Partnership solutions to mental health education and training in Geraldton

Evidence suggests rural partnership models provide an opportunity to build local capacity to promote mental wellness and implement a myriad of early intervention strategies.  These partnerships sometimes develop integrated systems of coordination between treatment programs, support agencies and education providers (Sawyer & Moreines, 1995).  In rural areas, the first priority for partnerships is often to increase the understanding of primary health care providers (and other human service workers) as first-level mental health workers (Fuller et al 2004),   
This was certainly the case in Geraldton, where CUCRH and the Midwest Health Service facilitated a multi-sectoral group in 2005 to address mental health education and training needs and broker solutions.  The cornerstone of this project was to build local capacity to promote mental health and wellbeing through community based programs; to build knowledge and skill focussing on early intervention and attitudinal change; and to develop education and training partnerships through a community coalition.
The needs assessment and group process resulted in a number of successes, including the establishment of:

• “Mental Health First Aid” training and education – based on a ‘train the trainer model - which primarily focuses on mental health promotion and well-being whilst identifying early interventions, targeting a range of health and human service providers and members of the community;
• a Graduate Certificate and Post Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing to be delivered through Geraldton Universities Centre;
• nationally accredited and non-accredited courses in mental health delivered through Central West TAFE; and,
• community networks and partnerships that continue to promote mental wellness strategies and support families and carers of people suffering mental illness.

For more information about the Partnership Solutions or other CUCRH activity in mental health education and training, contact Jan Hall or Peter Shaw.

Sawyer DA and Moreines SF. 1995. Model For Rural Children’s Mental Health Services. Administration and Policy in Mental Health, vol.22, no. 6.

Fuller J, Edwards J, Martinez L and Edwards, B. 2004. Collaboration and local networks for rural and remote primary mental healthcare in South Australia. Health and Social Care in the Community 12:75-84.