Slides S26: Co-design and creative development of the Optimal Health Program.

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By October 17, 2016 No Comments

Authors: Marco De Ieso, David Castle, Gaye Moore, Helen Wilding

Year: 2016

Event: 2016 TheMHS Conference

Subject: Neami National, St Vincents Hospital Melbourne, co-design and recovery, innovation, quality, lived experience, research & evaluation informing practice, service delivery, implementation, service systems and programs, technology, online services & information

Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers

Abstract: The Optimal Health Program was originally created from significant research within mental health and then expanded to include the general community with a focus on wellbeing rather than illness.

In 2012 the program was redesigned in collaboration with key stakeholders including consumer and educator perspectives. The framework for the redesign included 5 important elements: (1) collaborative therapy principles, (2) a psycho-educational format, (3) integrity of concepts, (4) enhancing engagement and (5) genuine collaboration between people with a broad range of experiences including lived experience of mental health and recovery.

The redesign used elements of co-design. Why co-design? To meld evidence based scientific research with lived experience from organisational, practitioner and consumer viewpoints and social determinants of health. This provides an authenticity for the Optimal Health Program to ensure its relevance and responsiveness to individual circumstances and enhances delivery. Genuine co-design creates a platform for transformational learning for all concerned.

How? We took a creative and critical approach to reviewing (1) program materials, (2) practitioner training programs, (3) e-health options, (4) promotion and marketing strategies (5) capacity building for practitioners and participants alike and (6) the diverse application of the program.

In the future development of the Optimal Health Program we will continue to build a co-design framework to engage the community in a discussion around wellbeing and what it means to the individual.

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