COPMI (Children of Parents with a Mental Illness) Capacity Building "Stories from the Real World"

Title: MH electronic recording system change

Activity:  Organisational Development (e.g. policies and plans, information systems)

Keywords:  electronic data system

Name:  Therese Foster

Organisation:  MHACT

Address:  Callum Offices

Suburb:  Woden

Postcode:  2606

Email:  therese.foster@act.gov.au

Phone:  02 6205 1469

About :Changing the MHACT electronic data recording system to prompt clinicians to ask about client parenting status; to record this and have prompt questions re family support needs and children's safety.

Commencement Date:  May-2004

Completion Date:  December-2005

Location:  In a metropolitan region

To do:  Change processes or policy

Target Group:  Mental Health Clinicians

Who was involved:  Mental Health interest team /Project Officer

What we did:  In the context of project plan; We established whether or not family composition was routinely recorded, and if so, whether this data was retrievable and the mechanisms to enhance the recording in MHACT per se. We sought and gained endorsement from the Executive; met with IT and talked through what was needed, where to put it and how to get the best compliance rate, etc. We talked to the Hunter Area project officer regarding the MHOAT system. We then considered the most pertinent questions that would yield best results (we drew from UK "Parents as Patients" document).
First question "Does x have any dependent children? yes /no"
If "Yes", then a drop box appears with a series of questions re Who is looking after the children? How is the illness affecting these children? Are the children safe? Is the family adequately supported? etc.
If the "Yes/ No" box is not completed then the clinician is "bugged" to answer and will have difficulty closing the system.
Also asked from a CAMHS intake perspective: Child has a mentally ill parent? Is receiving early intervention as a child of a person with a mental illness?

What we found:  The IT staff are extremely busy and pressured. Face to face contact works best. Clinicians report an increased awareness and approach to COPMI. It puts COPMI in the Mental Health lexicon.

What worked well:  It works well as a first step. At a minimum Clients parental status will be identified. The questions focus and strengthen capacity to enquire and respond. The questions are clear and purposeful.

What didn't work so well :We needed to readdress the system several times because 1. It initially didn't print out, 2. There was no 'bugging' device. 3. The drop box of prompt question wasn't initially included. 4. Inpatient service access to the electronic system is limited and we needed another approach.


What others can learn from our work: Change takes time. It takes perseverance to get your agenda onto someone else's agenda. Get Executive endorsement first. Structural change is imperative to embed and sustain change. It's a tiered approach and its efficacy needs to be reviewed.

What form or evaluation did you do?: Pre and post comparison

Where to from here:  Hopefully, in combination with other systemic changes and complimentary shifts within the service, this mechanism for identification of parental status will enhance family/childrens' needs forming part of the initial assessment, clinical review and discharge planning, and that these needs will be addressed appropriately .

People to acknowledge/thank: John Cologon

Date Submitted:  Jun 15, 2005 12:49:04 PM

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