Murrumbidgee Local Health District is calling on the community to get involved in a new initiative to improve consumers and carers' experiences when entering the District's mental health services.
The 15 Steps Challenge Walkaround Teams, made up of community members and District staff, will be visiting their local Community Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Services and Safe Havens to provide feedback.
Project Lead Anna Dunbar said the Walkaround Team are comprised of people from the local community who have lived or carer experience with mental health issues or substance use or identify as an Aboriginal person.
"We want our Walkaround Teams to tell us about their first impressions when entering their local mental health services and how reassured, confident and safe the physical space makes them feel," Ms Dunbar said.
"Their feedback will be used to help create an action plan to take steps to improve consumers and their carers' experiences in local mental health services.
"The 15 Steps Challenge has been inspired by a similar initiative run by England's National Health Service, kickstarted by a mother's reflection on her family's experience of hospital care.
"The mother said, 'I can tell what kind of care my daughter is going to get within 15 steps of walking onto a ward,' which reinforces the importance of the first impression people get when entering a service."
Team members will be required to attend four sessions of approximately two hours each between September 2024 and January 2025.
If you are interested in being part of the 15 Steps Walkaround Team in your area, go to the website http://www.mhdaexperiences.com.au - you can also find the link in the post on the MLHD Facebook page.
