Evaluation of the Bringing them home and Indigenous mental health programs

9.3 The SEWB RCs

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As set out in chapter 3, SEWB RCs have four roles:

• development of information systems to clarify the level of SEWB need in the region and inform the operations of the SEWB RC
• provision of personal and professional support to the health workforce
• development of curricula and/or
  • adaptation of curricula and/or
  • delivery of training and/or
  • purchase/ contracting training and/or
  • supporting, influencing or advocating for other agencies to meet training needs
• development of appropriate cross sector linkages and inter-agency co-operation.

The consultations indicated that performance by the SEWB RCs of their roles has been extremely variable.

9.3.1 The need for further guidance on the roles of the SEWB RCs

9.3.2 Curriculum development and training

9.3.3 Needs assessments, health workforce support and interagency linkages

9.3.1 The need for further guidance on the roles of the SEWB RCs

As noted in chapter 6, this evaluation has found that there has been insufficient guidance (eg through national guidelines) about the role of the SEWB RCs. This has been echoed in previous consultation forums – for example, a workshop held in Brisbane for SEWB RCs concluded that the current roles of the SEWB RCs are too broad, and need to be made more specific. It was suggested that the roles be revised as follows. The role of the SEWB RCs in consultation with the community and using the best available evidence, is that the SEWB RCs will work in partnership with relevant stakeholders to:

1. Provide personal and professional support to the health workforce in areas related to the social and emotional well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

In relation to personal and professional support, this could include the following:

• support provided on a day to day basis
• debriefing sessions
• longer term support (e.g. networks or professional supervision)
• assisting workers to identify and address their training needs
• support to employers in meeting their own obligations to SEWB staff.
  In relation to the health or emotional and social wellbeing workforce, this could include:
• those working in ACCHSs
• BTH counsellors/ Link up workers
• Aboriginal mental health workers employed by State and Territory governments
• Other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers in mental health and related fields (e.g. police liaison officers).

2. Develop curriculum and deliver training in relation to social and emotional well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In relation to curriculum and training, this could include:

• development of curricula and/or
• adaptation of curricula and/or
• delivery of training and/or
• purchase/contracting training and/or
• supporting, influencing or advocating for other agencies to meet training needs (Shannon 2006, p23-24). Top of page

9.3.2 Curriculum development and training

To date, most of the Centres have tended to focus exclusively or primarily on only one of their roles, namely curriculum development and training. Examples of activities conducted include:

• The Adelaide SEWB RC established a Peer Support Group in 2002 which brings all BTH Counsellors and Link-Up staff together four times a year. These forums are held in metropolitan and regional areas of SA. These forums have discussed a range of issues and resulted in a range of positive outcomes including improved coordination of services provided by Link-Up and BTH services, the National BTH Conference, and the Why Me? DVD. The Group also has contact between workshops and working groups on special projects – for example, preparation for healing camps.
• The Victorian SEWB RC provides the Diploma of SEWB and training sessions for BTH Counsellors. This training is now provided to SEWB workers, mental health workers, and Link-Up staff. Short courses provided by this SEWB RC in Melbourne and elsewhere have included challenging behaviours, communication, mental health, the Records Act, and caring for yourself as a worker.
• Narrative therapy programs are offered by some of the SEWB RCs.

One limitation of the SEWB RCs in relation to provision of training is that not all have current Registered Training Organisation (RTO) status. Some Centres (those in Sydney and Melbourne) are awaiting confirmation of their re-application for RTO status which was required by OATSIH as a result of legislative changes introduced in 2004. Top of page

9.3.3 Needs assessments, health workforce support and interagency linkages

However, the Centres have not focused enough on their three other core objectives (needs assessments, provision of support to the health workforce in terms of professional supervision etc, and development of cross-sector linkages). This is illustrated by the following findings.

Some, but not most, Centres have conducted needs assessments of the training needs of the Aboriginal SEWB workforce, which is a critical first step in ensuring that the SEWB RCs are meeting the most common or critical needs. This should be done at least annually.

Only a minority of the Link-Up and BTH staff consulted have received professional supervision through the SEWB RC on either a face-to-face or telephone basis. However, those who have, have found this support very helpful.

Some Centres have developed effective cross-sector linkages and played a key role in galvanising activity requiring an inter-agency effort. For example the SEWB RC in Rockhampton played a key role in coordinating a prompt crisis response by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal agencies to help support the community in the wake of a series of deaths of young people in the community. However, other Centres have further work to do in developing cross-sector linkages, particularly with services outside their immediate city/town.

Support by the SEWB RCs of BTH and Link-Up staff is critical to these workers' capacity to meet the needs of their clients, particularly given the variable skill and qualification levels of the staff employed (see chapter 8). However, overall SEWB RCs are not felt to be adequately meeting the professional development needs of Link-Up and BTH staff. Workers located in services outside the immediate city/town in which the SEWB RC is located tended to express higher levels of dissatisfaction with the Centres. Difficulties cited included little or no training being provided on an outreach basis, the cost and time involved in attending training in the Centre's location, and insufficient notice being provided to make necessary arrangements to allow a staff member to be away to attend training. However, as discussed in chapter 6, the Adelaide and Melbourne SEWB RCs have had more success in meeting the needs of workers in regional areas since they regularly conduct training on an outreach basis in those areas. It is also reported that these Centres are in very regular contact with BTH and Link-Up workers in all parts of the State.

In some instances the SEWB RC funding has been used for service delivery activities instead with OATSIH's approval, since at the time this was felt to be a bigger community priority. However, this has meant that there is no organisation meeting the professional support needs of workers in this location. Another SEWB RC was until recently providing some activities which were in effect service provision activities (eg in relation to child abuse prevention); while these were regarded as valuable activities for the community at the time, they are still well beyond the formal role of an SEWB RC. Top of page

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