Category: VTMH Report

This report discusses and reviews a three-year collaboration between Neami National (Neami), a community-based provider of psychosocial mental health support services, and VTMH as a state-wide capacity building unit that focuses on improving responses to culturally diverse populations.

The report provides a detailed description of our partnership processes in action, including

• The VTMH partnership approach
• Initiatives and strategies that emerged to address and support key goals
• Learning gained through the collaboration

Read the report, Partners in diversity: A transcultural and community mental health collaboration to build organisational cultural responsiveness, via our Reports and Publications page

Conducted over a three year period, the evaluation reflects the commitment of VTMH and partner organisations to implementing mental health policies, listening to multiple voices, and responding to diverse experiences while being inclusive of emerging and under-represented communities.
VTMH’s capacity to form partnerships with mental health service providers, design and deliver cultural responsiveness workshops and conduct reflective practice sessions throughout 2013– 2015 is examined in depth in the report. State and national contexts of the unit’s current programs are also discussed.  

Findings arising from the five individual evaluation studies undertaken for this project, including an external review by Australian Institute for Primary Care and Aging (AIPCA), Latrobe University, are guiding VTMH’s commitments into the future regarding specific program priorities and broader areas including communications, quality and collaboration. 

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Daryl Oehm, Manager of VTMH explains:

‘External stakeholders were overwhelming positive about the work of VTMH and they provided some suggestions such as ways to extend our reach from mental health services into community agencies and organisations.’    

‘We are working with the mental health sector and beyond to promote greater understanding of cultural diversity issues in mental health and building momentum for change. The VTMH reference group, comprised of representatives from key diversity organisations, service providers and leaders in policy and research, is helping VTMH explore the implications of these evaluation findings.’  

‘We welcome any feedback and suggestions in relation to this report, and look forward to pursuing constructive dialogue with the Department of Health and Human Services in relation to evaluation outcomes, and strengthening cultural diversity awareness in the mental health system.’

Enquiries: Daryl Oehm
t: 03 9231 3300
e: daryl.oehm@svha.org.au; vtmh@svha.org.au