Assessing the Social Impact of Mental Health Service Accessibility by a Nonprofit Social Enterprise: A Mixed-Methods Case Study

The following study sought to examine the impact of a social enterprise mental health services model by assessing its influence on service accessibility and mental health stigma. A mixed-methods design was developed by collecting data from service users, counsellors, and community members of a social enterprise in Toronto, Ontario, using qualitative interviews and the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS) survey. Findings show how the social enterprise increases service access and challenges mental health stigma by engaging in a variety of activities, including providing low-cost counselling, diversifying services, offering a positive and safe non-clinical environment, and engaging with the public directly with a storefront model. An analysis of data finds common themes and discrepancies between respondent groups. Insights on the replication of this social impact assessment model are discussed.