Journal article
Promoting genuine consumer participation in mental health education: A consumer academic role
B Happell, C Roper
Nurse Education Today | Published : 2009
Abstract
Mental health policy reform in Australia has led to the expectation of increased consumer participation not only in all aspects of service delivery, but also in the education and training of mental health professionals. The aim of this paper is to explore the development and introduction of a role for a consumer of mental health services within an academic institution, including achievements of the role and the principles contributing to successful implementation. The consumer academic position was successfully implemented and has proved a valuable role. The success of the role was considered to be dependent on the following factors: partnership and commitment, support, scope and autonomy. I..
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Funding Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the involvement and support of Mr. Ross Findlay and Ms. Merinda Epstein, Melbourne Consumer Consultants' Group, for their role in inspiring and developing the initial funding application. The authors would also like to thank Mr. Bernie McCormack and Ms. Margaret Yii who are the consumer representatives and Mr. Greg Miller who is the academic representative on the project team, for their contributions to this work. Thanks also the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care who provided the seed funding for the position, and the Department of Human Services, Victoria, Mental Health Branch for the provision of the ongoing funding. Finally, we acknowledge the consumer participants in the Education and Training Partnerships in Mental Health who changed our way of thinking forever.