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The Therapeutic Alliance: ‘Bigger Than Us’ Collaboration to Deliver Primary Mental Health Care

Tracks
Bluewater I - In-Person
Thursday, November 7, 2024
2:45 PM - 3:05 PM
Bluewater I

Overview

Dr Shelley Rowe & Jenny Sinclair, EACH


Speaker

Agenda Item Image
Dr Shelley Rowe
General Manager - Therapeutic Alliance
Each

The Therapeutic Alliance: ‘Bigger Than Us’ Collaboration to Deliver Primary Mental Health Care

Abstract

Background

Healthy Hub Connect (HHC) delivers an innovative model of primary mental health care on the north coast of NSW. HHC is formed through an Alliance of organisations forged and guided by a common purpose and charter, and with the collective vision to do mental health differently for the people and communities of the region.

North Coast Primary Health Network’s reform of mental health, and subsequent re-packaging of funded streams, served as the catalyst to form this Alliance and to look to solutions that addressed the complex and fragmented sector that Consumers and Communities found difficult to navigate, and in which a lack of collaboration between services was experienced by all.

Mental Health Care Differently

HHC services are delivered within Hubs and Spokes, as well as in-reach, outreach and in-community. There are six services spanning the stepped model of care from low intensity through to supports for people experiencing complex and severe mental health issues, and suicide prevention. Complementary services also co-locate within the Hubs and Spokes.

Lead agency management supports the Alliance through program coordination, facilities, co-branding and other shared resources, referral liaison, and in establishing service guidelines and data management tools for both service model and data integrity, and evaluation.

Stepped Care Coordinators facilitate Head to Health assessments and triage and on-refer aligned to the identified level and types of care needs. These Coordinators also create comprehensive care offerings, coordinated care across services, and support step up and down care transitions.

Initial outcomes

In the first 10 months, HHC has processed over 6000 referrals. Initial outcomes:
• Reduced wait times for people identified with a risk of self-harm or suicidality
• The numbers of people accessing care and occasions of service have trended upward
• The percentage of Consumers with significant improvement upon completion of care has increased

Three Key Learnings

1. Doing mental health care differently requires an innovative approach in which organisations (within and outside of a formal alliance) hold their identity while collaborating deeply, honestly and transparently with a shared purpose and vision that is ‘bigger than us’.

2. Service model and data fidelity can be achieved through this model and allows for robust real-time monitoring and evaluation of services.

3. A framework for comprehensive care offerings and care transitions operationalises the stepped model of care and addresses the complex, fragmented and disjointed characteristics of primary mental health care.

Biography

Shelley has over 20 years’ experience across state and Commonwealth government funded community health services, with the majority working in the development, implementation, and evaluation of mental health services in regional NSW. Her doctoral thesis focussed on non-infectious social health issues (alcohol-related harms) across remote, rural, and regional NSW. Shelley is the General Manager of the Therapeutic Alliance that delivers the Primary Mental Health Program on the North Coast of NSW under the banner ‘Healthy Hub Connect’.
Agenda Item Image
Ms Jenny Sinclair
Director States & Transitions
EACH

The Therapeutic Alliance: ‘Bigger Than Us’ Collaboration to Deliver Primary Mental Health Care

Abstract

Background

Healthy Hub Connect (HHC) delivers an innovative model of primary mental health care on the north coast of NSW. HHC is formed through an Alliance of organisations forged and guided by a common purpose and charter, and with the collective vision to do mental health differently for the people and communities of the region.

North Coast Primary Health Network’s reform of mental health, and subsequent re-packaging of funded streams, served as the catalyst to form this Alliance and to look to solutions that addressed the complex and fragmented sector that Consumers and Communities found difficult to navigate, and in which a lack of collaboration between services was experienced by all.

Mental Health Care Differently

HHC services are delivered within Hubs and Spokes, as well as in-reach, outreach and in-community. There are six services spanning the stepped model of care from low intensity through to supports for people experiencing complex and severe mental health issues, and suicide prevention. Complementary services also co-locate within the Hubs and Spokes.

Lead agency management supports the Alliance through program coordination, facilities, co-branding and other shared resources, referral liaison, and in establishing service guidelines and data management tools for both service model and data integrity, and evaluation.

Stepped Care Coordinators facilitate Head to Health assessments and triage and on-refer aligned to the identified level and types of care needs. These Coordinators also create comprehensive care offerings, coordinated care across services, and support step up and down care transitions.

Initial outcomes

In the first 10 months, HHC has processed over 6000 referrals. Initial outcomes:
• Reduced wait times for people identified with a risk of self-harm or suicidality
• The numbers of people accessing care and occasions of service have trended upward
• The percentage of Consumers with significant improvement upon completion of care has increased

Three Key Learnings

1. Doing mental health care differently requires an innovative approach in which organisations (within and outside of a formal alliance) hold their identity while collaborating deeply, honestly and transparently with a shared purpose and vision that is ‘bigger than us’.

2. Service model and data fidelity can be achieved through this model and allows for robust real-time monitoring and evaluation of services.

3. A framework for comprehensive care offerings and care transitions operationalises the stepped model of care and addresses the complex, fragmented and disjointed characteristics of primary mental health care.

Biography

Jenny is the Director States & Transitions at EACH with over 25 years’ experience managing teams and services across community health and vocational education services. In her current role working for a community health organisation in the NFP sector, Jenny manages the establishment of new services including mental health services across EACH. Jenny graduated with a B. Voc Ed in 2011 after spending a number of years working in the vocational sector across NSW TAFE, the Community Colleges and apprenticeships/traineeships areas. Working in the NFP sector has sharpened Jenny’s interest in innovative models of care and service delivery.
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