibliotherapy texts related to their mental health condition and related issues and by then helping the 86 and teenagers search for new information using the mental health reference services offered by the grant project librarians. These services, which will also be developed in collaboration with the mental health professionals at the facility, will be designed to increase access to mental health and health literacy resources and encourage a more ecological approach to their health information seeking behaviors. The grant project team anticipates that, similar to the data from the DACCO Library project, the pediatric residents will have better health outcomes through increased general literacy, health literacy skills, mental health literacy skills, and empathy as a result of the library services funded through this grant Shereff, Palmer, & Cannon, 2017; Walkup & Cannon, 2017.

Project Details

Organization Name

University of South Florida

Organization Type
Academic institution
Project Lead

Natalie Taylor

Location
Florida
Start Date
May 1, 2019
End Date
April 30, 2020
Funding Amount
$2245
Demographics
General Public