HOW WILL WE KNOW IF OUR PLANS ARE BEING ACHIEVED?
Evaluation and assessment will provide evidence that the program is achieving the aims. COPSY will collect qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate that the program is:
- An effective mental health early intervention/prevention service.
- Meeting timeline and objective benchmarks.
- Meeting delivery/participation outcomes.
- Using suitable content to enhance education and learning for youth, families, carers, teachers, counsellors and community members.
- Sustainable and can be extended to other areas of Port Stephens.
The education program will include pre-participation and post-completion workshops, surveys and story sharing.
Measuring improved health outcomes is challenging, as publicly available health statistics are not granular enough for a local area.
Some possible key indicators that we aim to use include:
- Reduction of the number of suicides and hospital admissions in the community.
- Reduction of the incidence of police, ambulance and emergency services dealing with crises involving the mental health of young people.
- Feedback from GP’s on the number of Mental Health Care Plans for young people.
- Administered surveys across a whole school.
- Wellbeing measures such as attendance (days/periods missed) and number of behavioural issues per student and per year group.
COPSY will seek to build on its existing relationships with the Centre for Rural Mental Health (part of the Newcastle University) and the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network. Ongoing research will form an integral part of the information on the improvement of the mental health of young people in the Port Stephens area.
HOW WILL COPSY BE SUSTAINABLE?
COPSY is reliant on community fundraising, philanthropy and grants. COPSY is registered as a charity so donations are tax deductible.
Medicare funded mental health plans for participants, and psychologists will mean that professional costs can be minimised.
COPSY has secured funding for the initial establishment costs, as well as recurring administrative and promotional costs.