Evaluation of Personal Assistance Services for People with Mental Illness

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Project Duration: 02 May 2024 - 31.10.2026

The "Directive on the Harmonisation of Personal Assistance" has been in place since March 2023, which specifies an expansion of the target group and uniform employment with permanent contracts for personal assistants. As a result, Assistenz24 successfully submitted a lighthouse project to the Light into Darkness Innovation Fund in order to be able to offer personal assistance to the target group of "people with mental illness". Personal assistance for people with mental illnesses" is a supplementary service for Vienna and is intended to relieve the existing system. An accompanying evaluation is crucial to ensure that the project not only achieves its defined goals, but is also implemented in line with the requirements and expectations of the target groups.

Eine öffentliche Hängematte in einem Wiener Park, im Hintergrund mit Rindenmulch bedeckter Boden

The aim of the accompanying evaluation is to scientifically accompany and support the development and implementation of the project in the sense of a process-orientated approach. The accompanying research therefore follows a formative design in which central project goals are systematically empirically analysed at three survey points in time - namely in June 2024, June 2025 and June 2026. As a central element, the process monitoring systematically incorporates feedback loops for adaptations during project development and implementation in order to support the continuous development of a realisable and practical concept for all groups of people involved. Methodologically, the accompanying research follows a qualitative, multi-method design in which document analyses, expert interviews, problem-centred interviews and focus groups are used. The analysis is based on the Evaluative Qualitative Content Analysis according to Kuckartz (Kuckartz 2012).

Research Goals

Review of target group-specific goals, needs and expectations at the survey dates of June 2024, June 2025 and June 2026
Evaluation of the training concept for the personal assistants with regard to the actual work in the project
Recording the impact of the project on the quality of life and self-determination of the assistance recipients