Preparing an integrated self-management support intervention for people living with schizophrenia: Creating collaborative spaces.

INTRODUCTION: This article describes the planning and development of a novel self-management support protocol, self-management engaging together (SET) for Health, purposefully designed and embedded within traditional case management services to be accessible to people living with schizophrenia and comorbidities. Drawing on established self-management principles, SET for Health was codesigned by researchers, healthcare providers and clients, to create a practical and meaningful intervention to support the target group to manage their own health and wellness. Decision making is described behind tailoring the self-management innovation to meet the needs of an at risk, disadvantaged group served by tertiary, public health care in Canada. METHOD: This integrated knowledge translation (IKT) study used a descriptive approach to document the process of planning and operationalizing the SET for Health intervention as a part of routine care in two community-based teams providing predominantly schizophrenia services. Diffusion of innovations literature informed planning. The setting was strategically prepared for organizational change. A situational assessment and theoretical frameworks identified contextual elements to be addressed. Existing established self-management approaches for mental illness were appraised. RESULTS: When a review of established approaches revealed incongruence with the aims and context of service delivery, common essential elements were distilled. To facilitate collaborative client-provider self-management conversations and self-management learning opportunities, core components were operationalized by the use of tailored interactive tools. The materials coproduced by clients and providers offered joint reference tools, foundational for capacity-building and recognition of progress. CONCLUSION: Planning and developing a model of self-management support for integration into traditional schizophrenia case management services required attention to the complex social ecological nature of the treatment approach and the workplace context. Demonstration of proof of concept is described in a separate paper.