Kia ora Koutou and Welcome to All

Welcome to Midland Mental Health & Addictions Workforce Development page.

Ruth Choudharey - Midland Region Workforce Development Coordinator (MH&A)

I have worked within the mental health sector for over ten years.  I have worked within Child and Adolescent Mental Health services - rural, gaining experience in an Adult Mental Health rehabilitation ward, Residential Coordination service (Mental Health), Youth Specialty Service (NGO) and Community Mental Health.  Primarily I have worked within the Waikato, however I have also worked within my hometown in the Bay of Plenty.

I am of Fijian Indian and Cook Island descent.  My parents settled in New Zealand in the early 70’s.  They initially moved to the West Coast in the South Island, where I was born, later shifting to the Bay of Plenty.  I reside in Hamilton, with her partner, Richard.

I have recently completed a MPhil – Cultural Wellbeing and the LGA 2002, supervised by Prof Marilyn Waring, Nicola Mason and Dr Kirsten Hanna.

I am committed to improving health outcomes for service users and their whanau through workforce development.

About This Page

The intention of this page is to provide you with regular updates on the workforce development activities at a regional and national level.  Information provided will be from direct links to the five National Workforce Development Centres and the Te Pou National Workforce Coordinator alliances.  This page will endeavour to highlight any upcoming training, event, hui or conference relevant to the Midland region and ensure you are not missing a beat for any workforce development initiatives coming our way. 

Anything and everything relevant to mental health and addictions workforce development will be available to view on this page so you are well informed.  I welcome your input.   Please feel free to send me your own local activities to showcase - and photos are appreciated!!

 

Takarangi Assessors Workshop held in Lakes Rohe

The Midland Regional Takarangi Competency Framework Assessors workshop occurred on the 26th & 27th of September 2011 in Rotorua. The two day workshop was facilitated by Terry Huriwai (Matua Raki) and supported by Charity Hansen. 

 

As a regional project undertaken by the Midland Regional Mental Health and Addictions Network in 2009, the Regional Assessors workshop built on  previous work facilitated by Haehaetu Phillips (previous MRN workforce coordinator), as endorsed by Nga Purei and project sponsorship by Eseta Nonu-Reid (MRN Director).

In May 2011, Matua Raki with support from the Midland Regional Mental Health and Addictions Network, re-delivered the two day Takarangi Competency Framework (TCF) introductory workshops to the following District Health Board areas (DHBs)

Following on from the introductory two day (TCF) workshop, the Champions and Evaluation workshop occurred in each of the identified DHB areas.  This workshop was open to those that attended the two day introductory TCF workshop. The intent of the workshops were to

  1. identify opportunities for implementation (practitioner and service)
  2. identify barriers for implementation and solutions
  3. identify potential champions/services within each of the local rohe to come forward as potential assessors
  4. portfolio review

This information is to be collated as part of the final Midland TCF Evaluation report.

The Regional Assessors workshop was designed to enhance local capacity and capability by developing TCF assessors established through a regional network. There was representation from each of the identified rohe. Participants capitalised on the learning space created to

Services/Organisations in attendance for the Midland TCF Regional Assessors Workshop

Takarangi Phase 1 Workshop - Round Two for the Waikato Rohe

The Waikato district was the last of the Midland DHB area's to receive the second round of the Phase 1 roll outs of Takarangi Core Competency workshops.  This was held on the outskirts of Hamilton at Hukanui Marae in Gordonton on the 24 & 25 August.

Approximately 23 attendees participated in this workshop with both NGO & Provider Arm staff alongwith participants from a National Workforce Centre - Te Pou.

 

Takarangi Phase 1 Workshop - Round Two for the Bay of Plenty Rohe

The Takarangi Core Competency Framework two day workshops were held on the 18 & 19 August at beautiful marae Poututerangi in Te Puna, co-cordinated by Ruth Choudharey & Terry Huriwai (Matua Raki).

This was well attended with 28 participants from both the Provider Arm and NGO services within the Bay Of Plenty district with acknowledgement from several who are interested in becoming assessors a fantastic prospect  for the BOP district and Midland region.

The Champions & Evaluations (C&E) workshop were held on the 07 September at the Historic Village and was open to those who had completed the first phase of Takarangi and completed a minimum of five competencies.

 

Takarangi Phase 1 Workshop - Round Two for the Tairawhiti Rohe

Takarangi Core Competency training was taken back to the Tairawhiti district for a second time, the last workshops were held in 2009 coordinated by previous Midland Workforce Coordinator, Haehaetu Phillips alongside facilitators Moe Milne & Te Ngaru Ltd.

Our current Workforce Coordinator, Ruth Choudharey and Terry Huriwai coordinated a two day workshop on the 08 & 09 August at Te Poho o Rawiri Marae in Gisborne.  Approximately 30 participants attended from the district from the provider arm and NGO services.

 

Takarangi Phase 1 Workshop - Round Two for the Taranaki Rohe

 

On the 10 & 11 May at Kairau Marae in Taranaki Terry Huriwai from Matua Raki with the support of Ruth Choudharey ran a two day workshop on the Takarangi Competency Framework.  Approximately 20 participants registered to attend and all attendees engaged on both days of the workshops. 

This framework contains 14 competencies with each organised into four levels:

Each level is arranged into three discret stages:

Midland Maudsley Family Based Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa with Andrew Wallis & Paul Rhodes - March 24/25th 2011

In December 2010, the Midland Region Mental Health and Addictions network (MRMH&AN), explored the feasibility of sponsoring the Maudsely Family Based Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa Intensive Workshop, delivered by Andrew Wallis and Paul Rhodes of Westmead Hospital, Sydney in the Midland region.

  
  Paul Rhodes & Andrew Wallis                   Group Discussion                           Midland Maudsley Attendees

On the 24th/25th of March 2011, the MRMH&AN hosted the two day workshop at the Hamilton Airport Motor Inn & Conference facilities. The workshop targeted child and adolescent mental health clinicians working with families caring for a child/adolescent presenting with Anorexia Nervosa.  Twenty five places were allocated on a vote: health population based formula ensuring representation from all five of the Midland District Health Boards (DHBs).

Andrew Wallis and Paul Rhodes have delivered Maudsley Family Therapy Training since 2004, and have trained over 300 clinicians.  The two day workshop  provided an in-depth training into the Maudsley model with a focus on practice and developing micro skill that link to achieving competency in this treatment. 

The Maudsley model was developed at the Maudsley hospital in London and was manualised in 2001. The basic premise of the model is that families have the resources to help their child recover from Anorexia Nervosa in the home setting. The model is suitable for adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa with a short course of illness (less than 3 years). It is an outpatient treatment that supports the family over a 1-year period. 

The aims of the training were to:

Workshop participants were provided the aims and learning outcomes of training as well as additional resources to support ongoing skill development.

Through the evaluation process, participants commented highly on the style and knowledge demonstrated by the facilitators, the applicability and relevance to clinical practice and enhanced skill development. 

Participants valued the opportunity to capitalise on the skills, knowledge and attitudes imparted by the facilitators as well as being able to meet and exchange ideas as a regional critical mass of child and adolescent clinicians working with Anorexia Nervosa.

It was fantastic to observe the level of energy within the room and commitment by clinicians to improving client outcomes by actively participating in skill development and training.

Ongoing Training, Support and Networks

For professionals that would be interested in developing and sharing their expertise, knowledge and skills through online special interest groups facilitated by the Werry Centre, please contact Rachel Lawson r.lawson "at" werry.ac.nz to register your interest. 

Examples include

Please click here for the Maudsley Family Training Evaluation Report from Midland Represenatives who attended the Maudsley training on the 01 - 03 November 2010 in Auckland.

KINA - Essential Skills: Working with Family Whanau Workshops

The Midland Regional Network’s Essential Skills: Working with Family Whanau Workshops were delivered by Rebecca Missen of Kina Trust in March 2011. 

Four workshops were delivered to participants from all five of the Midland District Health Board (DHB) areas.

     
Hamilton Workshop - Group Discussion                        Hamilton Workshop - Rebecca Missen

      
    Taranaki Workshop - Group Activity                         Tairawhiti Workshop - Listening Tentatively

The workshop provided the opportunity for new and experienced practitioners within the field of Mental Health and Addictions to draw on reflective practice to compliment existing and new skill development in the area of family inclusive practice.  The workshop content has been aligned with the Lets Get Real framework focusing on the essential level of working with whanau/families.  Participants also received DAPHAANZ points for attendance.

Areas included covering specific family/whanau inclusive tools, individual values and attitudes, sharing family inclusive policy and direction as well as local opportunities for collaborative practice.

For practitioners, their commitment to work inclusively with families was also demonstrated by sharing the benefit of collaborative training.  This was demonstrated by the mix of Non Government Organisations and provider arm staff and practitioners from varied professional bases.

It was an honor and privilege to observe the skills and respectful practice of participants within the observed workshops.

To look at the performance indicators aligned with the Real skill - Working with Families/Whanau at an essential, practitioner or leader level,  go to  http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh-realskills to check out the Lets get real: Real skills for people working in mental health and addictions framework. 

This document outlines the fundamental values and attitudes expected of people working in the mental health and addictions sector.  In the document are each of the seven real skills aligned to performance indicators at the essential, practitioner and leader levels. 

For a list of providers who attended the workshops in the Midland region - please click here.

For the KINA Trust report, please click here.

 

Midland Region Matua Raki Co-existing Problems: Case Formulation Workshops

In October 2010, the Bay of Plenty, Lakes and Taranaki District Health Board (DHB) areas were the first recipients of the Matua Raki Co-Existing Problems (CEP) :Case Formulation workshops.

     
     Hamilton Workshop                                                    Lakes Workshop held in Taupo

     
              Taranaki Workshop                                            Waikato Workshop held in Cambridge

Currently to date, 9 CEP: Case Formulation workshops have been delivered to four of the five Midland Region DHB areas, with Tairawhiti DHB area scheduled for June 15th and 16th 2011.  Each of the workshops were supported by CEP: Enhanced practitioners or Midland region representatives to the original Matua Raki CEP: Case Formulation workshop presented by Dr Fraser Todd in Wellington, October 2011.  Over 220 practitioners have attended the Matua Raki CEP: Case Formulation workshops to date in the Midland region.

All workshops were facilitated by Dr Joel Porter (contracted by Matua Raki) and the workshop content was based on Te Ariari o te Oranga, by Dr Fraser Todd.  The workshops were specifically designed to facilitate a collaborative learning place for mental health and or addiction clinicians within NGO and Provider arm services.  There was an extensive array of skills and commitment to improving service user outcomes.

The intent of the one day workshop was to provide practitioners the opportunity to:

While some service representatives verbalised familiarity and application of the 5X4 grid within their practice already, a good example of how participants implemented skill development following on from the workshop was provided  by Taranaki DHB (TDHB) Addiction and Drug services.  Time had been allocated within their team meeting to practice application of the 5X4 grid, increasing confidence of team members with the support of their service clinical director, Graeme Judson. Their identified TDHB champion Rachel Masters, is enthusiastic to support local Case Formulation training drawing on the Matua Raki case examples distributed as well as the team’s experience of application.

More information relating to the professional breakdown, participant evaluation and recommendations will be released upon the completion of the Midland regional rollout.

Please click here for the Co-Existing Problems (CEP) Case Formulation Evaluation Report for training held in October 2010 in Wellington.

 

 Takarangi Core Competency Training

The Midland Region will complete the final of the Takarangi Core Competency Framework Training in Taranaki on June 18th at Aotearoa Marae, Okaiawa, Taranaki.  21 participants from NGO, DHB, Community and PHO sectors completed the course.

Click here for the Taranaki workshop evaluation report and here for the full evaluation report.

            
Aotearoa Marae                                                               Taranaki Cohort

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 The Waikato training was completed May 13th at Kirkiriroa Marae, Hamilton with over 30 participants from the NGO, DHB and Community sectors.   

Click here for the Waikato workshop evaluation report and here for the full evaluation report.


Waikato Region Cohort, Kiririroa Marae, May 2010.

Three post evaluation forums have been facilitated to date in the  Lakes, Bay of Plenty and Tairawhiti regions facilitated by Terry Huriwai and Moe Milne with support provided by Haehaetu Phillips.   Paticipants of the forum have the option of being apart of the regional cluster group that will be trained as Takarangi Assessors from Matua Raki and Moe Milne.


Tairawhiti Post Evaluation Forum, April 2010

 

Midland Let's Get Real Implementation 2010

 

The Midland Region Let's get real presentation and Enablers workshops were completed on the 18th February in Tairawhiti at the Gisborne DHB and Ngati Porou Hauora.   65 NGO Service Managers and Team Leaders have attended workshops from August 2009 to February 2010.  All workshops were facilitated by Haehaetu Phillips and supported from the Te Pou National Workforce team.  Resource packs provided to each participant included a CD of all the Enablers, an overview document of Let's get Real and the Seitapu framework.

Click here for the Midland Engagement Plan

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Let's get real DHB Implementation - 2010

Appointments are now being scheduled with the five Midland DHB Provider Arm services to present the Let's get real enabler workshops.  Please contact Ruth Choudharey direct if you would like to have an individual presentation conducted to your team.

Check out tepou.co.nz for more information regarding Let's get real.