Borderline Personality Disorder and Interagency Response

Abstract

Objective: People with borderline personality disorder (BPD) confront multiple agencies with behaviours that are often alarming and bewildering. However, different service providers appear to respond to the same patient population in different ways. We aimed to explore the emotional reactions, concerns and beliefs related to working with the person with BPD by health and non-health related agencies. Method: A specifically designed questionnaire was completed by different agencies prior to their receiving educational training on an organizational and community-based model of care for people with BPD. Results: Police believed that people with BPD are best medicated and hospitalized until they are no longer suicidal. A universal human response was noted as was support for interagency collaboration. Conclusions: Different agencies respond in different ways towards people with BPD. These differences reflect ideological splits between agency groups.