Authors: Katrina Davis, Andrew Ellery
Year: 2017
Event: 2017 TheMHS Conference
Subject: Promotion, Prevention, Early Intervention,Wellbeing,Community, Culture, Society
Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers
Abstract: Living Well: A Strategic Plan for Mental Health in NSW 2014 – 2024 sets out that policy and programs in NSW should be assessed for their impact on the wellbeing of the community. Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment (MWIA) methodology is used to assess whether government and non-government agencies’ policies, programs, projects and proposals have a negative or positive impact on the population in terms of wellbeing. MWIA uses Health Impact Assessment methods but focuses on the factors that are known to promote and protect mental well-being: enhancing control; increasing resilience and community assets; and facilitating participation and inclusion. It asks policy-makers and program-designers to consider the structural determinants of wellbeing and identify population groups that might be particularly impacted by an initiative. The Mental Health Commission of NSW has been working with a range of government and non-government partners to build capacity in implementing the MWIA tool in NSW. iCare have worked with the Commission to test the MWIA on projects designed to improve outcomes for injured workers.
Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives 1: To be introduced to the science of wellbeing and the outcomes of a capacity building program in NSW in using the Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment methodology.
Learning Objectives 2: To understand the importance of the mental health sector working with partners across government and the community in using human-centred design and planning.
References
Cooke, A., Friedli, L., Coggins, T., Edmonds, N., Michaelson, J., O’Hara, K., Snowden, L., Stansfield, J., Steuer, N., Scott-Samuel, A. (2011). Mental Well-being Impact Assessment. A toolkit for wellbeing. 3rd ed., London: National MWIA Collaborative
Mental Health Commission of NSW. (nd). Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment. https://wbcnsw.net/mental-wellbeing-impact-assessment/
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