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

Abstract

This article outlines the development of practice standards for the adult mental health workforce for addressing the needs of families where a parent has a mental illness (FaPMI). The practice standards recommended here were formulated using a modified cooperative inquiry process with a group of senior clinical leaders in adult mental health services in Australia, following consultation with the available literature and policy documents. The aim of the project was to generate, align, and operationalize family-inclusive practice standards within the core activities of the adult mental health workforce and integrate into the continuum of care and recovery for service users who are parents of dependent children. As part of a modified Delphi method, the standards were also ranked by the senior clinical leaders to determine what they believe to be essential and recommended practices for the adult mental health workforce they manage. We argue that developing practice standards that provide practical and realistic expectations of the adult mental health service workforce enable services and workers to better adapt practice to respond to FaPMI.

Differences Between Irish and Australian Psychiatric Nurses' Family-Focused Practice in Adult Mental Health Services

“…Foster et al (2012) and others (Goodyear et al 2015;Stanbridge & Durbach 2007) recommend a continuum of family focused activities for mental health professionals when working with service users who are parents. At minimum, mental health professionals, including psychiatric nurses, should establish the parenting status of service users, ascertain the number and age of children and encourage parents to discuss their family and parenting role during treatment.…”

“…Another component of FFP is to liaise with other services to provide parents and children with additional support as required, Goodyear et al 2015).…”

“…The (Goodyear et al 2015;Victorian Government 2007). Thus the results of the present study tentatively demonstrate the effectiveness of policy initiatives in promoting a family focused organisational approach.…”

“…In the Australian context, practice standards have recently been collaboratively developed for the adult mental health professionals (Goodyear et al 2015). These standards are aligned and operationalised to the core activities of the adult mental health workforce and integrated into the continuum of care and recovery for service users who are parents of dependent children (Goodyear et al 2015).…”

“…These standards are aligned and operationalised to the core activities of the adult mental health workforce and integrated into the continuum of care and recovery for service users who are parents of dependent children (Goodyear et al 2015). The authors argue that developing practice standards that provide practical and realistic expectations of the workforce within the context of their existing role is essential for a change in family focused practices.…”