IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i19p3691-d272482.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Our Healthy Clarence: A Community-Driven Wellbeing Initiative

Author

Listed:
  • Nicholas Powell

    (Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Orange 2800, Australia)

  • Hazel Dalton

    (Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Orange 2800, Australia)

  • David Perkins

    (Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Orange 2800, Australia)

  • Robyn Considine

    (School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan 2308, Australia)

  • Sue Hughes

    (New School of Arts Neighbourhood Centre, South Grafton 2460, Australia)

  • Samantha Osborne

    (Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Orange 2800, Australia)

  • Richard Buss

    (Mental Health & Drug and Alcohol Services, Northern NSW Local Health District, Lismore 2480, Australia)

Abstract

In 2015–2016, the Clarence Valley in Northern New South Wales, Australia, experienced an unexpectedly high number of deaths by suicide, and the resulting distress was exacerbated by unhelpful press coverage. The local response was to adopt a community-wide positive mental health and wellbeing initiative. This paper describes the process and achievements of the initiative called ‘Our Healthy Clarence’. Key stakeholders were interviewed at year two and relevant documents reviewed. Data were analysed using document and thematic analysis. Our Healthy Clarence was established following community consultation, including forums, interviews, surveys and workshops. It adopted a strengths-based approach to suicide prevention, encompassing positive health promotion, primary and secondary prevention activities, advocacy, and cross-sectoral collaboration. A stakeholder group formed to develop and enact a community mental health and wellbeing plan. Factors contributing to its successful implementation included a collective commitment to mental health and wellbeing, clarity of purpose, leadership support from key local partners, a paid independent coordinator, and inclusive and transparent governance. Stakeholders reported increased community agency, collaboration, optimism and willingness to discuss mental health, suicide and help-seeking. Our Healthy Clarence draws ideas from mental health care, community development and public health. This initiative could serve as a model for other communities to address suicide, self-harm and improve wellbeing on a whole-of-community scale.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicholas Powell & Hazel Dalton & David Perkins & Robyn Considine & Sue Hughes & Samantha Osborne & Richard Buss, 2019. "Our Healthy Clarence: A Community-Driven Wellbeing Initiative," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-17, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:19:p:3691-:d:272482
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/19/3691/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/19/3691/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kaplan, Sue A. & Garrett, Katherine E., 2005. "The use of logic models by community-based initiatives," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 167-172, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Archana Raghavan & Veena A. Satyanarayana & Jane Fisher & Sundarnag Ganjekar & Monica Shrivastav & Sarita Anand & Vani Sethi & Prabha S. Chandra, 2022. "Gender Transformative Interventions for Perinatal Mental Health in Low and Middle Income Countries—A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-16, September.
    2. Elissa Dabkowski & Joanne E. Porter & Michael S. Barbagallo & Valerie Prokopiv & Megan R. Jackson, 2022. "A Scoping Review of Community-Based Adult Suicide Prevention Initiatives in Rural and Regional Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-15, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fielden, Sarah J. & Rusch, Melanie L. & Masinda, Mambo Tabu & Sands, Jim & Frankish, Jim & Evoy, Brian, 2007. "Key considerations for logic model development in research partnerships: A Canadian case study," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 115-124, May.
    2. Ebenso, Bassey & Manzano, Ana & Uzochukwu, Benjamin & Etiaba, Enyi & Huss, Reinhard & Ensor, Tim & Newell, James & Onwujekwe, Obinna & Ezumah, Nkoli & Hicks, Joe & Mirzoev, Tolib, 2019. "Dealing with context in logic model development: Reflections from a realist evaluation of a community health worker programme in Nigeria," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 97-110.
    3. Wasserman, Deborah L., 2010. "Using a systems orientation and foundational theory to enhance theory-driven human service program evaluations," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 67-80, May.
    4. Peyton, David J. & Scicchitano, Michael, 2017. "Devil is in the details: Using logic models to investigate program process," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 156-162.
    5. O'Keefe, Christine M. & Head, Richard J., 2011. "Application of logic models in a large scientific research program," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 174-184, August.
    6. Vinícius P. Rodrigues & Daniela C. A. Pigosso & Jakob W. Andersen & Tim C. McAloone, 2018. "Evaluating the Potential Business Benefits of Ecodesign Implementation: A Logic Model Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-26, June.
    7. Dageid, Wenche & Duckert, Fanny, 2007. "The process of evaluating a capacity-building support initiative for HIV positive South Africans," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 381-391, November.
    8. Cumming, Jennifer & Whiting, Richard & Parry, Benjamin J. & Clarke, Fiona J. & Holland, Mark J.G. & Cooley, Sam J. & Quinton, Mary L., 2022. "The My Strengths Training for Life™ program: Rationale, logic model, and description of a strengths-based intervention for young people experiencing homelessness," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    9. Wagemakers, Annemarie & Vaandrager, Lenneke & Koelen, Maria A. & Saan, Hans & Leeuwis, Cees, 2010. "Community health promotion: A framework to facilitate and evaluate supportive social environments for health," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 428-435, November.
    10. Park, Chul Hyun & Welch, Eric W. & Sriraj, P.S., 2016. "An integrative theory-driven framework for evaluating travel training programs," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 7-20.
    11. Cullen, Patricia & Clapham, Kathleen & Byrne, Jake & Hunter, Kate & Senserrick, Teresa & Keay, Lisa & Ivers, Rebecca, 2016. "The importance of context in logic model construction for a multi-site community-based Aboriginal driver licensing program," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 8-15.
    12. Deborah Ghate, 2018. "Developing theories of change for social programmes: co-producing evidence-supported quality improvement," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(1), pages 1-13, December.
    13. Volden, Gro Holst, 2018. "Public project success as seen in a broad perspective," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 109-117.
    14. Emond, Tina & Guillaumie, Laurence & de Montigny, Francine, 2021. "Using a logic model to develop an intervention for improving miscarriage care in the emergency department," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    15. Levay, Adrienne V. & Chapman, Gwen E. & Seed, Barbara & Wittman, Hannah, 2018. "It’s just the right thing to do: Conceptualizing a theory of change for a school food and beverage sales environment interv ention and implications for implementation evaluation," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 73-82.
    16. Patterson, Laurie B. & Backhouse, Susan H. & Duffy, Patrick J., 2016. "Anti-doping education for coaches: Qualitative insights from national and international sporting and anti-doping organisations," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 35-47.
    17. Scarinci, Isabel C. & Johnson, Rhoda E. & Hardy, Claudia & Marron, John & Partridge, Edward E., 2009. "Planning and implementation of a participatory evaluation strategy: A viable approach in the evaluation of community-based participatory programs addressing cancer disparities," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 221-228, August.
    18. Singla, Daisy R. & Kumbakumba, Elias, 2015. "The development and implementation of a theory-informed, integrated mother-child intervention in rural Uganda," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 242-251.
    19. Hill, Janice R. & Thies, Jeanie, 2010. "Program theory and logic model to address the co-occurrence of domestic violence and child maltreatment," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 356-364, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:19:p:3691-:d:272482. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.