Collaborative Approach to Supporting Staff in a Mental Healthcare Setting: "Always There" Peer Support Program
Debby Morris1, Jerneja Sveticic1, Diana Grice1
1Mental Health and Specialist Services, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Southport, Queensland, Australia.
Issues in Mental Health Nursing
|August 17, 2021
Summary
The Always There peer-support program improved staff perception of organizational culture in a public mental health service. Embedding the program into daily operations presented challenges.
Area of Science:
- Mental Health Services
- Occupational Health
- Psychology
Background:
- Public mental health services face unique stressors for staff.
- Traumatic events and cumulative stress impact healthcare professionals.
- Need for confidential, accessible staff support systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the development and implementation of the Always There peer-support program.
- To evaluate the program's successes and challenges in a public mental health setting.
- To share lessons learned for similar initiatives.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of Scott's three-tier model of peer support.
- Training responders to provide emotional support.
- Confidential support delivery to staff after adverse events or during stress.
Main Results:
- Positive impact on staff perception of organizational culture.
- Successful confidential emotional support provision.
- Challenges identified in integrating the program into routine operations.
Conclusions:
- The Always There program demonstrates potential benefits for staff well-being.
- Sustained implementation requires addressing integration challenges.
- Peer support is a valuable component of mental health service infrastructure.
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