Issue 69 Perinatal and Infant Mental Health August 2020 ...
Transcript of Issue 69 Perinatal and Infant Mental Health August 2020 ...
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Over 10 years of training WA’s professionals
Renae Hayward, Senior Health Promotion Officer, Statewide Perinatal and Infant Mental
Health Program
Education and Training Officer, Lea Davidson, has been with the Statewide Perinatal and Infant
Mental Health Program since 2009. Over the last 11 years, she has been instrumental in upskilling
health professionals across WA not only to better understand perinatal and infant mental health
issues, but to also effectively screen and refer women and families to get the support they need
during the perinatal period.
During Lea’s time with the SPIMHP team, she has conducted five train-the-trainer events for the
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), upskilling 46 metropolitan and regional training to
deliver the EPDS module in their local area. With the development of the Perinatal Anxiety
Disorders (PAD) module in conjunction with the King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH)
Department of Psychological Medicine, Lea also ran two PAD train-the-trainer events, upskilling
30 trainers across the state to deliver perinatal anxiety training.
With Lea, the EPDS and PAD trainers then went on to train approximately 8,000 professionals
across WA. The year 2012 saw the highest number of people trained as National Perinatal
Depression Initiative funding enabled at least one training event to be conducted in each WA
Health region, plus multiple ‘road shows’ to support local trainers.
The last decade has also seen Lea coordinating four perinatal and infant mental health
symposiums, assisting with the planning of two Australasian Marcé Society conferences,
presenting at numerous conferences and symposia herself, and working with both Curtin
University and Notre Dame University to embed the EPDS training module in their Child and
Adolescent Health Programs and Graduate Diploma of Midwifery respectively.
Reflecting on her work, Lea said, ‘There has been an interesting
transition over the past decade. The focus has shifted from screening
just for postnatal depression to screening for antenatal anxiety
disorders too. Since 2017, the focus has shifted again towards
screening for antenatal psychosocial risk factors using the Antenatal
Risk Questionnaire (ANRQ). This screening tool is endorsed by clinical
practice guidelines and is now being used in conjunction with EPDS to
enhance the care of women in the antenatal period by ensuring early
identification of past and current psychosocial risk factors.’
Another change Lea noted was the increasing use of video-
conferencing (VC) for staff wishing to attend training. ‘This was made
easier by VC equipment being available in most training rooms and
the support of North Metropolitan Health Service Telehealth.
Lea will be on secondment to Population Health until 31 January 2021. Until this role is filled,
please direct any education and training enquiries to [email protected]
Issue 69
August 2020
Perinatal and Infant Mental Health
News and Events
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Update: Education and training
Lea Davidson, Education and Training Officer, Statewide Perinatal and Infant Mental Health
Program
While preparing for my annual performance development review I realised another impact of
COVID-19: I had not attended as many professional development events as I usually would have
by this time of year.
With many of you probably in a similar situation, looking for a
convenient way to earn some hours or points (depending on how
your profession is assessed), I would like to remind you of the
Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE) online training for Health
Professionals. Registration is required and the training is free for
all health professionals. Modules do not have to be completed in
one session; the system maintains a record of what has been
completed in previous sessions, so a module can be returned to
at a later time.
The training can be found at the following link:
http://cope.org.au/health-professionals
Webinars are another way to access online professional updates, with several non-government
agencies such as ISHAR, ASeTTS and Women’s Health and Family Services all offering regular
forums or guest speakers. To find out about events ahead of time, it is good to register with these
agencies or to sign up for their newsletters.
If you know of any other ways to access extra professional development related to perinatal and
infant mental health, please let us know at [email protected] and we can circulate in
future newsletters.
Reading list
If you’re looking for some interesting reading material in the perinatal and infant mental health
space, consider looking up the below papers:
‘Having a Quiet Word’: Yarning with Aboriginal Women in the Pilbara Region of Western
Australia about Mental Health and Mental Health Screening during the Perinatal Period.
This article explores the appropriateness of trialling and validating the Kimberly Mums
Mood Scale with Aboriginal women in the Pilbara.
Connecting the Brain to the Rest of the Body: Early Childhood Development and Lifelong
Health Are Deeply Intertwined. This paper from the Centre on the Developing Children
discusses how biological systems interact with each other and the environment and how
early adversity can affect both physical and mental health in the short and long term.
Moms Are Not OK: COVID-19 and Maternal Mental Health. This article, published in June
2020, investigates the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the physical
activity levels and mental health of women in the perinatal period.
Young children’s use of digital technologies: Risks and opportunities for early childhood
development. This report from CoLab discusses how technology use in early childhood can
influence children’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive development in both positive
and negative ways.
Supporting women and babies after domestic abuse: A toolkit for domestic abuse
specialists. This toolkit was commissioned by Women’s Aid Federation of England and
equips domestic abuse specialists with appropriate knowledge and skills to support
pregnant women and women with babies and toddlers.
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Bunbury-based positive birth program receives high praise during COVID-19
Katrina Jones, Clinical Midwifery Manager, WA Country Health Service – South West
In 2019, Bunbury Hospital reinvigorated their antenatal classes with the introduction of a
comprehensive complementary therapy antenatal education program.
This is an evidenced based program aimed at providing women and their support team with
information, strategies and support in preparation for their pregnancy and birth journey.
Early evaluation of the program demonstrated a reduction in birth interventions and improved
patient satisfaction in those women who attended the classes.
In light of COVID-19, all hypnobirthing classes across WACHS were transitioned to telehealth.
This was a golden opportunity for Bunbury to roll out Hypnobirthing Australia's Positive Birth
Program across WA Country Health Service (WACHS) via telehealth. Clinical Midwife Kasey
Biggar’s knowledge, passion and enthusiasm saw the rapid introduction of the classes via video
conferencing, allowing women from across the state to attend at a time of uncertainty and
insecurity.
Recently, an evaluation survey was sent out to participants and the feedback has been truly
positive with a small section of comments provided below.
“My spouse and I were directed to antenatal classes by our local hospital, Karratha Health
Campus... We did the Bunbury classes via Zoom with many other couples around WA and are
really happy with our experience – we feel ready to have a baby! We feel empowered, informed
and all from the convenience of our own home.”
‘I'm sure that I speak for many women who have struggled through this strange time when I say
that having access to this program has changed the game for not only me but also my partner,
who now feels a sense of connection and purpose to the birth ahead. Having the ability to access
this course run by Kasey via Telehealth could change so many health outcomes in communities all
over the country.’
“I felt so calm and prepared for my birth. It also helped my partner with the confidence and
knowledge to support me. During the birth, I felt very comfortable and knowledgeable with what
was happening to my body thanks to this class. Kasey also showed cultural respect and sensitivity
for Aboriginal peoples, which made my partner (who is a Noongar Yamatji man) feel very
comfortable.”
“I was devastated when the virus hit and the antenatal classes were cancelled. I am a first-time
mum and was already extremely anxious about delivering without any of my immediate family
being close… The birthing classes really helped me understand the delivery process, what to do,
what can go wrong and the choices that I had available to me.”
As a part of this program, Bunbury Hospital staff have also been teaching Hypnobirthing
Australia's Positive Caesarean Program, giving women who are booked for a caesarean birth the
support and tools they need to navigate the surgical procedure calmly and confidently, but at the
same time celebrate the birth of their baby. Also running via telehealth is the Supportive
Caregivers Program, designed to engage midwives and other birth workers in a one day program
that provides them with the knowledge and confidence to support women using the techniques
they learn during the Positive Birth Program.
For more information, contact: [email protected]
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Grant opportunities
Please see below for some information about some grant opportunities currently available. For
further details, please contact the appropriate administrator.
WA Mental Health Week Lotterywest Community Grants
The Western Australian Association for Mental Health (WAAMH) organises Mental Health Week in
WA, and can provide funds for holding community events or activities during the week (10-17
October 2020). Grants of up to $1,000 are available.
Closing date: 7 August 2020
For more information: visit the WA Mental Health Week 2020 website
Lotterywest funding for communities and organisations affected by COVID-19
In 2020-21, the Lotterywest COVID-19 Relief Fund includes three grant programs developed to
reflect the hardship and secondary impacts of COVID-19 in WA alongside a potential risk of a
future pandemic crisis. The programs have been designed to provide support to eligible
organisations to assist individuals experiencing hardship; communities wanting to reconnect; and
organisations to become stronger for the future.
For more information: visit the Lotterywest website
Neami National community mental health and COVID-19’ grants
Neami National is offering community organisations and groups seed funding of between $500-
$2000 to develop accessible activities, training and appropriate messaging to promote
engagement, resilience, mental health and wellbeing in metropolitan Perth in response to COVID-
19.
For more information: contact [email protected]
Dates for your diary
Women’s Health Week 7-11 September 2020
RUOK Day 10 September 2020
Mental Health Week 10-17 October 2020
Children’s Week 24 October – 1 November 2020
PANDA Week 8-14 November 2020
NAIDOC Week 8-15 November 2020
Movember November
We want your feedback! What do you think of the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health News and Events Newsletter?
Let us know!
www.surveymonkey.com/r/37WKDRS
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Shining a light on men’s perinatal mental health in early fatherhood
Adapted from a St John of God Raphael Services’ Media Release
During Men’s Health Week (15-21 June 2020), St John of God Raphael Services shone a light on
mental health in fathers and the importance of early intervention to combat a possible link between
men’s perinatal anxiety and depression and increased risk of suicide.
National Director of St John of Raphael Services, Helen McAllister said up to one in 10 fathers
experience perinatal anxiety and depression which, if left untreated, could have serious
consequences.
St John of God Raphael Services provides free, psychiatry-led mental health care for parents from
conception up to their child's fourth birthday.
“The pressures of fatherhood, new expectations and learning to raise a child can be overwhelming
and contribute to paternal perinatal depression and anxiety,” Helen said. “Men are twice as likely
to suffer from perinatal anxiety and depression if their partner is suffering from it too; however,
there are limited clinical tools in place to identify symptoms in men. This is why education is critical
to not only break down the stigma of men seeking help, but also help friends and family members
recognise symptoms in new dads.”
Suicide is the leading cause of death for men aged under 45 years in Australia, with the number of
male suicides continuing to exceed that of females by 31 per cent, according to the Australian
Bureau of Statistics.
The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute has noted that the high rates of suicide among men in
this age bracket coincides with them becoming fathers and raising young children.
Helen said she hoped Federal Government funding into suicide prevention research would bring to
the forefront the importance of early intervention service provision and tailored support for fathers.
“Studies have proven that prevention and treatment of both paternal and maternal mental health in
the early stages of parenthood encourage infant-parent attachment and benefit the whole family
unit,” she said. “It is critical that we increase avenues of support and expand the same mental
health checks for new dads that we have for new mums, so that both parents are treated equally.”
To find out more information about St John of God Raphael Services, visit
sjog.org.au/buildthebond and join us in supporting Australian men to be strong and confident
fathers.
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About this newsletter
Who can contribute?
This newsletter was created to celebrate successes and share information among professionals
working in the fields of perinatal and infant mental health in Western Australia. In the interests of
information-sharing, submission of articles and other relevant content are invited from external
agencies, including those from the non-government sector and other Australian states. Please
note, however, that the Statewide Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Program (SPIMHP) reserves
the right to maintain editorial control, including the ability to decide the final content to be published
and/or making editorial changes to content submitted.
If you would like more information about the submission process, please contact SPIMHP as
indicated below.
Contact information
This newsletter was produced by the SPIMHP, Women and Newborn Health Service, Department
of Health WA.
Please direct any queries via the following:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (08) 6458 1795
Web: www.kemh.health.wa.gov.au/SPIMHP
Accessibility
This newsletter has been designed in a printable format and is circulated to a distribution list via
email. Following distribution, it is made available at www.kemh.health.wa.gov.au/SPIMHP. Upon
request, the newsletter can be made available in alternative formats for a person with a disability.
Copyright
Copyright to this material is vested in the State of Western Australia unless otherwise indicated.
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as
permitted under the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced or re-used
for any purposes whatsoever without written permission of the State of Western Australia.
© Department of Health 2020
Disclaimer
The information presented in this newsletter is provided in good faith as a public service. The
accuracy of any statements made is not guaranteed and it is the responsibility of readers to make
their own enquiries as to the accuracy, currency or appropriateness of any information or advice
provided. Liability for any act or omission occurring in reliance on this document or for any loss,
damage or injury occurring as a consequence of such act or omission is expressly disclaimed.