Adapting a Psychosocial Model of Care for Impact in Rural and Remote Communities
Tracks
Grand Ballroom 2 - In-Person Only
| Friday, November 7, 2025 |
| 10:35 AM - 11:05 AM |
Overview
Nikki Riley and Denise Duncan, Baptcare
Presenter
Denise Duncan
Senior Peer Practitoner
Baptcare
Adapting a Psychosocial Model of Care for Impact in Rural and Remote Communities
Presentation Overview
Baptcare’s suite of mental health programs are some of the most evidenced based, peer reviewed programs in Australia. The Horizons program provides outreach support across Tasmania supporting people who experience severe mental ill-health and has a specific focus on the most rural and remote areas of the state.
Since 2019 Horizons has focused on ‘showing up differently’ to rural and remote areas, prioritised hard to reach areas and continued to adapt to become part of these communities.
We will highlight how Horizons has incorporated a new program model within the existing service, to address barriers to accessing health and community services. This new ‘Horizons Service Navigation’ program has pivoted our peer workforce to provide a lived experience connection to overcoming access barriers in rural and remote areas. This will also emphasise how a ‘drive in, drive out’ model provides access to lived experience to areas often lacking this opportunity.
This evidence backed presentation will unpack the impact of a dedicated psychosocial model in rural and remote Tasmania through our outcomes mapping to psychosocial domains. We will present data that shows how we successfully and holistically support our clients to achieve their psychosocial goals. Through effective delivery of our innovative model of mental health care, the Horizons program has achieved significant improvements for our clients across key psychosocial domains, including social skills, finances, independent living, housing, and wellbeing.
Since 2019 Horizons has focused on ‘showing up differently’ to rural and remote areas, prioritised hard to reach areas and continued to adapt to become part of these communities.
We will highlight how Horizons has incorporated a new program model within the existing service, to address barriers to accessing health and community services. This new ‘Horizons Service Navigation’ program has pivoted our peer workforce to provide a lived experience connection to overcoming access barriers in rural and remote areas. This will also emphasise how a ‘drive in, drive out’ model provides access to lived experience to areas often lacking this opportunity.
This evidence backed presentation will unpack the impact of a dedicated psychosocial model in rural and remote Tasmania through our outcomes mapping to psychosocial domains. We will present data that shows how we successfully and holistically support our clients to achieve their psychosocial goals. Through effective delivery of our innovative model of mental health care, the Horizons program has achieved significant improvements for our clients across key psychosocial domains, including social skills, finances, independent living, housing, and wellbeing.
Biography
Denise Duncan is a Senior Peer Practitioner for Baptcare Mindset who leads the Peer Workforce across Tasmania and chairs Mindsets Lived Experience Advisory Group. She has over 10 years’ experience in the mental health sector with qualifications in Mental Health Peer Work and has studied with UTAS, gaining a graduate certificate in Allied Health and Community Support.
Having her own lived experience of mental-ill health, Denise is passionate about advocating for and amplifying the lived experience voice across Baptcare and the wider Tasmanian community.
Nikeisha (Nikki) Riley
Program Coordinator
Baptcare
Adapting a Psychosocial Model of Care for Impact in Rural and Remote Communities
Presentation Overview
Baptcare’s suite of mental health programs are some of the most evidenced based, peer reviewed programs in Australia. The Horizons program provides outreach support across Tasmania supporting people who experience severe mental ill-health and has a specific focus on the most rural and remote areas of the state.
Since 2019 Horizons has focused on ‘showing up differently’ to rural and remote areas, prioritised hard to reach areas and continued to adapt to become part of these communities.
We will highlight how Horizons has incorporated a new program model within the existing service, to address barriers to accessing health and community services. This new ‘Horizons Service Navigation’ program has pivoted our peer workforce to provide a lived experience connection to overcoming access barriers in rural and remote areas. This will also emphasise how a ‘drive in, drive out’ model provides access to lived experience to areas often lacking this opportunity.
This evidence backed presentation will unpack the impact of a dedicated psychosocial model in rural and remote Tasmania through our outcomes mapping to psychosocial domains. We will present data that shows how we successfully and holistically support our clients to achieve their psychosocial goals. Through effective delivery of our innovative model of mental health care, the Horizons program has achieved significant improvements for our clients across key psychosocial domains, including social skills, finances, independent living, housing, and wellbeing.
Since 2019 Horizons has focused on ‘showing up differently’ to rural and remote areas, prioritised hard to reach areas and continued to adapt to become part of these communities.
We will highlight how Horizons has incorporated a new program model within the existing service, to address barriers to accessing health and community services. This new ‘Horizons Service Navigation’ program has pivoted our peer workforce to provide a lived experience connection to overcoming access barriers in rural and remote areas. This will also emphasise how a ‘drive in, drive out’ model provides access to lived experience to areas often lacking this opportunity.
This evidence backed presentation will unpack the impact of a dedicated psychosocial model in rural and remote Tasmania through our outcomes mapping to psychosocial domains. We will present data that shows how we successfully and holistically support our clients to achieve their psychosocial goals. Through effective delivery of our innovative model of mental health care, the Horizons program has achieved significant improvements for our clients across key psychosocial domains, including social skills, finances, independent living, housing, and wellbeing.
Biography
Nikki has over 10 years experience in the community sector, spending the majority of this time in mental health services. Nikki has worked in both residential and outreach mental health practitioner roles and has led one of Baptcare's core mental health programs for six years. Nikki has developed psychosocial outreach and group models and led the psychosocial outcomes mapping project within Baptcare's Mindset programs. Nikki brings her own lived experience of mental-ill health to the development, implementation and integrity of program management.
