Authors: Vanessa Hamilton, Jay Court, Heidi Sturk, Muriel Cummins, Neil Turton-Lane & Malitha Perera
Year: 2023
Event: 2023 The MHS conference - Adelaide
Subject: Connections & Person Centred Care
Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers
Abstract:
Presentation 1: Online not in line: Blending in-person with online therapy to democratise access to care.
Authors: Vanessa Hamilton & Jay Court
Abstract
Two government-funded services, Head to Health Canberra, and THIS WAY UP, have collaborated on an innovative hybrid or ‘blended’ therapy stream that offers an alternative approach to service delivery. By extending access to treatment and empowering consumers to take a proactive role in their own recovery this service model is an example of what’s working in practice to improve the right to access services.
The program combines in-person counselling sessions with prescribed THIS WAY UP online mental health treatment programs. Consumers enjoy the flexibility, affordability and accessibility provided by the online programs and clinicians remain key to the process.
This innovative program requires lower intensity clinical staff resourcing. The typical participant requires only four in-person sessions in addition to the digital intervention, to see substantial clinical gains, with good consumer satisfaction at the completion of the intervention. Blended care is synergistic; clients experience improved outcomes when they receive both in-person counseling and digital interventions.
The blended therapy model demonstrates system innovation using services that are available now. This model can be scaled across a variety of services to allow more Australians to access affordable, evidence-based mental health treatment.
Learning Objective
Technology-enhanced practice is a highly scalable model of care that democratises care, ensuring those who are underserved get improved access to treatment.
We can democratise mental health care and heal the health system by making better use of the services and interventions we already have.
References
Hobbs MJ, Mahoney AEJ, Andrews G. Integrating iCBT for generalized anxiety disorder into routine clinical practice: Treatment effects across the adult lifespan. Journal of Anxiety Disorders. 2017; 51: 47-54.
Mahoney, A. E., Elders, A., Li, I., David, C., Haskelberg, H., Guiney, H., & Millard, M. (2021). A tale of two countries: Increased uptake of digital mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and New Zealand. Internet Interventions, 25, 100439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2021.100439
Presentation 2: Finding human connection through digital mental health support options.
Author: Heidi Sturk
Abstract
Digital mental health services are becoming a key component of mental health service delivery. These services can be utilised for information, prevention, assessment, diagnosis, counselling, and treatment purposes. They also complement face-to-face therapies, free up care providers to assist those with more complex needs, provide treatment for those on waiting lists, and flexibly respond to increased demand.
Fostering digital transformation of mental health care to increase access and impact is admirable, however there is still a very strong need for human connection in mental health support. Can digital options still provide this? Digital mental health can sometimes seem like an impersonal concept. Yet it doesn’t need to be. We utilise technology successfully in many aspects of our lives and we can do this with mental health support as well.
We know that human connection is so important for wellbeing and good mental health. Digital mental health utilises technology to provide connection as part of evidence-based options for mental health support. The majority of these services have a strong human connection component, for example – online counselling services, moderated forums, phone lines and online programs with practitioner guidance. And many of the self-guided programs and reputable apps promote connection with others and can also be part of a broader wellbeing or treatment plan from a health practitioner or support person.
This presentation will outline how to find Australian digital mental health services that provide free practitioner or peer support. It will provide examples of different types of services and a generic case scenario will be presented to demonstrate how human connection can be found through the use of digital options.
Learning Objective
Understanding how to find human connect and support through digital mental health options
References
Very happy to provide references if required but doing this from airport lounge
Presentation 3: Occupational therapists and NDIS participants with psychosocial disability co-design person-centred care-planning.
Authors: Muriel Cummins, Neil Turton-Lane & Malitha Perera
Abstract
Introduction
Evidence indicates that people with psychosocial disability experience better outcomes and feel included in developing care-plans, when their supports are structured through a process of collaborative, participant-led care planning. This process is particularly beneficial where the person experiences complex support needs alongside psychosocial disability, and has multiple care-providers simultaneously supporting them.. There are barriers to creating meaningful support and capacity building in the NDIS context, as multiple organizations, clinical and NDIS providers and relatively new roles (e.g. recovery coach, support coordinator) each separately establish service agreements directly with the participant, which can lead to role-overlap, role-confusion, and duplication or omission of supports.
Methodology
The NDIS Occupational Therapy Community of Practice, in collaboration with NDIS participants, established a series of focus groups to explore strategies that enhance care-planning and capacity building while enhancing the consumer experience.
Outcomes
Key principles that can understanding optimal, collaborative care-planning were identified. Examples of best practice in care-planning were described by contributors,. The role of care-planning was viewed as integral to supporting capacity-building for participants.
Learning Objective
The key learning objective is to understand the potential for collaborative, person-centred care-planning in enabling capacity building and goal-oriented care with NDIS participants who live with psychosocial disability.
References
Gilchrist, David, Person Centred Planning within the NDIS: Current Limitations—Prospective Opportunities (June 2017). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3571098 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3571098
Mroz TM, Pitonyak JS, Fogelberg D, Leland NE. Client Centeredness and Health Reform: Key Issues for Occupational Therapy. Am J Occup Ther. 2015 Sep-Oct;69(5):6905090010p1-8. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2015.695001. PMID: 26356651; PMCID: PMC4564793.
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