AICAFMHA:
promoting mental health for young Australians
Australian Infant, Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association Ltd
ABN 87 093 479 022
Scoping Project on Beginning to address Mental Health Prevention and Promotion in the Perinatal and 0-2 year old Periods
Background
The Commonwealth Department Health and Aged Care, Mental Health Branch, funded the Australian Infant, Child Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association to undertake this research, reporting back to the Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Working Party (PPWP). The project commenced in June 1999, with a draft report presented to the working party in February 2000. The final version of the report was submitted in August 2000.
This initiative is part of a range of initiatives designed to further the agenda of the Mental Health Promotion and Prevention National Action Plan, under the Second National Mental Health Plan (1998-2003). The project involved undertaking a scoping exercise related to initiatives addressing the mental health needs of the Perinatal and 0 to 2 year old target group. It was guided by the framework laid out in the Mental Health Promotion and Prevention National Action Plan (1999).
This project was to identify major State and Territory evidence-based initiatives in the following four key areas identified in the National Action Plan: screening, home visiting, early educational infant day care and antenatal education, that are addressing the mental health needs of the Perinatal and 0-2 year old target group. Particular attention was to be given to identifying the mental health components in these initiatives. The Project was to report on the initiatives, identify gaps and makes recommendations regarding future action needed to progress work in this area.
The parameters of the research included the need to identify evidenced based initiatives around Australia that were targeting the Perinatal through to 2 year old age group. In particular the project was to examine:
- components within these initiatives that promote mental health and prevent mental health problems
- potential components which could be included in these initiatives that promote mental health and prevent mental health problems and prevent and manage mental health problems and disorders
- how existing initiatives could be modified to include components to promote mental health and prevent and manage mental health problems and disorders
It is recognised that the majority of these programs occur outside of mental health, making it somewhat more complex to identify the range of programs being undertaken.
Project Design
The project was not intended to conduct a stocktake but rather provide a broad brush picture of initiatives across Australia. The brief did not include a literature review of the area, although some key studies have been reviewed and cited.
Information was gathered via a number of strategies.
- Consultation with the project reference group which included representatives from all States, and further individual consultations with other State and Territory contacts as developed through networking of the project.
- Consultation with professional and consumer groups when opportunities arose.
- Wide distribution of a questionnaire seeking information as required by the project brief.
Results
The final version of the project was submitted to the Commonwealth in August 2000. Phil Robinson, Chair, AICAFMHA and Sue McAllister, Project Officer, AICAFMHA, facilitated a Forum on addressing mental health prevention and promotion in the perinatal and 0-2 year periods at the 4th National Infant Child & Adolescent Mental Health Conference in Brisbane, March 2001.
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