Page 1625 - Week 05 - Thursday, 2 June 2022
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image. We can also see that users are seeking dedicated support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services.
We can see that, of those users that chose to provide their age, 50 per cent were between six and 17 years of age, 24 per cent were between the ages of 18 and 24, and 26 per cent were nominated as parents or carers. We can see through this data that 38 per cent were happy to travel to access the right service in Canberra, by selecting multiple locations through the search feature. Breakdown data for locations is included in the report, noting that a young person can seek information on services without choosing a preferred location. Fifty-one per cent were seeking face-to-face services, with 28 per cent seeking a combination of delivery options. This is consistent with the feedback we are hearing from young people that are interested in face-to-face support at the commencement of their journey, with online support only following an established relationship.
An important offering of MindMap is the active hold service that Marymead offers to support a young person while they are on a waiting list for a service. This involves face-to-face or phone counselling sessions, at a young person’s request, with a clinical youth navigator, along with contact with the young person. This feature is an incredible opportunity to support a young person, including their family, before they commence with a service and to ensure that their needs have not changed.
We know from the advice provided by mental health community advocates, service providers and researchers in the ACT that it is critically important to be able to respond quickly when someone has the courage to say that they need help. Being able to hold the space for someone until they are able to engage with the service is helpfully managing symptoms while they wait and ensuring that they do not disengage before they have the chance to receive the support that they need. Currently, the active hold service provided by the clinical youth navigator at MindMap does not appear to be widely known. So far, only one young person has engaged in this service, but the feedback was highly positive for both the young person and their family. The Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing and Marymead are investigating further strategies to make this service more widely known.
I am encouraged by the data and feedback from the community that MindMap is already a valuable resource for our community. A critical part of MindMap is the formal evaluation, which is currently in progress. The evaluation is being overseen by the MindMap governance committee that meets monthly. There is a dedicated group looking specifically at the evaluation, involving the Australian National University, the University of Canberra, the Youth Coalition, Mental Illness Education ACT, Marymead and the office.
The first part of the evaluation will focus on the process of implementation, followed by the short-term outcomes and first-year impact. I am keen to hear the findings of this evaluation and will be happy to share the findings later this year so that we can continue to work with young people and our community to ensure that they receive the support that they need.
I present the following paper:
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