Projects within our 5 core areas:
Mental Health and Wellbeing in Mining and Resources Sector– This project focuses on working with mining, resources and infrastructure companies and designing awareness raising and educational interventions to improve workforce productivity through enhancing mental health and wellbeing. – "This place is doing my head in" Mining Proposal
"Changing Australian Landscapes” Initiative involves the research and writing of a resource book to support wellbeing in rural and remote communities - This resource supports the development of a shared understanding of best practice in interventions which promote wellbeing in rural and remote communities. This is a collaborative project with Prof. Debra Rickwood, Prof. Helen Hermann and other expert advisers.
Reproductive Health and Mental Health of Young Australian Women – This is a scoping project in collaboration with Family Planning Queensland. It reviews literature and issues on reproductive health and mental health of young Australian women, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Models of Mental Health Service Delivery in Queensland – The Centre is collaborating with Queensland Health on this long term project to review and evaluate models of rural and remote health service delivery in rural and remote Queensland.
Mental Health Week – The Centre is represented on the Mental Health Week steering committee for the Cairns area. Contact the CRRMHQ for information about the 2010 Campaign, Sunday 10th October through to Saturday 16th October.
Creative Recovery – This project focuses on promoting social and emotional wellbeing and recovery of mental illness for Aboriginal people living in Cape York communities. The communities of Lockhart River and Aurukun (project phase 2) have been involved with both weekly arts workshops and wall murals. This is a collaborative project with QLD Health and recently Arts Queensland funding an exhibition of the Creative Recovery Art work as part of the Creating Futures Conference 2010 in Cairns.
Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Resources – This project aims to develop culturally sensitive perinatal and infant mental health (PIMH) interactive health promotion program materials for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across North Queensland.
Drop the Rock Evaluation – The RFDS has engaged the Centre to evaluate the second cohort of the Drop the Rock participants as they commence the training. Digital storytelling will be a key method in this evaluation project.
“Weeding It Out” – James Cook University is the lead organisation of this project and aims to implement a multiple-component, community action intervention to encourage a reduction in cannabis use in selected Indigenous communities in Cape York.
Pathways to Resilience (P2R) – Rural, Remote and Indigenous Communities Suicide Prevention – This project developed community suicide prevention response plans for 6 communities; Mt Isa, Doomadgee, Mornington Island, Aurukun, St George and Cunnamulla, in partnership with each of the communities. Local identified activities which raised awareness about mental health included:
- All- Instructor Training for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid (AMHFA)
- Mt Isa – Health & Social Service Directory; Healing Camp Feasibility Study
- Doomadgee – AMHFA
- Mornington Island – Young, Strong & Proud
- Aurukun – Natjul Theatre for Change; Creative Recovery
- St George – Peer Skills Workshop; P2R Suicide Prevention Project; NAIDOC Week
- Cunnamulla – Certificate IV Facilitating Abuse Prevention Programs; Suicide Critical Incident Response Protocol; NAIDOC Week – Marcus Pedro & Youth Activities; P2R Art & young males from justice system; Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training
Social and Emotional Wellbeing Framework – Stage 2 associated with Building Bridges – Next Stage 2009 – 2010 – CRRMHQ SESWB Report
National Suicide Prevention Strategy- Building Bridges – Learning from the Experts- CRRMHQ NSPS Report Evaluation Report
New Australians come from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and many come to Queensland fleeing poverty, trauma and oppression. Coming to a new country brings unique challenges, different from, and often additional to, those facing most rural and remote Queenslanders. We can learn from the many approaches to wellbeing that New Australians bring, and share our knowledge and services in return. New Australians can help other Queenslanders understand how to respond to profound dislocation, to be resilient, and to build new and successful communities.
Rural Mental Health Climate Change Initiatives – The development of and support for the Queensland Mental Health Advisory Group (Environmental Adversity) has been the focus of this project. The group consists of approximately 50 members representing organisations across Queensland and meet quarterly to collaboratively respond to the impact of climate change in rural and remote areas in Queensland. – Service Mapping Report November 2008
Me and My Community – This project focuses on developing leadership and capacity building skills amongst young rural people and rural women living and working in the farming sector in rural and remote Queensland. – Me and My Community Poster
Tailoring Mental Health Promotion in Rural and Remote Areas in the Context of Climate Change: An NGO Perspective -This is a paper/ published document addressing human rights based approach looking at mental health and wellbeing promotion as it relates to the impact of climate change in rural and remote communities. – Human Rights, Mental Health & Climate Change Climate Change Poster
Drought, Drying and Rural and Remote Mental Health Collaboration – This is a consortium of organisations, now part of the Adaptation Research Network for Human Health and one of 8 networks established by the National Climate Change and Adaption, which is aimed at building on the capacity of the group to collaborate, bid for resourcing opportunities and partner in applied research.
o “Thefrontgate” – This project aims to promote mental wellness and support by providing access to mental health and wellbeing resources via an e-portal on the CRRMHQ website. Rural and remote Queenslanders will find internet links to mental health information websites, professional and personal support and calendars of Queensland events.
o MOSS – Mobile One Stop Service – the Wellbeing Bus initiative – The project aims to respond to the wellbeing challenges of living in rural and remote Queensland faced with climatic extremes by dissemination of information about services, local activities and support networks. The success of the drought bus and road shows in 2008 has instigated the development of this project.
The Impact of Climate Change on Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities – A Round Table meeting was held March 2009 in Cairns which brought together experts interested in identifying the critical issues, knowledge gaps and opportunities for future interventions and research. – Climate Change and Indigenous Mental Health Roundtable Report
Creating Futures: Harnessing Creativity and Social Enterprise for Mental Health and Wellbeing- This is a biennial conference held in Cairns bringing international and Australian experts together to focus on the social determinants of wellbeing and mental health and effective means to advance these issues. – http://www.crrmhq.com.au/creating-futures-2010-2
Visitors – The CRRMHQ welcomes visitors to the Centre. Be they long or short-term, national or international, researchers or practitioners, we value their knowledge and different perspectives. We are open and happy to share our knowledge, networks and collective expertise.
- James Asugeni, Mental Health Coordinator at Atoifi Adventist Hospital, Maliata Province Solomon Islands – Visitor to the Centre – Newsletter September 2009
- Dr. Chiu Yun-Ke, Visiting Family Physician, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital Hualen Taiwan – Visitor to the Centre – Newsletter October 2008
Networks – The CRRMHQ values the role our Participants, allied organisations from Queensland, other States and other Countries play in the Centre. We strive to grow our existing relationships, develop new collaborations and partnerships with like-minded organisations. We not only do this through our Conference, committee participation and visitors but through various Centre-initiated projects and commissioned projects.
Committees – The CRRMHQ invests significantly in shaping the agenda in our contributions to many influential committees, including internal Queensland Health, state-wide inter-departmental, inter-government and national advisory groups. This allows us to maximise our contribution to connecting people and information sharing for the benefit of rural and remote Queenslanders.
Current networks and committee membership:
- Mental Health Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention Sub-group of Statewide Mental Health Network
- Mental Health Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention Sub-group of Northern Area Network
- Mental Health Workforce Sub-group of Statewide Mental Health Network
- Futures Forum – Alliance and network of State not-for-profit bodies convened by QCOSS (Queensland Council of Social Service)
- Activate: Mind & Body Project
Governance – The CRRMHQ maintains the highest standards of governance for the Centre. Strategic and business planning is a priority and new plans have been developed to guide the Centre. Plans and directions are reviewed annually and this exercise draws on key people and ideas which challenge both the process of strategic planning and the substance of our work. Our plans are being used as an exemplar for multiple research, non-profit and other institutes, adding to our work in shaping the agenda and influencing how major stakeholders think about mental health in rural and remote Queensland.