Shaping better mental health services through research
As our research and policy arm, the Centre for Better Relationships continued to be instrumental in shaping our approach to mental health service delivery by deepening our insights into the current social issues impacting Australians.
Through our research projects, we’ve identified key opportunities for service enhancement while addressing urgent community needs.
Our work focused on five such projects this year, which has set a strong foundation for our future priorities and continued impact.
Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) Project
This ongoing project gathers insights from older people, families, and staff in Residential Aged Care Facilities. The project plan was revised to make the project less burdensome for RACFs and participants. Efforts began to build relationships with RACFs to facilitate data collection. The findings will inform recommendations for improving support for older people as they transition into residential aged care.
Psychosocial Models of Care
An internal background paper was completed outlining the context of suicide in Australia and the role of Psychosocial Models of Care.
Evaluating Psychosocial Models of Care
We evaluated the impact of a Psychosocial Model of Care in responding to suicide crises. We used a validated tool to measure the functioning and recovery of clients in the HOPE program. The findings provide evidence for the positive impact of supporting people’s psychosocial needs following a suicide attempt or serious ideation. The findings are currently under review.
HOPE CALD Journey Mapping
We conducted a journey mapping activity to understand the experiences of clients from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities when accessing the HOPE program. By identifying barriers to providing effective support to CALD clients, the goal is to make the program more inclusive and effective. The findings are currently under review.
Evaluation of the Children’s Contact Service (CCS)
This ongoing project evaluates the Children’s Contact Service by examining the children’s experience and identifying barriers and enablers from both parents’ perspectives to enhance service delivery. Discussions were held with relevant BPA staff about the implementation of the project, with future revisions to the approach required.