The Koorie Men’s Health Day is an innovative mental health delivery model that was trialled in Gippsland.

The PhD research of Anton Isaacs inspired the development of an innovative model of community-based mental health delivery for Koorie men.  Anton’s research highlighted the difficulties faced by Aboriginal men in accessing mental health services and adhering to treatment.  The study also demonstrated the difficulties faced by staff in addressing the unique needs of Aboriginal men who need mental health care.  As a result, the Koorie Men’s Health Day was developed and trialled.

The Koorie Men’s Health Day model was written up in “The Koorie Men’s Health Day: an innovative model for early detection of mental illness among rural Aboriginal men” by Anton Isaacs and Berwyn Lampitt. (DOI: 10.1177/1039856213502241). This paper describes how a mental health clinician, an academic and Aboriginal Elders worked as a team to design and implement an innovative model for early detection of mental illness among Koorie men in Morwell. The model of service is based in the community, overcomes most barriers faced by Koorie men in accessing help for mental health problems, de-stigmatises mental health and services.  The model appears to be cost efficient, being self-sufficient from beginning to end.

Interest in this model is growing.  Two more Koorie Men’s Health Days are planned for March and September in Gippsland with an expression of interest from Echuca.

Anton is a lecturer at the School of Rural Health – MUDRIH.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 3rd, 2014 at 2:27 pm and is filed under Community engagement, Gippsland RCS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.