Caring for Carers

Caring for Carers

In 2019, Alaya’s Master Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) trainer rolled out a training program for carers, family and friends of clients in the Primary Mental Health Clinical Care Coordination (PMHCCC) Program. PMHCCC is a Murray PHN funded program supporting people with moderate to severe mental illness. The PHN funded this training to build the community’s capacity to support mental illness.

Alaya recommended the Standard MHFA as it teaches people how to support others experiencing mental health symptoms or a mental health crisis. The course included:

  • Evidence based information to guide effective support
  • Clear guides for signs and symptoms of mental illness
  • An action plan to guide community members
  • Manuals from BeyondBlue and MHFA Australia.

The community’s response to this training exceeded both Alaya’s and the PHN’s expectations. Within 2 weeks of our first advertisement, we had to close registrations and create a waiting list!

The need for this type of support is highlighted by the heartfelt gratitude expressed by carer participants:

“The benefits of [the course] will last a lifetime, and I have already used what I learned, many times, since finishing the course.”

“I like the idea of having people around Shepparton trained to connect with others when they are struggling and unable to ask for help. I think there is certain emotional processing techniques that can be learnt by everyone. You could take the burden off emergency and train carers and workers with these techniques.”

“Best thing I ever done. Helps me not only with supporting and assisting others but also with my own mental health. Great content.”

An unanticipated outcome from holding the course is that consumers began sending requests to participate, having heard from their loved ones how MHFA helped them to better understand how to articulate their needs and feelings to others.

Building a community’s capacity to better respond to and support people with a mental illness through courses like Mental Health First Aid is an investment for any organisation or community group – private sector employers, local councils, community groups and governments.

Contact us to discuss hosting a Mental Health First Aid course.

Image Credit: Push Doctor via Flickr Creative Commons
Creating Alaya House

Creating Alaya House

In 2019, Alaya Partners and our clinical services partner, APMHA HealthCare, realised our vision to open a “bricks and mortar” mental health service in rural Victoria. People in Shepparton and surround areas can now access high quality mental health services from our beautifully appointed new clinic, Alaya House.

APMHA HealthCare’s established local mental health workforce that provides Murray PHN funded Psychological Therapy Services and Primary Mental Health Clinical Care Coordination (PTS / PMHCCC) are now stationed at Alaya House.

Alaya House’s 25-person capacity training room means Alaya Partners will be able to increase workforce and community training and education in the Murray PHN region. The Group Room (15 person capacity) is now accessible to APMHA HealthCare staff, giving staff the opportunity to provide comprehensive psychosocial education programs. Both areas of these areas are available for hired through Alaya Partners.

The Recovery Hub will provide a physical presence in the region, house our established local mental health workforce and expand our services to include GPs experienced in working with complex clients and NDIS services.

Alaya Partners, as part of a consortium with our clinical services partner, APMHA HealthCare and two pharmacotherapy prescribing GPs are the successful recipients of a 2019 Victorian Regional Readiness Fund grant. This grant will enable our consortium to:

  • Become an accredited NDIS provider
  • Upskill local NDIS providers in working with people with a psychosocial disability
  • Upskill our current workforce
  • Provide opportunity for our partnering GPs to work within NDIS

Alaya Partners will closely monitor and evaluate Alaya House in order to refine a business and service model for future roll-out in other regional areas where APMHA is contracted to provide services. Our consortium’s vision is to:

“Provide holistic, team-based, mental health stepped care for people experiencing mild mental illness through to psychosocial disability”.

This Victorian Government investment will position Alaya House as one stop shop for people with a mental illness or psychosocial disability and increase the region’s capacity to service NDIS plans with high quality mental health services.