Developing a Mental Health Strategy for your Organisation

Developing a Mental Health Strategy for your Organisation

Below is the start of a template you may wish to use.

Vision

To maintain good mental health through promotional activities which focus on educating staff and students about mental health. Preventing mental disorders from developing by targeting specific high risk groups by providing support services to assist in the prodromal stage. Encouraging early intervention through education of staff and members of the organisation  in recognising the signs and symptoms of a developing mental health problem. Providing staff and members of the organisation with the training they need to intervene early and successfully.

Strategic Objectives

External

  1. Strengthening relationships with external providers of care including developing MoU.
  2. Establish clear agreements with the CAT Team regarding the release of residential members of the organisation back into the community after hospitalisation or assessment.
  3. Establish clear operational responses for residential communities as to the process of supporting outpatients of mental health wards after hospitalisation or assessment.

Staff & Members of the organisation

  1. Provide access to the right combination of services, treatments and supports, when and where people need them. (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2013)
  2. Promote the mental health of the community and, where possible, prevent the development of mental disorders. (AIHW, 2013)
  3. Support staff and members of the organisation who are dealing with a developing or developed illness and their friends/supervisors/colleagues/classmates
  4. Gather better data to help drive policy initiatives around mental health strategy.
  5. Increase access to information and mental health services, treatments and supports in diverse languages. (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2012)
  6. Develop a culture that supports staff to recogniser early signs of mental health problems in both staff and members of the organisation and assist in getting the right help. (Department of Defence, 2012)
  7. Improve mental health literacy and training in early intervention through Mental Health First Aid Courses (Kitchener, Jorm, & Kelly, 2010) and more regular forums to normalise help seeking behaviour.

Action Plan

  1. Ensure Mental Health First Aid training is incorporated into all leadership training programs from members of the organisation through to staff. This can help reduce the stigma associated with seeking help or talking about MH problems with fellow members of the organisation or supervisors.
  2. Provide clear information about the process of seeking help for members of the organisation/staff which would include discussing the barriers and ways to overcome them.
  3. Make greater use of later year psychology students requiring placement
  4. Create and strengthen existing environments which support social functioning such as Virtual Halls, Social Sports.
  5. Assess any barriers to staff attending information forums and mental health literacy programs.
  6. Ensure change processes are managed effectively and reduce stress and anxiety through clear communication

1.     Promotion

Promoting positive health incorporating physical, emotional and mental health. Any activities which maximise mental health and wellbeing among populations and individuals. (Department of Health, 2000)

What we do well?

What needs improvement?

What are we missing?

2.     Prevention

Specific targeting of high risk groups through education and activities. Prevention refers to interventions that occur before the initial onset of a disorder to prevent the development of the disorder. (Department of Health, 2000)

What we do well?

What needs improvement?

What are we missing?

 

3.     Early Intervention

Incorporating supportive environments for staff and members of the organisation.

Early intervention comprises interventions that are appropriate for and specifically target people displaying the early signs and symptoms of a mental health problem or mental disorder, and people developing or experiencing a first episode of mental disorder. (Department of Health, 2000)

What we do well?

  • Improving access and pathways to care
  • Developing peer support networks for staff/members of the organisation
  • Training for all front line staff in recognising the signs of a developing mental health problem
  • Provide access to the right combination of services, treatments and supports, when and where people need them (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2012)
  • Coordination of services both internal and external

What needs improvement?

What are we missing?

Provide training to supervisors and staff in supporting the return to work of employees with depression or anxiety. Resources to support this training are already available from Beyond Blue. (Blue, 2013)

Relevant Documentation

  
  
  
  
  
  

 

Bibliography

AIHW. (2013). National mental health policies. Retrieved June 26, 2013, from Mental Health Services in Australia: http://mhsa.aihw.gov.au/national-policies/

Blue, B. (2013). Supporting the return to work of employees with depression and anxiety. Retrieved May 20, 2013, from Beyond Blue: https://www.bspg.com.au/dam/bsg/product?client=BEYONDBLUE&prodid=BL/0366&type=file

Department of Defence. (2012). Joint Health Command. Retrieved June 26, 2013, from Department of Defence: http://www.defence.gov.au/health/dmh/i-dmhs.htm

Department of Health. (2000). Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention for Mental Health – A Monograph. Retrieved from Commonwealth Department of Health and aged Care : http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/A32F66862E8894ABCA25723E00175229/$File/prommon.pdf

Kitchener, B., Jorm, A., & Kelly, C. (2010). Mental Health First Aid (Youth Version). Melbourne.

Mental Health Commission of Canada. (2012). Changing Directions, Changing Lines: The Mental Health Strategy For Canada. Calgary, Canada.

Mental Health Commission of Canada. (2013). The Mental Health Strategy for Canada. Retrieved June 26, 2013, from Change.org: http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/the-mental-health-strategy-for-canada