What happens when people leave a psychiatric ward? How can they best be supported to transition back home and live well? This was the focus of the 'Exit And Recovery' project I led for community peer support service and its local health provider.
Centre 401 was one of the first peer support providers in New Zealand and continues to be one fo the most innovative agencies advocating for wellbeing and social inclusion.
I helped them and the Waikato DHB design a different way of doing psychiatric discharge planning to give people a greater chance of community reintegration and recovery.
For more about Centre 401 visit: centre401.co.nz/about.
Keynote presentation at the International eMental Health Forum.
How do we best work together? What happened when we all sit round the same table as people who use mental health services, people who provide them and the academics who research and evaluate them. I led this innovative project with a focus on the shifting landscape of supported housing.
This project was published in the peer-reviewed Qualitative Research Journal.
"I wouldn't have come if I couldn't bring my cats. Nothing comes between me and my cats." Research Participant.
I was lead researcher for this project exploring the perspectives from residents and staff at different providers.
It's well known that people often struggle the most when traditional mental health services are closed for anything except crisis situations. Evenings and weekends are when a simple chat can help if people are feeling unsettled and prevent things getting worse. I was privileged to put together the first professional Warmline as a peer support helpline service.
Reaching out for help can be a huge threshold to cross and helplines can help those who can't or don't want to visit a mental health or social service. I was privileged to be Lifeline's first national manager to bring together over a dozen silo'd services into one cohesive platform of helping and online support.