Addressing the Mental Health and - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Addressing the Mental Health and Well-being of Children, Adolescents & Young People

School-Link

Illawarra and ShoalhavenSlide2

School-Link is a collaborative initiative between NSW Health and the Department of Education and Communities to improve the mental health of children and young people attending school and TAFE in NSW. What is School-Link?Slide3

Assisting in strengthening formal and informal links at local and area level between TAFE institutes and colleges, schools, school and TAFE counsellors and Local Health District Mental Health Services for children, adolescents and young peopleTraining programs for mental health workers and school and TAFE counsellors to enhance skills in the recognition, intervention planning, treatment, support and prevention of mental health problems in children, adolescents and young peopleSupporting the implementation of programs in schools for the prevention of or early intervention in mental health problemsFocus Areas of School-LinkSlide4

Knowing who does whatArea Health- CAMHSDEC, CEO, AIS – school staff & counsellorsOther Government DepartmentsNon-Government OrganisationsSharing of information e.g. HSNetKeeping in contactInteragency meetings and forumsWorking together on joint projectsFocus area 1: Strengthening formal and informal links Slide5

HSNet is a free and secure website which allows:Participation in group discussions with people working in the same field or regionPublishing of content to improve information sharing across human services in NSWUse of ServiceLink, a comprehensive on-line directory, to find human services across NSWUse of eReferrals to electronically compile and transfer client referral information between agenciesHuman Services Network (HSNet)Slide6

Title: Child Protection Week - Play your part - Family Fun day Location: IllawarraExtract: The Illawarra Shoalhaven Child Protection Week Working Party is currently organising a Family Fun DayTitle: Money Matters workshop Location: WollongongExtract: Legal Aid NSW provides free workshops for staff, volunteers and committee members of NSWTitle: Working with the edge - Engaging young people in group work Location: Wollongong

Extract: Bigger, faster, stronger, sometimes grumpier...crash! Fun, exhausting, inspiring and challengingHSnet: Information Sharing ExamplesSlide7

School-Link TrainingDetermining other areas of trainingWho else can benefit from training?TeachersStudentsParentsFinding time, funds, motivationFocus Area 2: Training for mental health workers and counsellors Slide8

School-Link Training Training is a combination of self-paced learning and interagency group discussion.Training is designed for;School and TAFE CounsellorsAdolescent and Youth Mental Health staffDrug and Alcohol WorkersJuvenile Justice Psychologists and CounsellorsCommunity Services Psychologists

Youth related Health WorkersClinicians working in Non-Government Organisations Slide9

Survey: what needs do we see?Do we focus on; Groups or individualsPrevention of or responding to crisisUse internal or external resources or servicesWhat do we know works?Finding time, funds, motivation e.g. matching the school curriculum to mental health programsFocus Area 3: Implementation of mental health programs Slide10

Potential to match Mental Health Programs to Curriculum Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Years 7–10 Syllabus - NSWOutcome 4.2: A student identifies and selects strategies that enhance their ability to cope and feel supported

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

• changes and challenges

– sources of change and challenge,

e.g.

school, family,

friendships

– identifying fears and feelings

– dealing with conflicting demands

– predicting and preparing for future challenges

– experiences that can result in loss and grief

– responding to loss and grief

• develop a realistic sense of their ability to respond to and cope

with

challenges

• describe the current challenges that may face young people and predict future challenges

• accept that grief reactions can result from a range of experiences

• identify strategies for coping with loss and ways of giving support

to others

• connectedness

– forms of connectedness

– the importance of connections

– forms of alienation

– creating connections

– attributes of being supportive

• identify individuals, groups or places to which they feel a strong sense of belonging and explain how these help them to feel supported and connected

• identify formal and informal school activities that promote a sense of belonging for students Slide11

Students learn about: Students learn to:

• interpersonal communication– the qualities of effective communication– overcoming barriers to communication – resolving conflict

– changing modes of communication for young people

• explore and develop interpersonal communication skills as they:

– identify barriers to communication

– propose strategies to overcome barriers

– resolve conflict in a range of contexts relevant to young people

– evaluate the popular modes of communication used by young people

• seeking help

– benefits of support

– identifying people and services that provide support

– accessing support

– strategies for seeking support

– supporting others to seek help

– barriers to accessing support

• enhance their ability to seek help by:

– establishing individual support networks of adults and peers

– practising ways of accessing help,

e.g. role-play,

use of internet

– identifying barriers to seeking support,

e.g.

lack of confidentiality, trust – proposing strategies to overcome barriers

Potential to match Mental Health Programs to Curriculum

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Years 7–10 Syllabus - NSWSlide12

Programs are more likely to be effective if they;are aimed at promoting mental health rather than preventing mental illnessinvolve the whole school and include changes to the school’s environmentassist students to develop adaptive, cognitive and behaviour strategiesinvolve parents and the wider communitytake into account the age and gender of the childrenare implemented over a long period of time (continuously for more than one year)allow for periodic follow-up of positive interventions (also described as ‘booster sessions’) in order to maintain positive outcomes and counter the evidence that effect sizes on hoped-for outcomes decrease over timeFrom: THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING NEEDS OFCHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE: MODELS OF EFFECTIVE PRACTICEIN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS Prepared for: The Department of Education and Communities

By URBISWhat works in schoolsSlide13

Establishment of the School-Link Steering CommitteeCreating networks between School Counsellors and CAMHS staffSetting up information sharing processes through HSNetAnalysis of needs surveySetting of priorities Current Projects August 2012Slide14

David Bunder School-Link Coordinator Illawarra ShoalhavenPhone: 4254 1532Email: david.bunder@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.auHSNet: School-Link Illawarra & South EastConnecting with School-Link