We are delighted to announce that Adstac and the CaFI study are having there very first joint launch event in London! This event will give you a chance to learn more about both studies and how you can get involved both directly and indirectly.

We encourage health professionals and community groups to attend this special event as we believe it could be very beneficial for service users and their families.

Food will be provided and space to network with other community groups and health professionals.

What is AdStAC?

The Advance Statements Project for Black African and Caribbean People is a research project on getting Advance Choice Documents (ACDs) to work for Black African and Caribbean service users who have previously been detained under the Mental Health Act, their carers and mental health staff.

AdStAC aims to work directly with these groups to create a process of completing and using advance choice documents that is acceptable and workable for all service users, their carers and mental health staff. This is with the aim of reducing involuntary detention under the Mental Health Act, reducing coercive care, to empower Black service users and to ensure effective implementation of the new Mental Health Act.

What is CaFI?

Culturally adapted Family Intervention also known as ‘CaFI’ is a multi-site randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a family intervention for African and Caribbean service users with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder and their families. People of African and/or Caribbean origin (including people who identify as Black British, Black African, Black Caribbean or Mixed heritage) are more likely to have schizophrenia or psychosis than other ethnic groups in the UK.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends talking therapies, like family intervention, to treat schizophrenia and psychosis. However, Sub-Saharan African and Caribbean people, including people of Mixed heritage, are not usually offered talking therapies.

A research team led by Professor Dawn Edge at The University of Manchester pilot-tested a new talking therapy, Culturally-adapted Family Intervention (CaFI), with Caribbean families. People diagnosed with schizophrenia, and their family members, liked CaFI. They thought it helped them better cope with the illness. However, the study was too small to see if the therapy really works.

Based on this work, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has funded a larger-scale study to see whether CaFI can help people diagnosed with schizophrenia/psychosis and their families. This time, there are two main differences:

CaFI was originally for families of Caribbean origin only. Now, people of Sub-Saharan African and Caribbean heritage can take part. This includes people who identify as Black British or Mixed heritage.The previous study was delivered in Manchester only. This time, the new study will be open to people in the north-west, Midlands, south-west and London.

This is a ground-breaking study that requires support from community groups and those working with this population, thus, we would really appreciate you coming along to learn more about CaFI and to check out how you may be able to help.