Abstract
Training for health services staff often focuses on improving individual practitioner’s knowledge and skills, with less emphasis
given to the broader organizational context, in particular those elements that support successful implementation of changes
post-training. This paper compares the effectiveness of a standard training model for suicide prevention to an enhanced training
model. The training involved the public mental health workforce throughout the State of Queensland, Australia and was developed
in collaboration with the State health department and as such took place within a policy and practice context. The standard
training involved participation in a one-day training workshop, which provided information on evidence-based suicide prevention
strategies. The enhanced model took an organizational development approach and incorporated a focus on creating and strengthening
networks to enhance the capacity of mental health service staff to undertake preventive strategies. Findings suggest that
multi-component organizational approaches for suicide prevention produces benefits that should now be trialled through experimental
approaches.
given to the broader organizational context, in particular those elements that support successful implementation of changes
post-training. This paper compares the effectiveness of a standard training model for suicide prevention to an enhanced training
model. The training involved the public mental health workforce throughout the State of Queensland, Australia and was developed
in collaboration with the State health department and as such took place within a policy and practice context. The standard
training involved participation in a one-day training workshop, which provided information on evidence-based suicide prevention
strategies. The enhanced model took an organizational development approach and incorporated a focus on creating and strengthening
networks to enhance the capacity of mental health service staff to undertake preventive strategies. Findings suggest that
multi-component organizational approaches for suicide prevention produces benefits that should now be trialled through experimental
approaches.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-9
- DOI 10.1007/s10597-012-9489-y
- Authors
- Maria Donald, School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Herston Campus, Brisbane, Australia
- Jo Dower, School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Herston Campus, Brisbane, Australia
- Robert Bush, Healthy Communities Research Centre, University of Queensland, Ipswich Campus, Ipswich, Australia
- Journal Community Mental Health Journal
- Online ISSN 1573-2789
- Print ISSN 0010-3853