Lived experience allyship in mental health services: Recommendations for improved uptake of allyship roles in support of peer workforces.

Inclusion of service users in the design and delivery of mental health services is clearly articulated throughout Australian mental health action plans and stated as an expectation within contemporary mental health policy. International and local Australian research demonstrates benefits for the inclusion of lived experience workers in service users' recovery journey; however, persistent challenges and barriers limit their effective integration into transdisciplinary mental health service teams. Non-lived experience workers who actively advocate and champion the inclusion of lived experience or peer workers, known as allies, are acknowledged and recognised as enablers for effective integration of peer workers to service teams. In this discursive paper, authors present recommendations for further development of allyship roles within leadership positions of mental health organisations in Australia. Leaders are in a position to influence the allocation of resources, redress power inequalities and facilitate opportunities for the inclusion of lived experience expertise across all levels of mental health organisations. This paper makes recommendations for areas of learning and unlearning ingrained bias and assumptions which may be detrimental to integration of lived experience workforces and hinder movement toward greater adoption of recovery-orientated service delivery.

Actions targeting the integration of peer workforces in mental health organisations: a mixed-methods systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Lived experience workforces are one of the fastest growing emerging disciplines in Australian mental health service settings. Individuals with lived and living experience of mental distress employed in mental health services, often referred to as peer or lived experience workers, are widely considered essential for mental health recovery and reform. Despite vast growth of this workforce, concerns remain over the widespread integration of peer workforces to align with recommended movement of healthcare services toward greater recovery-orientated and person-centered practices. Previous research has identified barriers for peer work integration including a lack of clear role definition, inadequate training, and poor supportive organisational culture. Stigma, discrimination and a lack of acceptance by colleagues are also common themes. This systematic review seeks to identify organisational actions to support integration of peer workforces for improved mental health service delivery. METHOD: A systematic search was conducted through online databases (n = 8) between January 1980 to November 2023. Additional data were sourced from conference proceedings, hand searching grey literature and scanning reference lists. Qualitative data was extracted and synthesised utilising narrative synthesis to identify key themes and findings reported adhere to PRISMA guidelines. The review protocol was registered with Prospero (CRD: 42,021,257,013). RESULTS: Four key actions were identified: education and training, organisational readiness, Structural adjustments, resourcing and support and, demonstrated commitment to peer integration and recovery practice. CONCLUSIONS: The study identifies actions for mental health service organisations and system leaders to adopt in support of integrating peer and lived experience workforces in service delivery.

'Everything would have gone a lot better if someone had listened to me': A nationwide study of emergency department contact by people with a psychosocial disability and a National Disability Insurance Scheme plan.

Australians with a psychosocial disability (PSD) and a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan may at times require emergency care due to the fluctuating nature of their physical and mental health conditions or when their supports have become insufficient. This nationwide study investigated the experiences of people presenting to an emergency department (ED) who have a PSD and an NDIS plan. The objective was to understand current care and communication practices and to provide recommendations for service integration. Twenty-four interviews were conducted with people who had a PSD and an NDIS plan. Participants were asked semi-structured questions about their experiences when engaging with NDIS processes and when engaging with the ED as an NDIS recipient and how communication practices could be improved between the two services. A qualitative, descriptive thematic analysis approach was used. A lived experience advisory group participated in the research and provided commentary. The findings of this study indicate that the NDIS, as a personalised budget scheme, presents challenges for people with complex PSD and physical needs. ED clinicians appear to be unclear about what the NDIS provides and communication between the two systems is fragmented and inconsistent. The themes identified from the analysed transcripts are: (a) People with PSD experience distress when dealing with the NDIS; (b) There's a blame game between the ED and the NDIS; and (c) Inadequate service integration between the ED and NDIS. Recommendations to assist with service integration include building service capacity, providing overlapping care and bridging the diverse biomedical, psychosocial and disability care services.

Self-harm and suicidality among trans and gender diverse youth from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds-A scoping review.

Rates of suicidality and self-harm are substantial among trans and gender diverse people, particularly among younger groups. The objective of this scoping review is to explore the state of the research conducted on determinants of mental distress, self-harm and suicidality among trans and gender diverse (TGD) youth from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. The Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews was used as a methodology guide. Inclusion criteria for study selection comprehended: publications on the intersectionality between gender non-conformity and cultural and linguistic diversity; focus on a young population (≤25 years of age); publications addressing self-harm and/or suicidality. Searches were conducted on eight databases and a public web search engine and yielded 474 results. Publications were screened and selected by two independent reviewers. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes overarching the findings. The screening process yielded seven peer-reviewed studies and six research reports based on case studies, retrospective qualitative interviews, cross-sectional and longitudinal survey analyses. The key themes approached in the retrieved literature include: (1) precipitating factors for suicidality; (2) pathways contributing to self-harm and suicidality; and 3) barriers and facilitators for accessing services and mental health care. Practical actions to help mitigate suicidality among TGD youth from CALD backgrounds need to consider the impact of trauma and allow for the development of trust in the therapeutic relationship. Shifts in service delivery and policy formulation are necessary to reduce stigmatisation and potentialise the inclusion of different racial, ethnic, cultural, sexual and gender identity expressions in society.

Organisational Actions for Improving Recognition, Integration and Acceptance of Peer Support as Identified by a Current Peer Workforce.

Recovery-orientated practice is crucial to mental health care services-consistently identified in policy, service delivery guidelines and national mental health action plans. An essential component to systems reform and the adoption of recovery-orientated practice is the inclusion of peer support workers as practice leaders to support shifting culture in mental health service delivery. Designated peer support roles operate as healthcare professionals who utilise their lived and living experience of mental health difficulty to support those on their recovery journey through mutual understanding of shared experience. This research sought to explore the experiences of peer support workers integrating into mental health teams and identify organisational actions to facilitate successful recognition, integration and acceptance by colleagues; therefore, promoting sustainability of the peer support role. Qualitative interviews were undertaken with 18 peer support workers employed across four Australian states within 12 different government and non-government organisations. Study findings reveal three key areas for organisational change with seven main themes to assist organisations to better facilitate the successful integration of peer support workers into mental health service teams. These included robust induction, training for existing staff, clear referral pathways into the service, consistent supervision and debriefing, leadership support, professional development pathways and involving peer workers through change processes. These themes were grouped into three key areas for change including preparation, process and structural changes, and cultural change actions for sustainability. This article makes recommendations for organisations to consider when implementing peer support roles into mental health services.

I have not come here because I have nothing better to do: The lived experience of presenting to the emergency department for people with a psychosocial disability and an NDIS plan-A qualitative study.

Almost 60 000 people have a psychosocial disability (PSD) and a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan. As PSD can be a fluctuating condition, people with a PSD and an NDIS plan, at times, may require crisis care and present to the emergency department (ED). This national study explored the experiences of people with a PSD and an NDIS plan when presenting to the ED. To understand the unique lived experience of people with a PSD and an NDIS plan, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 people between March and November 2022 and were analysed thematically. A lived experience advisory group was engaged as part of the research team. Participants were asked about their experiences in the ED including barriers to therapeutic care and what worked well. Participants reported emotional distress caused by receiving a biomedical rather than a person-centred mental health response. A previous mental health history overshadowed diagnostic decisions and most participants interviewed stated they would not choose to return to the ED. Half of the participants spoke of one presentation only where needs were met. Four main themes emerged from the data: (a) Diagnostic overshadowing; (b) Judgement and stigma; (c) Waiting without hope; and (d) If things went well. This study provides evidence of the unique lived experience of people with a PSD and an NDIS plan when presenting to the ED. The results highlight the need for clinicians in the ED to understand the complexity and nuances of supporting people with a PSD. Recommendations for a person-centred care approach are provided. Alternative support options for this group of people need to be explored.

Exploring mental health clients' current medication knowledge, beliefs and experience with healthcare providers in the community in South Australia.

In Australia, mental illness has been recognised as a National Health Priority area, with the coronavirus pandemic adding a layer of urgency to the need to address the multiple health problems faced by clients with mental illnesses. Whilst much has been done in efforts to support these clients, little is known about their medication knowledge and experience with health professionals. The aim of the study was to explore the knowledge and beliefs of clients on the use of psychotropic medications and study their experiences with healthcare providers. Adult participants at a not-for-profit community-managed specialist mental health service provider in Adelaide, South Australia were recruited. Four focus group sessions were conducted between February 2020 and March 2021. All sessions were co-facilitated by a peer practitioner with lived experience. Sessions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Participants (n = 27) reported that provision of medication education was inadequate and, in some cases, non-existent. There was an apparent lack of support for monitoring and managing common side effects, such as weight gain. Participants described not being involved in any decision-making processes and that establishing and maintaining a therapeutic relationship with their healthcare providers was challenging. Perceived stigma remains a barrier in accessing healthcare. Despite participants regularly interacting with a range of healthcare providers, findings highlight key gaps in care, particularly medication education and establishing a therapeutic relationship with their healthcare providers. Future mental health reforms should consider the provision of additional medication education in community settings, such as at not-for-profit organisations. Moreover, healthcare providers should take a proactive approach in establishing therapeutic relationships.

A model of lived experience leadership for transformative systems change: Activating Lived Experience Leadership (ALEL) project.

PURPOSE: This discursive paper presents a lived experience leadership model as developed as part of the Activating Lived Experience Leadership (ALEL) project project to increase the recognition and understanding of lived experience leadership in mental health and social sectors. The model of lived experience leadership was formulated through a collaboration between the South Australian Lived Experience Leadership & Advocacy Network and the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Research and Education Group. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: As one of the outcomes of the ALEL research project, this model incorporates findings from a two-year research project in South Australia using participatory action research methodology and cocreation methodology. Focus groups with lived experience leaders, interviews with sector leaders and a national survey of lived experience leaders provided the basis of qualitative data, which was interpreted via an iterative and shared analysis. This work identified intersecting lived experience values, actions, qualities and skills as characteristics of effective lived experience leadership and was visioned and led by lived experience leaders. FINDINGS: The resulting model frames lived experience leadership as a social movement for recognition, inclusion and justice and is composed of six leadership actions: centres lived experience; stands up and speaks out; champions justice; nurtures connected and collective spaces; mobilises strategically; and leads change. Leadership is also guided by the values of integrity, authenticity, mutuality and intersectionality, and the key positionings of staying peer and sharing power. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This model is based on innovative primary research, which has been developed to encourage understanding across mental health and social sectors on the work of lived experience leaders in seeking change and the value that they offer for systems transformation. It also offers unique insights to guide reflective learning for the lived experience and consumer movement, workers, clinicians, policymakers and communities.

Communication pathways from the emergency department to community mental health services: A systematic review.

This systematic review synthesizes existing peer reviewed evidence reporting on evaluated strategies used for enhancing communication pathways for continuity of care between the emergency department and mental health community supports. Following the PRISMA guidelines and the PICO framework, this review was conducted between January and July 2021. Included articles needed to evaluate communication pathway interventions for continuity of care between the emergency department and mental health community services which support service users with mental health and/or suicidal crisis. The seven included studies identified three support coordination interventions, two motivational interviewing interventions, an electronic record enhanced strategy and results from a phone follow-up study. This review demonstrates that support coordination, motivational interviewing, education, or an enhanced electronic record strategy can improve continuity of care, and in some cases, reduce the need for people to re-present to ED when they are experiencing mental health concerns or suicidal crisis. Results of this review reveal that a multipronged approach of communication pathways for continuity of care would enable more effective connections with mental health community supports and enable better outcomes for people requiring services.

An Evaluation of Suicide Prevention Education for People Working With Refugees and Asylum Seekers.

Background: There are concerning rates of suicidality among asylum seekers and refugees in Australia, and tailored suicide prevention initiatives are needed. Aims: We aimed to evaluate the impact of a tailored suicide prevention education program for people working with asylum seekers and refugees. Method: Attendees of the education program completed self-report questionnaires at pretraining, posttraining, and 4-6 months follow-up. Results: Over 400 workers, volunteers, and students across Australia took part in the education program. A series of linear mixed-effects models revealed significant improvements in outcome measures from pretraining (n = 247) to posttraining (n = 231). Improvements were maintained at follow-up (n = 75). Limitations: Limitations of this research were the lack of a control group and a low follow-up response rate. Conclusion: Findings suggest that a 2 days tailored suicide prevention education program contributes to significant improvements in workers' attitudes toward suicide prevention, and their confidence and competence in assessing and responding to suicidal distress.

Staff Perspectives of Safety Planning as a Suicide Prevention Intervention for People of Refugee and Asylum-Seeker Background.

Background: Safety planning involves the co-development of a personalized list of coping strategies to prevent a suicide crisis. Aims: We explored the perspectives of workers regarding safety planning as a suicide prevention strategy for people of refugee background and those seeking asylum in Australia. Method: Participants attended suicide prevention training, specific to refugees and asylum seekers, at which safety planning was a key component. Semistructured, posttraining interviews (n = 12) were analyzed thematically. Results: Four key themes were identified: safety planning as a co-created, personalized activity for the client; therapeutic benefits of developing a safety plan; barriers to engaging in safety planning; strategies to enhance safety planning engagement. Limitations: First-hand refugee and asylum-seeker experiences were not included. Conclusion: As a relatively low-cost, flexible intervention, safety planning may be valuable and effective for these groups.

The Effectiveness of the Safety Planning Intervention for Adults Experiencing Suicide-Related Distress: A Systematic Review.

The safety planning intervention (SPI) is gaining momentum in suicide prevention practice and research. This systematic review sought to determine the effectiveness of the SPI for adults experiencing suicide-related distress. Systematic searches of international, peer-reviewed literature were conducted in six databases (Cochrane Trials, Embase, Emcare, Medline, PsycINFO and Web of Science), including terms for safety planning, suicide, and suicide-related outcomes. A total of 565 results were included for screening. Result screening (title/abstract and full-text), data extraction and critical appraisal were conducted in duplicate. Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies were primarily quantitative (n = 20), largely with general adult or veteran samples; a small number of studies explored the perspectives of staff and significant others. Half of the studies included the SPI as a standalone intervention, while the other half examined the SPI in combination with other interventions. Most interventions were delivered in-person, with a hard-copy safety plan created, while a smaller number explored internet-based interventions. Primary measures included: suicidality (ideation, behavior, deaths; 10 studies), suicide-related outcomes (depression, hopelessness; 5 studies) and treatment outcomes (hospitalizations, treatment engagement; 7 studies). The evidence supports improvements in each of these domains, with complementary findings from the remaining quantitative and qualitative studies suggesting that the SPI is a feasible and acceptable intervention. While positive, these findings are limited by the heterogeneity of interventions and study designs, making the specific impact of the SPI difficult to both determine and generalize. Conversely, this also points to the flexibility of the SPI.HighlightsThe Safety Planning Intervention (SPI) is a valuable indicated intervention for general adult and veteran populations experiencing suicide-related distress, primarily in face-to-face, clinical settings.Quantitative findings indicate associations between the SPI and improvements in suicidal ideation and behavior, decreases in depression and hopelessness, along with reductions in hospitalizations and improvements in treatment attendance.Qualitative studies suggest the SPI is acceptable and feasible, with areas for development.SPIs have been shown to be adaptable to the clinical area in its modality (digital or paper-based), delivery (face-to-face or online), facilitation (clinician or self-administered) and multiplicity (as stand-alone or combined intervention).

From the community to the emergency department: A study of hospital emergency department nursing practices from the perspective of carers of a loved one with Borderline Personality Disorder.

Carers of loved ones with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) often present to Emergency Departments (ED) during acute crisis situations. The initial contact for the carer and consumer in distress is often an emergency nurse. By gaining a greater understanding of carers (18+) perspectives on ED nursing practices when consumers with BPD are requiring crisis support, knowledge about preferred and best practice can be gained. To obtain this knowledge, four semi-structured focus group interviews were undertaken with a purposive sample of 13 carers through existing carer networks. Transcripts were analysed thematically to identify shared experiences and perspectives across interviews. Four key themes emerged: challenges in accessing crisis support, the need for communication, stigmatising practices, and different levels of care. Findings highlight the ED is viewed as a frontline service which has the capacity to link with another specialist supports when in crisis. Despite this; Communication, confidentiality issues and stigmatising practices continue. The results of this study have implications for nursing practice in the ED, providing important insights that can potentially benefit the carer, consumer and the ED to improve the quality of care offered for people in crisis.

Correction: National Disability Insurance Scheme and Lived Experience of People Presenting to the Emergency Department: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/33268.].

National Disability Insurance Scheme and Lived Experience of People Presenting to the Emergency Department: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Currently, within Australia, 3.6% of all emergency department (ED) presentations are mental health-related. Information about the context of the person presenting to the ED (beyond immediate needs), including their psychosocial disability (PSD) National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan, is reported as incomplete and fragmented. There are missed opportunities for early support and care continuity that could potentially inform ED practitioners to revise current practices. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study are: (1) to obtain original data from the lived experience voice of those with the PSD NDIS plan and their experience when presenting to an ED, (2) to gather information from NDIS service providers to reveal communication pathways between the ED and NDIS services, and (3) to gain knowledge from ED clinicians around processes for improving continuity of care and consumer experience. METHODS: This inductive, mixed methods phenomenological study will involve data collection analyzed sequentially, with each stage informing future stages of the research. Interviews will focus on the lived experience voice exploring concerns that have led to an ED presentation, alongside an analysis of associated clinical and administrative documentation and communications. Focus groups with NDIS support workers and support coordinators will provide phenomenological data around the experience from their perspective. National quantitative surveys among those with a PSD NDIS plan and emergency services clinicians will provide insight into current practices within community care and ED presentations. The research project design includes a lived experience advisory group who are assisting with the design of the interview and focus group schedules and national surveys, as well as in shaping the interpretation of qualitative information. All transcripts will be subject to thematic analysis to understand individuals' meaning-making of these complex and particular phenomena. The research team includes a lived experience researcher and a lived experience carer (PhD candidate). RESULTS: This study is funded by MIND Australia as a PhD industry scholarship, which commenced in April 2020. A systematic review as a preresearch activity has been completed and is currently under review. The Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of South Australia has approved this project. An advisory group has been selected, and interview, focus group, and survey schedules are currently being codesigned. Recruitment will commence in November 2021. It is envisaged that data collection will be completed by June 2022. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the lived experience of the precare, during care, and postcare stages of ED presentations from the perspective of those with a PSD NDIS plan will inform the research team around current practices and provide information about improvement for pathways of care for consumers and carers, while also informing health policy. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/33268.

The impact of suicide prevention education programmes for nursing students: A systematic review.

The purpose of this systematic review was to locate and synthesize peer-reviewed evidence regarding the effectiveness of providing suicide prevention education to nursing students. Systematic searches were conducted in seven databases (EMBASE, EmCare, Joanna Briggs, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science). Results were screened in duplicate at two stages: title and abstract, and full text. Critical appraisal and data extraction were also completed in duplicate. Initial database searching yielded 303 results. Following the addition of seven records from relevant reference lists, and the removal of duplicates, a total of 118 results were included for screening. Eight articles were deemed eligible for inclusion in this review; most (n = 5) were quantitative. While all were conducted within university settings, half were stand-alone education sessions, while the remaining were integrated with existing programmes/courses. The types of education programmes varied considerably across studies, with only three being established, evidence-based programmes. The studies explore a range of outcomes, which have been narratively categorized as enhanced skills, abilities, and self-confidence; development of positive attitudes and beliefs; acquisition of knowledge; and programme experience and evaluation. While there is a small body of evidence indicating that suicide prevention education programmes contribute to improvements in skills, abilities, self-confidence, and attitudes among nursing students, the variability in educational interventions and outcomes, coupled with short-term evaluation time frames, makes it difficult to fully understand the impact of this important suicide prevention strategy.

Carer perspectives of people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder: A scoping review of emergency care responses.

BACKGROUND: Caring for a person with borderline personality disorder remains largely stigmatised and misunderstood. When a crisis arises, carers often seek help with the person they care for in emergency care settings such as the emergency department. The aim of this review was to explore, locate and compile the literature regarding the perspectives of family carers for a person with borderline personality disorder in an emergency care setting with a focus on nursing practices. This review advances understandings of carer perspectives in emergency care settings. METHODS: The Joanna Briggs Institute (2015) [1], methodology for scoping reviews guided this review. A search of Emcare, Medline and Ovid Nursing was performed during April 2018, to identify literature where carer views and perspectives on engaging with emergency care services were reported. A grey literature search was also conducted. A total of ten articles and reports were included in this review. Consultation with a carer support group precipitated this review, which assisted in the formulation of the research questions. RESULTS: Papers found via the study focused on health professional responses, rather than on nursing practice. Findings indicate that carers often perceive emergency departments as the only option for emergency care in a crisis. Carers require information about how to effectively manage a crisis with their loved one more effectively. CONCLUSION: This scoping review identified that carers are often not consulted or engaged with by health professionals. Carers often perceive that nurses and health professionals have a lack understanding about the consumer's conceptualisation of distress and the nature of BPD, which becomes a barrier to effective crisis support and management. The literature often reported that a trusting and collaborative relationship between carers, nurses and health professionals demonstrated improved outcomes for the carer and consumer.