Reducing the Long-Term Impact of Natural Disasters on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Children
Tracks
Royal Poinciana Room
| Tuesday, March 21, 2023 |
| 1:40 PM - 2:00 PM |
Overview
Michael Curtin & Tracey Parnell, Charles Sturt University & Sarah Eagland, Royal Far West
Speaker
Michael Curtin
Head Of School
Charles Sturt University
Reducing the Long-Term Impact of Natural Disasters on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Children
Abstract
Background: The 2019/2020 bushfires affected thousands of children and families across rural and regional NSW. To mitigate the impact of the bushfires on the mental health and well-being of children and build capacity among families and teachers to support children to adjust post-bushfire Royal Far West implemented a two-phase multidisciplinary Bushfire Recovery Program. The Program involved in-community psycho-educational groups for children and workshops for teachers and parents from 11 impacted NSW regions. In addition, children identified as requiring further support were offered individual occupational therapy, psychology, and/or speech pathology telecare interventions.
Method: Phase 1 was conducted within 18 months post-bushfire to address short- and medium-term impacts. Phase 2 was implemented two years post-bushfire to address long-term impacts. The Program was evaluated using a mixed methods approach. This included statistical and deductive thematic analysis of data collected using validated measures of resilience and coping, purpose-designed surveys, tools to measure outcomes of discipline-specific telecare interventions, and interviews.
Findings: The findings of Phase 1 indicated the Program had a positive impact on children’s mental health and well-being. The groups enabled children to develop coping strategies to facilitate engagement in day-to-day activities and parent/teacher workshops provided adults with strategies to support children. Phase 2 preliminary findings suggest the Program continues to have a positive impact and that this impact has been sustained despite many children being exposed to additional natural disaster events.
Conclusion: Multidisciplinary, in-community, and follow-up telehealth interventions for children, and workshops for adults reduce the long-term impact of a natural disaster event on children’s mental health and well-being. Natural disasters are predicted to increase in both frequency and intensity in Australia, and effective programs like the Bushfire Recovery Program will play an important role in enhancing children’s mental health and well-being and decreasing the likelihood of long-term adverse reactions to natural disasters.
Method: Phase 1 was conducted within 18 months post-bushfire to address short- and medium-term impacts. Phase 2 was implemented two years post-bushfire to address long-term impacts. The Program was evaluated using a mixed methods approach. This included statistical and deductive thematic analysis of data collected using validated measures of resilience and coping, purpose-designed surveys, tools to measure outcomes of discipline-specific telecare interventions, and interviews.
Findings: The findings of Phase 1 indicated the Program had a positive impact on children’s mental health and well-being. The groups enabled children to develop coping strategies to facilitate engagement in day-to-day activities and parent/teacher workshops provided adults with strategies to support children. Phase 2 preliminary findings suggest the Program continues to have a positive impact and that this impact has been sustained despite many children being exposed to additional natural disaster events.
Conclusion: Multidisciplinary, in-community, and follow-up telehealth interventions for children, and workshops for adults reduce the long-term impact of a natural disaster event on children’s mental health and well-being. Natural disasters are predicted to increase in both frequency and intensity in Australia, and effective programs like the Bushfire Recovery Program will play an important role in enhancing children’s mental health and well-being and decreasing the likelihood of long-term adverse reactions to natural disasters.
Biography
Michael Curtin and Tracey Parnell are occupational therapists who work at Charles Sturt University in the School of Allied Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences. They are involved in the evaluation of the Royal Far West Bushfire Recovery Program and committed to exploring the impact allied health professionals, including occupational therapists, can have in all phases of disaster management. Sarah Eagland is a social worker and Head of Community Services, Royal Far West. She co-lead and co-developed, and works as a member of the multidisciplinary team on, the Bushfire Recovery Program.
Sarah Eagland
Head of Community Recovery
Royal Far West
Reducing the Long-Term Impact of Natural Disasters on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Children
Abstract
Background: The 2019/2020 bushfires affected thousands of children and families across rural and regional NSW. To mitigate the impact of the bushfires on the mental health and well-being of children and build capacity among families and teachers to support children to adjust post-bushfire Royal Far West implemented a two-phase multidisciplinary Bushfire Recovery Program. The Program involved in-community psycho-educational groups for children and workshops for teachers and parents from 11 impacted NSW regions. In addition, children identified as requiring further support were offered individual occupational therapy, psychology, and/or speech pathology telecare interventions.
Method: Phase 1 was conducted within 18 months post-bushfire to address short- and medium-term impacts. Phase 2 was implemented two years post-bushfire to address long-term impacts. The Program was evaluated using a mixed methods approach. This included statistical and deductive thematic analysis of data collected using validated measures of resilience and coping, purpose-designed surveys, tools to measure outcomes of discipline-specific telecare interventions, and interviews.
Findings: The findings of Phase 1 indicated the Program had a positive impact on children’s mental health and well-being. The groups enabled children to develop coping strategies to facilitate engagement in day-to-day activities and parent/teacher workshops provided adults with strategies to support children. Phase 2 preliminary findings suggest the Program continues to have a positive impact and that this impact has been sustained despite many children being exposed to additional natural disaster events.
Conclusion: Multidisciplinary, in-community, and follow-up telehealth interventions for children, and workshops for adults reduce the long-term impact of a natural disaster event on children’s mental health and well-being. Natural disasters are predicted to increase in both frequency and intensity in Australia, and effective programs like the Bushfire Recovery Program will play an important role in enhancing children’s mental health and well-being and decreasing the likelihood of long-term adverse reactions to natural disasters.
Method: Phase 1 was conducted within 18 months post-bushfire to address short- and medium-term impacts. Phase 2 was implemented two years post-bushfire to address long-term impacts. The Program was evaluated using a mixed methods approach. This included statistical and deductive thematic analysis of data collected using validated measures of resilience and coping, purpose-designed surveys, tools to measure outcomes of discipline-specific telecare interventions, and interviews.
Findings: The findings of Phase 1 indicated the Program had a positive impact on children’s mental health and well-being. The groups enabled children to develop coping strategies to facilitate engagement in day-to-day activities and parent/teacher workshops provided adults with strategies to support children. Phase 2 preliminary findings suggest the Program continues to have a positive impact and that this impact has been sustained despite many children being exposed to additional natural disaster events.
Conclusion: Multidisciplinary, in-community, and follow-up telehealth interventions for children, and workshops for adults reduce the long-term impact of a natural disaster event on children’s mental health and well-being. Natural disasters are predicted to increase in both frequency and intensity in Australia, and effective programs like the Bushfire Recovery Program will play an important role in enhancing children’s mental health and well-being and decreasing the likelihood of long-term adverse reactions to natural disasters.
Biography
With 25 years of experience working in the areas of Adult and Child Mental Health, Sarah has enjoyed the challenge of designing and leading the delivery of a new multidisciplinary service model to help children and their families recover from the devastating impact of the 2019/20 Bushfires and now the 2022 Floods. It is a community-based Program, delivered through primary schools and preschools, with ongoing support and therapy provided via telehealth. The Program has been delivered in over 30 bushfire impacted communities in NSW and in 2021 awarded the Resilient Australia Community Award (Australian Institute of Disaster Resilience).
Tracey Parnell
Associate Head Of School/senior Lecturer-occupational Therapy
Charles Sturt University
Reducing the Long-Term Impact of Natural Disasters on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Children
Abstract
Background: The 2019/2020 bushfires affected thousands of children and families across rural and regional NSW. To mitigate the impact of the bushfires on the mental health and well-being of children and build capacity among families and teachers to support children to adjust post-bushfire Royal Far West implemented a two-phase multidisciplinary Bushfire Recovery Program. The Program involved in-community psycho-educational groups for children and workshops for teachers and parents from 11 impacted NSW regions. In addition, children identified as requiring further support were offered individual occupational therapy, psychology, and/or speech pathology telecare interventions.
Method: Phase 1 was conducted within 18 months post-bushfire to address short- and medium-term impacts. Phase 2 was implemented two years post-bushfire to address long-term impacts. The Program was evaluated using a mixed methods approach. This included statistical and deductive thematic analysis of data collected using validated measures of resilience and coping, purpose-designed surveys, tools to measure outcomes of discipline-specific telecare interventions, and interviews.
Findings: The findings of Phase 1 indicated the Program had a positive impact on children’s mental health and well-being. The groups enabled children to develop coping strategies to facilitate engagement in day-to-day activities and parent/teacher workshops provided adults with strategies to support children. Phase 2 preliminary findings suggest the Program continues to have a positive impact and that this impact has been sustained despite many children being exposed to additional natural disaster events.
Conclusion: Multidisciplinary, in-community, and follow-up telehealth interventions for children, and workshops for adults reduce the long-term impact of a natural disaster event on children’s mental health and well-being. Natural disasters are predicted to increase in both frequency and intensity in Australia, and effective programs like the Bushfire Recovery Program will play an important role in enhancing children’s mental health and well-being and decreasing the likelihood of long-term adverse reactions to natural disasters.
Method: Phase 1 was conducted within 18 months post-bushfire to address short- and medium-term impacts. Phase 2 was implemented two years post-bushfire to address long-term impacts. The Program was evaluated using a mixed methods approach. This included statistical and deductive thematic analysis of data collected using validated measures of resilience and coping, purpose-designed surveys, tools to measure outcomes of discipline-specific telecare interventions, and interviews.
Findings: The findings of Phase 1 indicated the Program had a positive impact on children’s mental health and well-being. The groups enabled children to develop coping strategies to facilitate engagement in day-to-day activities and parent/teacher workshops provided adults with strategies to support children. Phase 2 preliminary findings suggest the Program continues to have a positive impact and that this impact has been sustained despite many children being exposed to additional natural disaster events.
Conclusion: Multidisciplinary, in-community, and follow-up telehealth interventions for children, and workshops for adults reduce the long-term impact of a natural disaster event on children’s mental health and well-being. Natural disasters are predicted to increase in both frequency and intensity in Australia, and effective programs like the Bushfire Recovery Program will play an important role in enhancing children’s mental health and well-being and decreasing the likelihood of long-term adverse reactions to natural disasters.
Biography
Tracey Parnell is an occupational therapist who works at Charles Sturt University in the School of Allied Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences. Tracey grew up in rural Australia and has continued her commitment to regional and rural communities through her clinical and academic work. Her research has largely focused on understanding lived and living experiences, and in exploring the impact of occupational participation on health and wellbeing. Tracey is involved in the evaluation of the Royal Far West Bushfire Recovery Program and is committed to exploring the impact allied health professionals, including occupational therapists, can have in disaster management.
