Dick S1
1Cohealth
Biography:
Suzanne is a registered psychologist with extensive experience in health care, forensic and educational systems.
Suzanne’s consultancy has focused on the training and supervision of staff and creating a climate conducive to organisational growth and innovation. She has worked therapeutically with individuals with significant mental health and social issues in addition to working with organisations in the areas of policy development, program design and evaluation and improving staff performance.
Suzanne has recently taken on the role of Director, Mental Health Transformation with cohealth with a specific goal of enacting the vision of the Royal Commission into Mental Health in Victoria.
In 2021 the findings of the Royal Commission into Mental Health in Victoria were presented, with 65 recommendations for reform. One of those recommendations was the establishment of local services for Adults and Older Adults, with the operation of services in the Brimbank Local Government Area awarded to cohealth, in partnership with the University of Melbourne and Clarity Health with services to commence from the 1st of October, 2022. The brief is broad with an attempt to service those marginalised within the community with complex and coexisting needs, as well as those who may be experiencing milder distress but who have minimal access to care in the past, with the age of users of the service being 26 to older adults. This presentation identifies opportunities created in seeking transformational change within complex intersecting systems, the learnings identified in the establishment and codesign process as well as service data from the first months of operation. The presentation aims to explicitly focus on the culture change for individuals and organisations required for those delivering services within the mental health sector to realise the vision of the Royal Commission, and strategies to promote the empowerment of consumers, carers and their families in what type of care is accessed, when and how. Inferences will be drawn from initial service delivery about the mental health needs of ‘the missing middle’ which is attempting to be addressed through this model, as well as initial findings with regard to the treatment needs of those presenting with socioeconomic disadvantage and cultural diversity.