HNECC PHN Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Capacity Building Project
Background to the project
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) mental health capacity building project has been funded by the Hunter New England and Central Coast PHN (HNECCPHN). The HNECCPHN's role is to undertake planning and commissioning for indigenous mental health treatment services to:
Increase service capacity of the indigenous mental health treatment sector through improved regional coordination by targeting areas of need, and
Improve the effectiveness of indigenous mental health services by increasing coordination between various sectors, and improving sector efficiency.
The project lead role has been allocated to Drug ARM Australasia, a subsidiary of the Healthy Options Australia (HOA) group. The group also includes the Mental Health Association Australia and the Australian College of Community Services.
About Healthy Options Australia
Since its inception in 1849, HOA has grown to become one of the largest providers of prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services in the areas of alcohol and other drugs and mental health in Australia. HOA provides a range of solutions for people to access relevant and timely information as well as appropriate services and support.
From a strategic standpoint, HOA is a longstanding provider of education and training, research and information management, and quality assurance services aimed at supporting organisations and professional practitioners working to better meet the needs of people experiencing mental health and substance dependency.
The Survey
This survey forms part of a number of research avenues which aim to increase the capacity of primary care clinicians / service providers (particularly General and allied health practitioners) to deliver effective, evidence-based treatment and support for meeting the needs of indigenous patients experiencing mental health issues.
The survey consists of 20 questions and takes a maximum of 10 minutes to complete.
The survey seeks to gain a better understanding of the gaps, issues and limitations GPs and allied health practitioners face every day in their practice setting, when assessing and treating indigenous patients with mental health presentations. The survey is in four parts:
Practice demographics
Assessment theory knowledge and practice (cultural competency)
Access to regional infrastructure and cross sector integration
Practitioner capacity building
Confidentiality
Any Identifiable information (e.g. email details) collected in connection with this research will be held in the strictest confidence and will only be disclosed with your permission. Your personal details will not be identifiable in the data files or published reports.
How is the data is used?
The data will be used to inform and shape the development of:
specific cross-sectoral and integrated approaches to indigenous mental health treatment services and improving coordinated care at the local level
linkages with broader health services to better support integrated treatment and referral pathways, and
evidence-based continuous professional development and quality improvement avenues and opportunities
