Resources for Health and Community Workers

Package/Kits

Big Red Book: A Directory and Handbook for People who work with Young People in the ACT (Version 3)   Youth Coalition of the ACT   2008
The Big Red Book is the first handbook and directory for people who work with young people in the ACT.

It has been designed for use by a range of professionals who may have contact with young people including youth workers, general practitioners and teachers. In addition to providing service profiles, this handbook also provides strategy-based information for workers, key service contacts and other helpful resources.

The services in this handbook were actively involved in its development and young people's voices are reflected throughout.


Available via: Web
Web:http://www.youthcoalition.net/public/Projects/BRB.html

Developing World of the Child: Resource Pack, The   Department for Education and Skills - U.K.   2007
Multiple-media pack bringing new perspectives on child development, looking at children in their varied and diverse contexts. It builds vital bridges between the need to understand children's development and the ways practitioners carry out their tasks when working with children and families.
Available via: Web
NSPCC Publications
Weston House, 42 Curtain Rd.  London EC2A 3NH  Web:http://www.nspcc.org.uk/inform

Dual Diagnosis Support Kit   New South Wales Department of Community Services (DoCS) in collaboration with the Mental Health Coordinating Council (MHCC) in NSW   2006
The Dual Diagnosis Support Kit includes information for workers, foster carers, and parents with dual diagnosis - as well as two storybooks for children aged 5 -7 years and 8 -12 years, plus a handy wallet-sized information card for adolescents.
The kit is downloadable from the DoCS website and available through the website free of charge.

Available via: Web
 (02) 9716 2356
Web:http://www.nscchealth.nsw.gov.au/carersupport/fami/ddkit/default.shtml

Families and Mental Illness DVD Kit    
(SANE Australia) includes the SANE Guide for Families and a DVD that offers first-hand insight on dealing with mental illness in families (SANE Australia). [Australia]
Available via: Web
SANE Australia
Email:   info@sane.org
Web:http://www.sane.org/page,shop.product_details/flypage,flypage.tpl/product_id,17/category_id,15/option,com_virtuemart/Itemid,363.html

Family to Family   Ruah Community Services and COMIC WA   2009
Ruah Community Services and COMIC WA have launched a series of booklets called 'Family to Family - telling it like it is'. This series of booklets was produced by a group of consumers and carers reflecting on their experiences of managing family life and raising children whilst managing the affects of mental illness, in collaboration with Ruah Community Services.
There are five booklets in the series:
- Our stories
- Children and parenting
- Families and recovery
- Going to hospital
- Working things out as a family

The booklets can be found on the Ruah website in the 'Latest news' link.

To enquire about ordering the booklets email perspectives@ruah.com.au with ?booklets? in the subject line.
Available via: Web
Ruah Community Services and COMIC WA
Web:http://www.ruah.com.au

Healthy Babies for Mothers with Serious Mental Illness: A case management framework for mental health clinicians   North Metropolitan Area Health Service (NMAHS) and WA Department of Health   2008
The provision of specific support by mental health clinicians/case managers - to pregnant women with serious mental illness - is an important primary prevention strategy with the goal of improving obstetric and neonatal outcomes for these women and their children. Three key elements form the basis of the framework: providing consumer reproductive choices; early detection and monitoring of pregnancy; and implementing a small known team approach in the management of pregnant women with serious mental illness. The framework is designed to assist health care professionals in managing the target group. Dowloadable framework - http://www.nmahsmh.health.wa.gov.au/projects/healthybabies.cfm
Available via: Web
North Metropolitan Area Health Service (NMAHS)
Web:http://www.nmahsmh.health.wa.gov.au/about/

HeretoHelp   HeretoHelp (a project of the BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information)   2009
The BC Partners 'toolkits' - manuals to help you build knowledge and practice skills to manage a mental health or substance use problem, or support a loved one to do so. All of them all profiled in the 'Learn Skills' section by topic area, or by publication name below (if you know the one you want to find):

Anxiety Disorders Toolkit: A manual specially tailored for those with anxiety problems or a diagnosed anxiety disorder. A comprehensive and helpful resource that also features quizzes.

Depression Toolkit: A manual specially tailored for those with a diagnosis of depression or other mood disorders.

Family Self-Care and Recovery From Mental Illness Manual: This manual is designed for families of people dealing with a mental illness. It will help family members be informed caregivers, including taking care of themselves and other family members and maintaining their own health.

How You Can Help: A Toolkit for Families (aka the Family Toolkit): If you're a family member, friend or other carer, this workbook aims to help walk you through what you need to know about helping someone you love struggling with a mental or substance use disorder.

Mental Disorders Toolkit: An interactive experience to help you, or a loved one, better manage a mental disorder on a day-to-day basis and develop a plan to prevent relapse.

Problem Substance Use Workbook: A series of worksheets and guidelines designed to help individuals and families struggling with problems from alcohol or other drug use, wherever they may be on their road to behaviour change.

Wellness Modules: A series of worksheets on various topics to do with mental well-being including stress management, exercise, nutrition, emotions, relationships and thinking patterns. A useful resource for everyone.
Available via: Web
HeretoHelp (a project of the BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information)
Web:http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/publications/toolkits

How You Can Help. A Toolkit For Families     2004
Designed to assist families in caring for a family member with a mental illness by providing information and practical resources. The toolkit consists of five learning modules: Understanding Mental and Substance Use Disorders, Supporting Recovery from a Mental or Substance Use Disorder, Communication and Problem-Solving Skills, Caring for Yourself and Other Family Members, and Children and Youth in the School System. [Canada]
Available via: Web
BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information
Web:http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/skills/supporting-family/family-toolkit

Keeping the Family In Mind Resource Pack   Barnado's Action with Young Carers, Liverpool, UK   2003
Research report
Video "telling It Like It Is'
Evaluation of the Family Room
Young Carers Mental health Resource Pack
10 messages from Young Carers
Available via: Email
Barnado's Action with Young Carers
24 Colquitt St Liverpool (UK) L1 4DE Email:  louise.wardale@barnados.org.uk

KIDZ CLUB KIT (PROGRAM KIT)   MATER CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL QLD.  
KidzClub is a group which focuses on young people with a parent or relative living with a mental illness. The Kidz Club kit contains session plans, handouts, activities, feedback and referral forms.


Available via: Postal Address
Mater CYMHS
Raymond Terrace South Brisbane, Queensland  4101   (07) 3263 8650
Web:http://kidsinmind.org.au/deliver/content.asp?pid=6953

KOPING Kit   Shirley Anastasi  
Improving Pathways to Care

Available via: Email
Email:  Thy_Meddick@health.qld.gov.au

Maternal Depression? Making a Difference Through Community Action: A Planning Guide.   Mental Health America   2009
This Guide aims to:
- Build awareness and acceptance of the need for a family-focused, community-driven approach
- Strengthen the capacity of communities to mobilise around a significant public health issue
- Promote the use of state, local and even neighborhood partners
- Spur strategic thinking that leads to effective community action and change.
Available via: Web
Mental Health America
Web:http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/maternal-depression

Minds, Myths and Me     2006
A ?fact pack? for young carers who live with someone with a mental illness. This A5 booklet was designed and produced by four young carers, using their own personal experiences to help others in the same situation. Includes a ?Disorders and Illnesses? section. For ages 12+, produced by Gloucestershire Young Carers (2006). [UK] (13.23MB).
Available via: Web
Gloucestershire Young Carers
Email:  info@gloucestershireyoungcarers.co.uk
Web:http://www.glosyoungcarers.org.uk/Website%20copy.pdf

Needs of Parents with Psychotic Disorders, The   Queensland Centre for Schizophrenia Research  
A kit for service providers



Available via: Phone
Queensland Centre for Schizophrenia Research
 (07) 3271 8246

Parenting Support Toolkit for Alcohol and Other Drug Workers. Book Two: Information and Tools    
The Victorian Parenting Centre and Odyssey House Victoria suggest that an ecomap can highlight to the family that you are interested in the complex experience of parenting. It can provide to the family a picture of their situation, resources required and potential strengths and planning needed to lead to change. For more information about ecomaps and genograms, see Chapter 26 of this Toolkit. [Australia]
Available via: Web
Odysseys House
Web:http://www.health.vic.gov.au/drugservices/downloads/pst-booklet-2.pdf

Parenting, Children and Mental Health Resource Kit   Ruth Phelan  
A spiral bound resource booklet of reproducible fact sheets. Designed to support workers and families around issues to do with parenting and mental illness.
Available via: Email
Ruth Phelan, Central Coast Health
c/- Bindaree, PO Box 361 Gosford, NSW 2250 Gosford, NSW 2250  (02) 4372 7275
Email:  rphelan@nsccahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Web:http://www.copmi.net.au/jsp/resources/files/parenting_kit_index.html

Partners in Care   Partners in Care (UK)   2005
A checklist for professionals coming into contact with the children of parents with mental health problems.
This leaflet, launched by Partners in Care (UK) in April 2005, has been produced after consultation with young carers. It aims to help professionals give children and young people the information they need to come to terms with their family member's mental health problem.

Available via: Web
Web:http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/campaigns/pinc

PATS (PAYING ATTENTION TO SELF) PACK   Danielle Forer, PATS Coordinator, Centre for Adolescent Health Vic.  
Audio pack and resource information booklet Developed as a resource for workers to use with young people who have a parent with mental health issues or problems. The pack aims to reduce the isolation that young people with parents with a mental health problem often feel, to encourage them to look after their own mental and emotional health and to provide information and support to young people who are unable to attend the PATS program.


Available via: Email
Danielle Forer, PATS Coordinator, Centre for Adolescent Health Vic.
Email:  forerd@cryptic.rch.unimelb.edu.au

SMILES Program   Erica Pitman   2006
Erica writes "I recommend that the program be delivered as it has been designed, over three consecutive days, using the suggested daily plan. This has proved to be a very effective format (see program evaluation contained in the information & guidelines section). The life skills activities are appropriate for use in individual counselling sessions, may be adapted for use with other populations and have all been used successfully with adults as well as children."

Available via: Web
Web:http://www.copmi.net.au/jsp/resources/smiles_index.html

Strengthening Families - Fact Sheets   National Mental Health Association in the USA  
Downloadable fact sheets 'When a parent has a mental illness' from the National Mental Health Association in the USA.


Available via: Web
National Mental Health Association in the USA
Web:http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/information/get-info/strengthening-families

Supporting Our Family   COMIC  
Includes Child's Care Plan, Sample Letter for school, Consumer/ family Checklist, Resource List.

A Western Australian version of this package is available from the WA Office of Mental Health website, Resources section http://www.mental.health.wa.gov.au/one/aboutus_resources.asp
Available via: Web
COMIC
Web:http://www.howstat.com/comic

Woranita Kit (The)   Newman R, Francis S and Smith S  
This kit provides a step-by-step guide for the establishment and operation of parent and child play sessions, plus information on how children grow and learn. It was developed to address parenting and child development issues within services which have chemically dependent parents as their client group. However it can be applied in a wide range of services which work with families and young children. Funding to develop the kit was provided by the NSW Child Protection Council's Prevention Resources Grants Program. It contains detailed play session activity plans covering the following developmental areas: art and craft, cognitive, physical, language and music, social and emotional. It also describes the learning benefits of each activity. Illustrated support material accompanies the kit and is copyable for parents to take home."
The kit costs $75 and Postage and packaging costs vary depending upon where the kit needs to be sent.


Available via: Email
Burnside
8 Iolanthe Street Campbelltown NSW 2560  (02) 4628 3199
Email:  ahearder@burnside.org.au

Young Carers CD and Booklet   N/A  
A booklet for secondary teachers (and others who work with young people) about issues facing young people in families where someone has a mental illness, and a CD for young people including 2 songs written by young people and recorded by professional musicians, a young woman telling her story, and information about where to get help.



Available via: Phone
 (03) 9854 5122