title: Standards of practice for the adult mental health workforce: meeting the needs of families where a parent has a mental illness.
abstract: This article outlines the development of practice standards for the adult mental health workforce for addressing the needs of families where a parent has a mental illness (FaPMI). The practice standards recommended here were formulated using a modified cooperative inquiry process with a group of senior clinical leaders in adult mental health services in Australia, following consultation with the available literature and policy documents. The aim of the project was to generate, align, and operationalize family-inclusive practice standards within the core activities of the adult mental health workforce and integrate into the continuum of care and recovery for service users who are parents of dependent children. As part of a modified Delphi method, the standards were also ranked by the senior clinical leaders to determine what they believe to be essential and recommended practices for the adult mental health workforce they manage. We argue that developing practice standards that provide practical and realistic expectations of the adult mental health service workforce enable services and workers to better adapt practice to respond to FaPMI.
authors.affiliation: School of Rural Health, Monash University, Moe, Victoria, Australia; The Bouverie Centre, La Trobe University, Traralgon, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Melinda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goodyear
authors.forename: Terri-Lee
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Becca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Allchin
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: Rochelle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hine
authors.forename: Rose
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cuff
authors.forename: Brendan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: O'Hanlon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D017008:Negotiating / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards*; D059039:Standard of Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards*; D014739:Victoria
keywords: family-focused practice; mental health service; parenting; practice standards