Michael Garron Hospital’s Post

Grant opportunity: SA Youth Action Plan – Youth Mental Wellbeing Open now; Closes 05/02/24; up to $15,000; SA DHS is providing one-off grants of up to $15,000 for organisations working with young people to deliver initiatives that improve mental health and wellbeing among young South Australians. The grant round seeks to increase support for young South Australians through community-based and non-clinical initiatives, with consideration being given to initiatives targeting regional and remote locations. Eligibility: Local councils and non-government organisations working directly with young people in metropolitan, regional and rural/remote South Australia. #pruesgold #grants

Let's continue contributing in the frame of the #EuropeanMentalHealth and #PublicHealth Week! it's crucial to emphasize the importance of #mentalhealth as a fundamental #Publichealth issue. Addressing mental health holistically is essential for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Mental well-being is intertwined with economic stability, quality education, reduced inequalities, and more. Training in Psychological First Aid (PFA) emerges as a vital public health measure. PFA enables individuals to provide immediate support to those in distress, fostering early action and detection that can prevent major emotional problems. This early intervention is not just a response strategy; it's a proactive approach that can significantly affect public health outcomes. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - IFRC with 25 #RCRC and the IFRC Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support in the frame of the #EU4HEALTH project advocates for widespread PFA training, underscoring its potential to transform our community support systems. By equipping everyone with the skills to offer immediate emotional support, we can build a more resilient society that actively contributes to the well-being of its members. Let’s champion integrating mental health strategies into public health frameworks to ensure that mental well-being is not just an individual responsibility but a collective priority.! #EropenaMentalHealthWeek #EuropeanPublicHealthWeek #SDGs #PsychologicalFirstAid #IFRC #MentalHealthMatter Basilio Mwangi Aneta Trgacevska Panu Saaristo Alaa Alnasser Amanda Amigues Gulzira Kamytzhanova Sabina Dziadecka Gråbæk Know more about PFA!

Youth engaged for #mentalhealth - A framework for youth participation under the WHO Pan-European Mental Health Coalition The framework was developed to answer a strong and consistent request from WHO pan-European Coalition members that young people be actively engaged in activities undertaken by World Health Organization which impact young people’s mental health and well-being across the European Region, whether it be policy or guidance development, research or programming. Young Coalition members initiated development of the framework to ensure that the active participation of young people was carried out in a way that was consistent, meaningful and, most importantly, underpinned by what young people want and need to feel safe and empowered to engage. Successful implementation of this framework requires action and commitment from everyone involved – the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Coalition members and young people themselves. Download the framework here: https://lnkd.in/dWT7mBY2 EFPSA (European Federation of Psychology Students' Associations)

On Monday 3rd June we launched our Power The Fight Therapeutic Intervention For Peace Impact Report. This film gives a summary of our work in schools, the impact of the project and our Theory of Change. This evaluation has found evidence that the project made significant impact on all four of its aims, to: 1. Increase wellbeing and improve mental health amongst young people. 2. Support system and cultural change in educational settings, increasing cultural sensitivity among staff and institutional practices. 3. Act as a conduit between external agencies, services and resources for schools and their communities. 4. Provide support and reflective spaces for parents/carers. Download the report here: https://lnkd.in/edbfbBgb

*PLEASE READ & SHARE* My doctoral systematic review is finally out! We broadly reviewed papers looking at the barriers to mental health support for different racially-minoritised communities in the UK and did a synthesis of the findings. Free open access link: https://lnkd.in/eZaA-WWM Thank you for the support, please read and share with your networks to consider how practitioners and services can better support our communities. We can improve access but what is access being improved to? What are services providing; is this adequate? More helpful than harmful? More research needs to be done with specific communities to understand needs, with clear referral pathways, visible promotion and safe practices to support everyone. The workforce MUST reflect the populations we work with, with racially-minoritised staff also supported. Practitioners need to work flexibility and address their own biases. Time must be prioritised for genuine and collaborative outreach work with committees and grassroots organisations to work creatively and do preventative work with community wellbeing at the forefront.

The 'Key Issues Impacting Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing in Northern Ireland - Engagement Report 2023' report, authored by Dr Nicole Bond, delves into the discussions held during engagement workshops, where young individuals played a pivotal role in shaping the narrative around their mental health and worries. This findings in this report not only sheds light on the challenges but also emphasises the imperative for expanded support mechanisms for our young demographic. We implore stakeholders, organisations, and communities to unite in providing the necessary resources, advocacy, and initiatives to fortify the mental well-being of our youth. For a comprehensive exploration of the survey findings and a deeper understanding of the imperative for increased support, we invite you to delve into the attached report. https://lnkd.in/exc6Bh3B

The Department of Health has published Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) waiting time statistics for Northern Ireland. ▪︎ At 31 March 2024, there were 1,990 children & young people waiting for a CAMHS assessment, of which 1,026 have been waiting longer than nine weeks (52%). ▪︎ Since a low of 1,107 children & young people awaiting assessment during the Covid pandemic (September 2020), the number of children & young people awaiting assessment has been increasing, with a peak of 2,388 total waits at 31 March 2023. ▪︎ The current waiting list is 80% higher than the September 2020 low. ▪︎ The Northern Trust had the highest number awaiting assessment at 31 March 2024 (611) whilst the Southern and Western Trusts had the least waiting (434).

Great theoretical ideas, as always. However, what community will this program attract? I can tell you: People with minor mental health concerns, who don’t want to pay for further intervention out of their own pocket Carers, as well meaning as they are, are often overwhelmed and desperate for help but target the wrong services People with situational distress- grief, separation, job loss, which causes Anxiety and Depression The program needs to target: People who are already diagnosed with a mental illness, whose family and friends have empathy fatigue. People who have had a history of CATT team call outs, who in the past have shown possible harm to others or themselves Pre-PARC patients People who have had a series of psychiatric admissions If the target is the above, then this will stop the back log and lack of beds in PARC and public and private psychiatric units And most definitely, the living experienced community assistance will be valuable and should be heavily utilised. If not, the program is lip service and 2027 is a joke

Please take time to review this policy and to submit your feedback The main areas of concern I feel are: 1) Great on paper however with staff shortages and challenges in staff retention along with increased paperwork justifying outcomes where's the time for staff awareness and how to manage safeguarding and risk assessment training in safeguarding?? 2) Safeguarding requires effective and efficient response from professionals this is challenging in organisations where there is a chain of management who then is accountable and making the quick appropriate response safeguarding. 3) Effective Safeguarding requires regular inter partnership and agency communication and everyone working together this proves challenging across the sector depending on several internal factors. All the above alongside organisation cultural factors however it is a step in the right direction to have a cross sector policy 🙏#safeguardingiseveryonesconcern