Improving Mental Health: Proposal for Remote Queensland Communities

This proposal addresses the mental health challenges in the remote community of Mt. Isa, Northern Queensland, focusing on both indigenous and non-indigenous populations. It highlights issues such as poor access to health services, substance abuse, and socioeconomic factors contributing to poor mental health, indicated by increased suicide rates. The proposed plan emphasizes community participation, accessible support services, and culturally safe environments, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Implementation involves community awareness programs led by registered nurses, establishment of mental health support clinics, and collaboration with government and community volunteers. Expected outcomes include decreased suicide rates, mental health promotion, destigmatization, and reduced substance abuse, measured through data collection and objective-based assessments. The proposal aims to create a sustainable, community-driven approach to improving mental health in the region.

MENTAL HEALTH PROPOSAL 1
MENTAL HEALTH PROPOSAL REGARDING REMOTE COMMUNITY IN
NORTHERN QUEENSLAND
Name:
Institutional affiliation:

MENTAL HEALTH PROPOSAL 2
PURPOSE
This proposal elaborates mental health improvement efforts in Northern
Queensland amongst the rural community in Mt Isa. According to the World Health
Organization (2014) mental health is defined as wholesome ability of an individual to
deal with stressful events positively in addition to the absence of mental illness. There are
various challenges that the people living in rural and remote areas of Northern
Queensland face that have contributed to poor mental health. This paper explains in to
detail such challenges, provides strategies to improve mental health and how to measure
the expected outcomes.
This paper also diverges to explain there are various people living in Mt Isa both
indigenous and non-indigenous. Indigenous such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait require a
different approach compared to the indigenous people. The proposal aims to seek how the
mental health of the people living in Mt Isa has been affected by various conditions and
how it can be improved. This is as a result of research studies that have shown that
mental health of those living in remote and rural areas is compromised due to
psychological distress.
BACKGROUND
According to Schirmer, Yabsley, Mylek & Peel (2016) people living in rural and remote
areas have a poor mental health compared to their counterparts in urban areas. This is due to poor
access to health services, drug abuse and poor socioeconomic conditions. The people living in

MENTAL HEALTH PROPOSAL 3
Mt Isa mainly rely on agriculture and livestock as their livelihood. Drought severely affects their
livelihood contributing to poor mental health (Edwards, Gray & Hunter ,2015).
Declined mental health has been indicated by a sudden increase in suicide rates. Rural
and remote areas in Northern area accounted for 5.6% of total suicide rates in Queensland (Potts,
Kõlves, O’Gorman & De Leo, 2016). Suicide is a strong indicator that depression amongst other
mental illnesses are highly prevalent among the people living in Mt Isa.There is need to improve
access to mental health services to the people while at the same time ensuring cultural safe
environment for the indigenous people.
Substance abuse particularly cannabis is common in the rural and remote areas of
Northern Queensland. Cannabis sativa has been associated with anxiety, depression, psychosis
and schizophrenia. It also worsens suicidal ideations. This contributes to poor mental health in
combination with other factors. Graham & Clough (2018) states that about 73% of the cannabis
sativa users are dependent and heavy users. This exacerbates mental health illnesses and
particularly the Aboriginal and Torres Island people who are vulnerable due to racial
discrimination. The government needs to regulate cannabis availability while working with the
healthcare workers to provide rehabilitation services.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and welfare (2014) people living in
remote areas are likely to engage in alcohol consumption twice compared to their counterparts in
urban areas. Although stringent rules to curb alcohol consumption have been enforced it is still
being consumed in very high amounts. Indigenous community such as Aboriginal and Torres
Strait have been reported to have a higher likelihood of harm by alcohol compared to other non-
indigenous communities (Clough et al. 2016). Alcohol has been attributed to increase depression

MENTAL HEALTH PROPOSAL 4
and anxiety. This causes harm since the community is already vulnerable in terms of health.
Factors such as poor socioeconomic status can also contribute to alcohol consumption.
PROPOSED PLAN
Mental health revolves around numerous factors including economic and social factors.
These means improving the mental health of a community involves inclusion and participation
by the members of the community. This is because the policies being implemented should
coexist with the beliefs and culture of the people. The first strategy is community participation,
inclusion and teaching regarding mental health. Stigma surrounding mental health needs to
demystified so as to encourage many to seek help. According to Zenere (2009) when the
community is involved in finding solutions for the problems it facing the success is higher. The
community members are taught regarding suicide and at-risk individuals. Hotlines are set up for
people who may be contemplating and the awareness is spread in meetings.
The community is involved in setting up rehabilitation centers for individuals with
substance abuse. This creates a spirit of togetherness which ensures that members look out for
one another especially in spreading the disadvantages associated with substance abuse while
decreasing the stigma. In addition, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait people are also considered to
create a culturally safe environment to improve their mental health.
The second strategy in a bid to improve mental health for the people living in Mt Isa is to
provide accessible support services especially targeting suicidal cases, mental illnesses and
substance abuse. Working together with the government ensures that there is provision of
employment opportunities, clean water and hygiene, financial disbursement for those in need.
These is because if some of the contributing factors can be improved, mental health would

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improve. According to Wakerman, Humphreys, Wells, Kuipers, Entwistle & Jones (2008)
accessibility to mental health services leads to overall improved health. Mental health services
are a component of primary health care.
Healthcare professionals who are well trained in mental health are employed in such
facilities. These involves psychiatrists, nurse practitioners and therapists who are given
incentives and are passionate about healthcare in the rural and remote areas. This ensures that the
health professionals establish a trust worthy and long-lasting association regarding sensitive
issue of mental health. These mental health clinics also includes community volunteers who have
been chosen by the members. They act as a bridge between the healthcare professionals and the
community members as they are part of the community and may be easier to approach.
IMPLEMENTATION
The first strategy involves community awareness, inclusion and participation. A
registered nurse is involved in education and empowerment. This means that the nurse should be
knowledgeable regarding the issues of mental health and substance abuse. The nurse should be
empathetic and have a nonjudgmental attitude towards the community members. The nurse is
involved in community mobilization where he or she is an educator regarding how to maintain a
continuum of mental health. This includes linking non-governmental organizations to the
community members which will teach technical skills to create employment opportunities. The
nurse is well informed also about the people who live in the community. This is because the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait people require a different approach in terms of culture.
Collaboration between health professionals during the community education not only enhances

MENTAL HEALTH PROPOSAL 6
unity but also encourages the members to open up on different challenges they may be facing.
Decision-making skills are portrayed by the nurse especially during emergencies.
The second strategy involves setting up accessible mental health support clinics to
alleviate the situation in Mt Isa.The registered nurse acts as a manager who foresees the
procurement of accessories such education materials, drugs and management of expenditure.
Furthermore, the nurse as a mental health specialist administers medication and teaches the client
on side effects that may be experienced. This also includes listening actively to the clients and
providing emotional support. Suicidal patients particularly require a lot of attention as they may
attempt suicide again. The nurse refers the cases that are complex to other specialty clinics for
further treatment. Documentation and confidentiality of the patient’s records is a rule in nursing
especially because of the stigma surrounding mental health.
The registered nurse is a researcher as he/she studies patterns in the occurrence of mental
illnesses or substance abuse and seeks to find a solution to improve mental health. The nurse is a
collaborator with physicians, therapists and community volunteers as they provide insight in
management of mental health clinics. Providing knowledge to the clients who seek medical
attention while ensuring there is a nonjudgmental attitude. The nurse engages in continued
education to enhance their skills and keep abreast with upcoming changes in mental health. The
nurse works with the government as they are involved in financing the mental health clinics and
collection of data with the consent of clients.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
The stated strategies aim at improving the mental health of the people living in Mt
Isa.The first expected outcome is a decrease in the suicide cases. This will be achieved if the

MENTAL HEALTH PROPOSAL 7
community members are willing to participate in raising awareness and seeking help on behalf of
those who are at risk. The second expected outcome is mental health promotion and
destigmatization by ensuring contributing factors such as unemployment or drought are resolved.
The last expected outcome is a decrease in the number of people who are involved in substance
abuse particularly alcohol and cannabis sativa through rehabilitation and support systems.
The success of the strategies would be measured by ensuring data collection before the
implementation, through the process and months after the implementation. This however
includes seeking consent where confidential details are involved. A case example such as those
are involved in substance abuse before community awareness and compare the data few months
after the implementation of the strategy. The second way would be setting objectives of what
should be achieved within a given period. After the time has elapsed the nurse will use the
objectives to measure if the strategies were successful

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Potts, B., Kõlves, K., O’Gorman, J., & De Leo, D. (2016). Suicide in Queensland. 2011-
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Schirmer, J., Yabsley, B., Mylek, M., & Peel, D. (2016). Wellbeing, resilience and liveability
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