Abstract
Background: Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) often receive grants to undertake health and social programs in their communities that may be associated with some sensitivity and stigma. When ACCHOs do not have trained and experienced personnel up front to run these programs, outcomes are likely to be delayed and mediocre. In such circumstances, empowering methods of program evaluators can make a difference to outcomes.
Content: We present how we used an enhanced form of participatory evaluation to evaluate an Aboriginal Youth Suicide prevention program. We describe how two non-Aboriginal researchers were able to build trust with and support Aboriginal suicide prevention workers over a period of three years to generate the best possible outcomes.
Results: Despite several initial challenges that included staff turnover, changes in strategies and poor community buy in, the program resulted in the development of two successful programs for resilience building and early identification of psychological distress among Aboriginal people. Since then, the ACCHO has received more than $1M from the Victorian government for the replication of one of those programs to the entire Loddon Mallee region of Northern Victoria.
What will people in the audience gain or learn from attending this presentation?
The absence of experienced personnel could make it challenging for ACCHOs who are given the responsibility of developing and implementing programs that are associated with stigma such as those relating to suicide and mental illness. This challenge can be largely overcome by culturally sensitive non-Aboriginal evaluators by utilising an enhanced form of participatory evaluation.
How is this topic/issue relevant to mental health services and mental health issues?
This paper contributes to the knowledge on culturally appropriate evaluation techniques for sensitive Aboriginal health programs such as those relating to suicide.
Content: We present how we used an enhanced form of participatory evaluation to evaluate an Aboriginal Youth Suicide prevention program. We describe how two non-Aboriginal researchers were able to build trust with and support Aboriginal suicide prevention workers over a period of three years to generate the best possible outcomes.
Results: Despite several initial challenges that included staff turnover, changes in strategies and poor community buy in, the program resulted in the development of two successful programs for resilience building and early identification of psychological distress among Aboriginal people. Since then, the ACCHO has received more than $1M from the Victorian government for the replication of one of those programs to the entire Loddon Mallee region of Northern Victoria.
What will people in the audience gain or learn from attending this presentation?
The absence of experienced personnel could make it challenging for ACCHOs who are given the responsibility of developing and implementing programs that are associated with stigma such as those relating to suicide and mental illness. This challenge can be largely overcome by culturally sensitive non-Aboriginal evaluators by utilising an enhanced form of participatory evaluation.
How is this topic/issue relevant to mental health services and mental health issues?
This paper contributes to the knowledge on culturally appropriate evaluation techniques for sensitive Aboriginal health programs such as those relating to suicide.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |
| Event | Mental Health Services (MHS) Conference 2015: Translating Best Practice into Reality - National Convention Centre, Canberra, Australia Duration: 25 Aug 2015 → 28 Aug 2015 https://www.themhs.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Conference_Handbook_2015.pdf (Conference Handbook) |
Conference
| Conference | Mental Health Services (MHS) Conference 2015 |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | TheMHS 2015 |
| Country/Territory | Australia |
| City | Canberra |
| Period | 25/08/15 → 28/08/15 |
| Internet address |
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Keywords
- program evaluation
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients
- Suicide prevention
