User Guide: What’s involved and how do I get started?
Overview: The Framework for Mental Health in Multicultural Australia
The Framework for Mental Health in Multicultural Australia (the Framework) is a free, nationally available online resource. It has been developed to support Australian mental health services, practitioners, Primary Health Networks (PHNs) and others to work effectively in a multicultural context.
The Framework consists of a tailored set of modules and self-reflection tools, which allow organisations and practitioners to evaluate and enhance their cultural responsiveness. Registered users build on their strengths and address areas for improvement in a self-paced way, with free access to a range of support and resources to inform both professional and service development.
The Framework is designed to engage with mental health services in two distinct ways:
- On an organisational/service wide basis, in relation to delivery of culturally responsive care and practice
- With the workforce at an individual worker level, to enable individual reflection and delivery of culturally responsive care and practice
The Framework has been mapped against national standards (particularly the National Standards for Mental Health Services (2010) and the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (second edition, 2017) to help organisations and practitioners meet and report against their existing requirements. Its interactive online format ensures the material continues to reflect current policies and best practice, with links to standards, resources and support.
Step 1: Registration
Registration is free, brief and available online at: framework.embracementalhealth.org.au
The first step for anyone using the Framework is to visit the Embrace Multicultural Mental Health website, access the Framework guidance materials and complete the free and brief online registration process. On completing registration you will be automatically redirect the Framework modules. From there, you can select which module or self-reflection tool you would like to start with.
Data security
Your data is secure and private when using the online Framework, which has been developed using the Moodle Learning Management System (LMS).
The Embrace Project will only use data to inform ongoing evaluation and improvement of the Framework, with any reporting on Framework data to be de-identified and in aggregate form.
The Framework is intended as a tool to be used for professional and service development. Please be assured that your information will remain private and feel free to be honest and realistic when entering data.
Step 2: Select your module or self-reflection tool
The modules and self-reflection tools have been tailored to meet the needs of different audiences. Please find below some suggestions on where to get started, based on where you are coming from:
If you are registering as a mental health service...
Mental health services are encouraged to work through the four service modules.
Services can choose to start with any module, depending on their current needs and priorities. If you have a module that is of most interest and relevance to you at this time, we encourage you to start there. If you are unsure of where to start, you can progress through the modules sequentially (i.e. from 1 to 4).
The Introduction to Cultural Competence module provides a background in cultural competence for people who may be unfamiliar with key concepts. It is recommended to complete the introductory module before starting a core service module if you have not had some experience in cultural awareness or cultural competence training. If you have some experience in cultural responsiveness/cultural competence training, you may wish to start directly at Module 1.
If you are registering as a Primary Health Network (PHN), or as a service commissioned by a PHN...
Services commissioned by a Primary Health Network (PHN) are encouraged to begin with the PHN Self-Reflection Tool. This tool will give you a particular “point in time” assessment which you can use as a starting point at the beginning of a contract to guide further work throughout the timeframe of a contract. Services may wish to use this tool as a guide for which module(s) to complete in the lifespan of a contract.
After completing the PHN Self-Reflection Tool, PHNs and the mental health services they commission can then target particular priorities and needs in greater depth by using any or all of the service modules.
The Introductory Module is also available to PHNs and the services they commission to use at any time, to provide a background in cultural competence for people who have not had cultural competence training or who may be unfamiliar with key concepts.
If you are an individual practitioner...
Individual practitioners are encouraged to use the Individual Practitioner Self-Reflection Tool. This tool is designed as a self-reflection tool for individual practice, as a quick and accessible way of identifying which areas are strengths, and which areas might be focused on for further development.
This tool is available for General Practitioners, mental health nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists and community workers.
Individual workers should review their practice in line with the four progress levels outlined below.
Individual practitioners can also make use of the free Introductory Module at any time, which provides a background in cultural competence for people who have not had cultural competence training or who may be unfamiliar with key concepts.
Progress Levels
When completing a self-assessment, you will rate your current performance against the following four progress levels:
When completing a service module, each principle includes a number of performance indicators which describe the components of good practice aligned with that principle. You will assess yourself against each indicator using the progress levels above, with outcome indicators also appearing to describe what that progress level means for that particular performance indicator. Services can use these outcome indicators to assist in assessing where current performance sits, and also how to progress to the next level and what needs to be in place.
Modules & Self-Reflection Tools
The information below outlines the process and provides guidance on the expected time and resources involved in completing the module or self-reflection tool. More information on what’s covered in each module and self-reflection tool is outlined in the User Guide.
Introductory module
The Introductory Module is freely available to registered Framework users, including individual practitioners, mental health services and Primary Health Networks. Training will take 60-90 minutes and can be accessed from any computer with internet access. You can complete the training at your own pace, progress is saved and you can continue the training from where you left.
The introductory module provides information, rather than involving the process of self-assessment, action planning, implementation and review involved in the service modules. As such, it can be used as an entry point to the Framework, before undertaking the service modules or self-reflection tools. Services might also identify their staff completing the introductory module as an action arising after completing a self-assessment within a service module.
This module is provided for those individuals and services who have limited experience in culturally responsive care or cultural competence training. For those individuals or services who had attended or have had some experience in cultural competence training, this module is optional.
Service modules
The Framework consists of four core service modules, which together provide a comprehensive review of the cultural responsiveness of a mental health service. Each module guides the user through the following process, with information and supporting resources available throughout. Users work through each module at their own pace, and can return to the Framework at any time to update their self assessment and action plan to reflect changes made in the organisation as a process of ongoing improvement.
| Step | What's involved | Outcome | Indicative Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Introduction | Read background information and watch short videos to welcome you to the module and help get you started. | Ready to start the self-assessment | 15 minutes |
| 2. Self-assessment & action plan | Complete the self-assessment and develop an action plan which builds on your strengths and helps to address any areas for improvement, using your results and the supporting resources available, including considering moving towards the next standard. | Receive a summary of your self assessment results and action plan | 30-60 minutes |
| 3. Implementation | Take your action plan away to implement at your service. | Implement your action plan | |
| 4. Review | Return to the framework following implemenation of your action plan and update your self assessment and action plan to progress towards the next standard. | Receive a summary of your updated self assessment results and action plan | 30-60 minutes |
Self-reflection tools
The self-reflection tools provide an opportunity to undertake a brief, overview assessment of cultural responsiveness. There are two self-reflection tools available: one tailored for Primary Health Networks (PHNs) and the other for individual practitioners. They each follow the same brief process, outlined below.
| Step | What's involved | Outcome | Indicative Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Introduction | Welcome and background information including mapping to standards. | Ready to start | 15 minutes |
| 2. Self-assessment | Complete the self-assessment and receive your results. | Receive a summary of your self assessment results | 30-60 minutes |
| 3. Resources | Use your results and the supporting resources available to build on your strengths and address any areas for improvement. | Improve your standards of cultural responsiveness | 60 minutes |
Things to keep in mind...
- The Framework recognises that developing cultural responsiveness is an ongoing learning journey.
- Services are encouraged to view the modules as tools to help them on this journey, that can be used as an important catalyst for change – it is the beginning rather than the end of the road.
- The modules are self-paced, and it is helpful to think about the resources required, in terms of time, funding and people involved from the start.
- We encourage you to involve multiple people and team members, and to take one step at a time rather than trying to do everything at once in order to achieve service improvements in a meaningful and sustainable way.
- Throughout the modules there are numerous videos, documents, case studies and supporting resources that provide important theoretical underpinnings to improve cultural responsiveness.
- Online links to relevant legislation, policies, and other useful web based resources are also available to support service delivery and these will be maintained and updated.
- A collection of Australian best practice examples will also be developed and maintained for reference and demonstration of good practice.
- The Embrace website also hosts an online Knowledge Hub with recent publications and open access journal articles, as well as online forums to facilitate professional discussions and webinars to focus on specific topics of interest.