Proposed Statewide Aboriginal Mental Health Service Consultancy

In 2005, Kulunga was engaged to undertake a state-wide consultancy on behalf of the North Area Metropolitan Health Service (Mental Health) on a proposed model of service delivery for an Aboriginal Mental Health Support Service.

Following a three stage consultation process a report detailing views and concerns raised to improving service delivery from various key stakeholders during the state-wide consultancy was presented to the Project’s Project Planning Group for consideration. All of the Report’s recommendations were endorsed as presented.

The objective of the consultancy was the production of a report that identified the needs and requirements of Aboriginal people in the provision of a culturally appropriate state-wide mental health service to be provided in Western Australia.

A three stage consultancy process was undertaken to ensure maximum opportunity for all priority stakeholders to provide their feedback on the proposed model for the service. Specifically the following was implemented to achieve this:

• a comprehensive email distribution of survey questionnaire
• a comprehensive mail out of the survey questionnaire
• regional consultations

A total of 70 questionnaires were returned – 29 from the WA Department of Health
(DoH), 22 from Aboriginal people or Aboriginal Service Providers and 19 from the non–
government sector.

 

A total of 42 group or individual feedback sessions were held across the state, involving over 110 people representing 40 services or groups. All but three sessions were face to face with the remaining three being held by teleconference. There were 19 sessions held with Aboriginal people or Aboriginal service providers, 14 government agencies and nine with non-government organisations.

 

The final report found that the proposed model was overwhelmingly supported by
those who were consulted and that seven key areas of focus were identified in regard to the design, implementation and evaluation of the proposed service. These seven areas were:

1. a clear mandate for the service;
2. clear guidelines for the operation of the service;
3. the development of strategic partnerships;
4. the provision of culturally appropriate service delivery;
5. workforce;
6. education and training; and,
7. resource and information.

Kulunga was engaged to undertake all aspects of the state-wide consultancy including the development of the survey questionnaire on the proposed new model, analysis of the questionnaire findings, undertaking the regional consultations, production of final report and presentation of findings to the Project Steering Committee.

 

This project was completed in a five month time frame.