Navigating the mental health system and digital mental health services online

Hey @RachSANECEO I concur with @ArraDreaming on his dictionary analogy - not only do most people not know where to start but the language (and directions) used in some places is not simple. I can only imagine how hard that is for people with dyslexia or from a cultural background where English is not their native language.

So much of what is online is complicated and 'heavy' to navigate. On our website here is an example of that. It is very crowded and not always easy to find what you are looking for.

Another problem is the (often) preference by organisations to direct people to a phone number to call. If mental health support is to be expanded then web chats/online chats need to be a massive focus. So many people look online because they either a. do not know where to go for support and/or b. find it easier to use digital services to research as well as 'talk'. It is often so much easier to connect with people through typing than it is to actually talk personally with someone.

Our Guided Service is a very good example where this could be offered ie. a text based chat rather than a phone call.

In a future state -

I would like to see a new and very much improved Guided Service to be available Australia wide:

• To do that it definitely needs the communication, booking and groups to be overhauled and improved.
• Having a calendar of groups (with topics) and an online appointment system for participants would be ideal.
• Then having the option to chat via an online chat rather than over the phone would also be great.
• The zoom groups are great but they also need to be facilitated by well trained and experienced people (having both a counsellor/psychologist and a PSW as co-facilitators would be my ideal).
• Increasing the number of 1:1 appointments (with the ability to further increase for those needed).

Having support services available after hours would fill a very massive gap in our system. The advantage of online/digital services is they can be offered at different times and the biggest gap is definitely after hours. It is often difficult for those that work to access services and having to take time off work to do so. This is both frustrating and detrimental to recovery.

Hi @RachSANECEO,

With participants booking their own appointments, could a system similar to doctor online bookings work? participants booking a booking time and possibly worker? The worker only works their nominated shifts? sorry if it was already tried this way.

Hey @ArraDreaming There are groups run by Zoom as part of the Guided Service 🌞

Agree @Miss-wish It could be set up exactly like that so you can only book a session with your counsellor/PSW on predetermined/scheduled times ie. when they are rostered on.