Distress Brief Intervention Pilot Programme evaluation: findings report

Conclusions

Overall, DBI has proved to be successful in offering support to those in distress. Most individuals received a compassionate and practical response that contributed to their ability to manage and reduce their distress in the short, and for some, in the longer term. This is particularly encouraging as the rationale for the development of DBI was a recognition that previous services did not meet the needs of many people, which could lead them to feel let down, vulnerable or at risk.

A key strength of DBI is its flexibility to be tailored to the individual, thus meeting the needs of a wide range of individuals in distress who present with an array of different characteristics, life circumstances and problems. However, while DBI met the needs of many, it worked less well for some.

While not originally envisaged as a core component of DBI, the role of DBI Central in coordinating services, facilitating effective and efficient inter-and intra-agency networking, enabling open communication, information sharing, and problem-solving was an essential component of the DBI programme's success.

The impact of DBI on the wider service system seems to be largely positive. Level 1 and Level 2 practitioners, who took part in the evaluation agreed that DBI provides a more effective way for services to respond to people in distress and that DBI has improved integrated working across frontline services, however, consideration should also be given to ensure connectivity between other community services, ensuring capacity and demand.