Comparison between Mental Health Program in Australia and Indonesia
Introduction
The report aims to analyze the mental health program in Australia and Indonesia. The report based on two case studies, taken from the mentioned countries, will evaluate both cases via comparative analysis, in terms of their background, goals, strategies, methodology and approaches towards the implementation and promotion of their respective mental health program.
Mental health is a state, in which a person is able to sensibly understand the circumstances around, handle normal challenges of life, can work and contribute for the wellbeing of himself/herself and community at large. From this perspective, mental health is considered as something beyond mental disorder, and it has to do with all human beings instead of just those having any mental problem. (Bernard M. Dickens. 2011)
The purpose of this report is to make finding that what differences are prevailing in a mental health program being carried out in a developing country like Indonesia in comparison to the similar program in any developed and high income country, which in this case is Australia. The findings will be valuable enough to encourage and foster the development of mental health programs and associated activities all over the world and make people aware both about the prospects and problems, the countries, especially the developing ones or third world regions, have been facing since long.
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Case analysis- Case taken from Australia
Name of Mental health program: The Gaining Ground Program
( Shekhar Saxena, Preston J Garrison.2004)
What they do: It is the entity that works for the welfare of young people who are the victims of mental health issues, by identifying, diagnosing and tacking their mental health disorders and taking care of them. The targeted people mainly include affected children and their families.
a. The background of the program:
The Gaining Ground Program was established in 1995 as an Interagency Committee. It was formulated in South Western Sydney, with regional health service belonging to New South Wales, as the host. At the time of establishment, this committee had a mission to identify, support and create awareness for addressing the needs of families and children affected by any mental problem. (Saxena. S, Garrison. P (2004).)
The initial strategies being formulated by the committee consisted of an epidemiological survey involving all mental health groups in community, development of a paper throwing light on mental health issues and their affect to raise the level of awareness, and commencement of conferences aimed to spread information and promote the need of awareness regarding mental health problems. The program was officially started after the employment of its first project officer, under whom the program’s strategic plan was developed. (Saxena. S, Garrison. P (2004).)
b. Objectives:
The foremost objective of this Gaining Ground Program lies in creating awareness regarding mental health programs not just for the affected children and their families, but for the entire community, so as to spread the information about handling such cases and promote the concept of contribution towards well being of victims (Saxena. S, Garrison. P (2004).
Another objective is to make professionals aware of the situation as well by conducting workshops, informative sessions, training and workshops.
c. Strategies pursued to achieve objectives:
The primary and most important strategies pursued by the Gaining Ground Program include raising the level of awareness of workers and professionals associated with mental health problems so as to better make them aware of the needs of target segment, organizing and managing forums and different workshops for examining the effectiveness of strategies, and formulating new and develop current strategies in order to promote mental health and social well being of entire community.
The Gaining Ground program has been shaped seven initiatives which are being synergistically operated for providing young people and children aged between 9 and 14 years, living with a parent suffering from any mental health condition, with activities which are fun filled and capable of improving their struggling spirit, enhancing communication skills, self esteem and social interaction abilities. The Gaining Ground Program encourages mental health in highly supportive and friendly environment. (Saxena. S, Garrison. P (2004).)
d. Methodology:
The Gaining Ground Program pursues its strategies to achieve goals via seven initiatives, which are:
The seven initiatives:
- Get onboard – sailing adventure weekends
- Gaining ground adolescent program
- Gaining ground family liaison officers
- Pilot parenting program
- Pilot mother–infant playgroups
- Gaining ground interagency committee
- Education programs for workers
e. Evaluation:
The collaborative structure of the program has resulted in increased awareness of mental health professionals and workers regarding the problems affecting children living with a parent suffering from a mental health problem. The program and its strategies are contributing a lot in catering the needs of affected children and their families, developing the capability of staff and services.
However, the program’s sole emphasis upon children and their families having mental issue can be seen as confined in way that it does not take into account other segments of society like senior citizens and adults. The seminars, workshops and training sessions can also be expanded to other community groups.
Case analysis- Case taken from Indonesia
This analysis is based on the entire mental health care sector of Indonesia. In developing countries like Indonesia, there is no community or welfare organization actively working for catering the needs and issues of people affected by mental health problems, unlike developed and high income countries like Australia. (Suarez. R 2011)
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Let’s discuss a minor program associated to mental health problems in Indonesia:
Name of Mental Health Program: Mental Officer of Mental Health Program
a. The background of the program:
This program was started as a training module in January 2007, in Indonesia to produce workers and professionals having supervising and clinical skills in order to address the needs of the affected people. Mental Officer of Mental Health program is backed by Asian Development Bank (ADB) since Indonesian health sector has scare budget to cater mental health care issues in the state. (Darwis. Y 2001)
b. Objectives:
Since, Indonesia is a developing country with limited resources; the state does not have sufficient facilities for people affected from mental health problems. Also, the clinical staff and other professionals are limited in number and are unable to cater the huge number of patients. [3]
Hence, the objective of this program is to produce skillful and knowledgeable officers who will lead the mental health team in their allotted district. (Yulizar Darwis. 2001)
Another aim is to create awareness among people about how to handle the affected patients.
c. Strategies pursued to achieve objectives:
- ADB provides funding for hiring professionals and health care experts to train mental health officers.
- The professionals train officers for mental health sector.
- The officers are then posted to different districts and lead a mental health team.
(Darwis. Y, 2001)
d. Methodology:
The methodology is based upon recruiting mental health experts not just from Indonesia but all over the world. ADB’s assistance is there for that. The training sessions are like workshops in which officers are trained to enhance their supervising and clinical skills to lead mental health teams in their respective sectors. (Darwis. Y, 2001)
e. Evaluation:
The case taken from Australia explains that in these countries much emphasis is given to heath care sector and all its segments especially the mental health problems. The finding also proves that along with entire community, the Australian health sector is developed and strong enough to expand these services even to affected children and their families, unlike in Indonesia where basic health facilities are not available to people.
References:
- Saxena. S, Garrison. P (2004). Mental Health Promotion Case Studies from Countries- A Joint Publication of the World Federation for Mental Health and the World Health Organization.
- Suarez. R (2011). Indonesia’s Mentally Ill Face Neglect, Mistreatment, PBS NewsHour.
- Darwis. Y (2011). Community mental health in Indonesia.
- Dickens. B. M (2011). The Role of Public Health in Mental Health, Journal of Ethics in Mental Health.
- Souza. R, Bernatsky. S (2007) Mental health status of vulnerable tsunami-affected communities: A survey in Aceh Province, Indonesia, Journal of Traumatic Stress.
