Organisational Systems and Services for Children of Parents with Mental Illness and Their Families: Processes of Change and Sustainability

Abstract

Adult mental illness in the community including depression and anxiety has achieved greater public awareness and visibility in recent years and this has also resulted in increased recognition about the widespread impact on dependent children. During the past decade in Australia, policies and specific programs for infants, children and youth in terms of prevention, early intervention and promotion in relation to children of parents with a mental illness ('copmi') have been devised. However, these have generally been disconnected projects, essentially supported only by non-recurrent funding. In more recent years, systematic and interconnected responses involving a wider range of government, non-government and consumer and carer organisations to build sustainability have become the focus. However, little research about change processes affecting the organisational systems serving children of parents with mental illness and their families has been undertaken. This aim of the current study is to describe the enablers and barriers that contribute to change in systems and government and non-government organisations in relation to children of parents with a mental illness in Australia over the past decade, within the context of sustainability. The study involved interviews, focus groups and website and literature searches regarding systems change across Australian states and territories and nationally in relation to the enablers, barriers and future directions. Strategic and intentional processes within organisations, more evolutionary ongoing cross-agency processes and links to sustained changes are key systems change findings. Relevance for change in other health services is highlighted.

Standards of practice for the adult mental health workforce: Meeting the needs of families where a parent has a mental illness

“…Consultation and liaison with other family support services is necessary to create a continuum of care (Heriot ), and treatment is delivered with regular review of protective factors, risks, and vulnerabilities. To support effective consultation and liaison across agencies and service sectors, and thus, timely acceptance of referrals and assistance to families, it will be necessary to utilize and develop cross‐agency and cross‐sector relationships (Heriot ; Owen ; Wan et al . ).…”

A systems approach to enhance global efforts to implement family-focused mental health interventions

“…This highlights the need to look beyond individual service providers and take a broader systems perspective (Owen, 2010).…”

“…Although not much empirical research is available on the impact of structural conditions for development, implementation and outcomes of (COPMI) mental health promotion and prevention programs, experience indicates that conditions such as the availability of supporting research, policies, legislation, stakeholders, organizational facilities, manpower, expertise, passion, budgets, leadership, and governance are crucial for developing and implementing successful programs and for creating large public mental health effects (Hosman, 2013;Owen, 2010). In Figure 2 below, these conditions are schematically represented as drivers behind mental healthpromoting and preventive interventions.…”

Developing resilient children and families when parents have mental illness: A family‐focused approach

“…Owen (2009) reported on systemic issues affecting work with children and families living with parental mental illness, and identified enablers, barriers, and future directions in five major areas. These were: big‐picture context and leadership; policy and strategy; people culture and management; structures, systems, and processes; and resources.…”