VTMH continues to test and adapt interventions based on the rural and regional mental health services stakeholder feedback, helping us address the challenges facing mental health services in rural and regional Victoria.
In 2024, we held three Foundations of Cultural Responsiveness (FOCR) workshops at Goulburn Valley Mental Health Service, Bendigo Health and Ballarat Mental Health Service. The objective was to gauge interest in collaboration between rural and regional mental health services and VTMH. The three workshops were very well received.
Next year will see the commencement of the cultural responsiveness phase of the initiative. We also expect to see an increase in participation.
In the first half of the year, we will initially run two Foundations of Cultural Responsiveness workshops: one for Goulburn/Murray Wellways, a non-government community mental health organisation, and one for the government-funded Mildura Base Hospital Mental Health Service (Loddon Mallee). This phase will assess the effectiveness of face-to-face workshops in rural and regional services.
Analysing metrics such as attendance rates, participant feedback and resource usage will help VTMH gauge the success of these pilot interventions. The use of real-time adjustments will support continuous improvement aligned with the VTMH Rural & Regional Approach Initiative’s objectives.
Feedback on the cultural relevance and accessibility of both in-person and online training will provide invaluable insights into VTMH’s long-term decisions on how to support the rural and regional mental health services, which is our ultimate goal.