title: Introducing a professional development programme to a rural area mental health service: the importance of context.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the introduction of an ongoing professional development programme for clinicians in a rural area mental health service. The programme involved a series of workshops delivered by clinical psychologists. The training component of each workshop focused on discrete cognitive behavioural strategies, targeted at the amelioration of anxiety and mood symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The paper emphasizes contextual aspects of the programme: its setting, the modality of delivery, resourcing issues and maximizing engagement by the participants. Preliminary evaluation data are reviewed, and it is argued that programmes that focus on local capacity building in rural settings are an important component of redressing the urban-rural imbalance in the availability of evidence-based psychological treatments.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rural Mental Health, PO Box 126, Bendigo, Victoria 3552, Australia. ghodgins@bendigohealth.org.au
authors.forename: Gene
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hodgins
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Donoghue
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Judd
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petts
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000193:education*; D003479:Curriculum; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D004493:Education; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011361:Professional Competence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D011586:Psychology, Clinical / Q000193:education*; D012106:Research; D019035:Rural Health Services; D014739:Victoria