‘Dip In, Dip Out’. Managing Client Demand Using a Session-By-Session Approach
Tracks
Prince Room
| Monday, March 20, 2023 |
| 12:15 PM - 12:35 PM |
Overview
Jenny Advocat and Stephanie McGrane, Alfred headspace
Speaker
Jenny Advocat
Headspace
‘Dip In, Dip Out’. Managing Client Demand Using a Session-By-Session Approach
Abstract
Headspace sites, managed by Alfred Health, are located in busy South-East metropolitan Melbourne where there is consistently a high demand for youth mental health services. This presentation will explore the success and value of creating a session-by-session (SbyS) approach to mental health care to address increasing client demand and reduce waiting times. The Alfred headspace sites adapted their current and usual practice due to increased demand following the COVID-19 pandemic. During early 2022 the service was faced with a growing waitlist of young people needing mental health support as well as a critical lack of available private clinicians. This resulted in delays to both intake process where people were waiting many weeks for the initial call back and 3 – 4 months wait to see a primary clinician. This presentation will describe this new model of care where young people and families were offered a single session as a starting point and an opportunity to return for more single sessions as they needed or wanted. This ‘dip in, dip out’ model or ‘session-by-session’ approach enabled young people to access timely and responsive care that they needed, when they needed it, without the need for ongoing or long-term therapy. The barriers to attending sessions was also greatly reduced by not having to visit a GP for a MHCP. The model enables young people to be more firmly in the driver’s seat with their mental health needs. This presentation will inform other services that have high demand how to adapt and embed an alternative approach which results in both, higher client and staff satisfaction
Biography
Emily Wilson is a Senior Social Worker and Team Leader at headspace Elsternwick/Bentleigh. Emily has been involved in the Session-by-Session program since its development, and is proud of the team that has grown with this initiative.
Emily has worked in Youth Mental Health for over 9 years with a diverse number of roles including intake, groups, community engagement, case management, individual counselling and leadership. She draws upon strengths based practice, solution focused therapy and DBT in her clinical work. Emily enjoys working with young people due to the creative and flexible work, and the stories of resilience she has the privilege of hearing.
Stephanie McGrane
Clinical Lead, Session By Session
Headspace Elsternwick
‘Dip In, Dip Out’. Managing Client Demand Using a Session-By-Session Approach
Abstract
Headspace sites, managed by Alfred Health, are located in busy South-East metropolitan Melbourne where there is consistently a high demand for youth mental health services. This presentation will explore the success and value of creating a session-by-session (SbyS) approach to mental health care to address increasing client demand and reduce waiting times. The Alfred headspace sites adapted their current and usual practice due to increased demand following the COVID-19 pandemic. During early 2022 the service was faced with a growing waitlist of young people needing mental health support as well as a critical lack of available private clinicians. This resulted in delays to both intake process where people were waiting many weeks for the initial call back and 3 – 4 months wait to see a primary clinician. This presentation will describe this new model of care where young people and families were offered a single session as a starting point and an opportunity to return for more single sessions as they needed or wanted. This ‘dip in, dip out’ model or ‘session-by-session’ approach enabled young people to access timely and responsive care that they needed, when they needed it, without the need for ongoing or long-term therapy. The barriers to attending sessions was also greatly reduced by not having to visit a GP for a MHCP. The model enables young people to be more firmly in the driver’s seat with their mental health needs. This presentation will inform other services that have high demand how to adapt and embed an alternative approach which results in both, higher client and staff satisfaction
Biography
Stephanie McGrane is the Centre Manager at headspace Elsternwick/Bentleigh and headspace Syndal. She has been MH Social Worker for over 20years and worked in area of youth mental health for most of this time. She also has a Masters in Family Therapy. She has a keen interest in mindfulness-based practices, neuroscience and it’s intersection with therapeutic modalities. Her latest therapy passion has been learning about Internal Family System (IFS) and bringing this into her clinical work.
