strategic plan 2016 -2018 - phoenix australia · and support, but for some, the impact of trauma...

STRATEGIC PLAN2016-2018

Vision

improved wellbeing and quality of life for individuals and communities who experience trauma.

Mission

To be an international leader in building the capability of individuals, organisations and the community to understand, prevent and recover from the adverse mental health effects of trauma. To be at the forefront of world’s best practice in veteran and military mental health.

INTRODUCTION

Phoenix Australia’s strategic plan for 2016-2018 sets out an exciting and ambitious vision for the organisation, articulating a set of strategic initiatives firmly focussed on fulfilling our mission of improving outcomes for people affected by trauma across Australia.

Within the community, the knowledge and understanding of the impact of trauma on mental health, relationships and quality of life is rapidly increasing. As a national organisation that is grounded in a rigorous scientific method, and experienced in translating the evidence into real-world solutions, Phoenix Australia has a critical role in ensuring a sturdy framework for advancing knowledge and improving outcomes for all those impacted by posttraumatic stress through an evidence-based approach.

Our vision for the next three years includes the establishment of a traumatic stress treatment research centre, expanding the national guidelines for the treatment of PTSD, and developing an authoritative online trauma portal to support all Australians affected by trauma. In addition, we will expand our training and support for practitioners providing care to veterans with PTSD and associated complex mental health problems, and develop new interventions for veterans who do not benefit sufficiently from current treatment. While these and our other planned initiatives will require commitment and hard work, they are most certainly realistic and achievable.

We wish to acknowledge all who will contribute to meeting these goals: our staff and our partners, stakeholders and clients. Our talented and passionate staff are the foundation of our achievements. The productive relationships that we enjoy with our partners, stakeholders and clients are vital to our ability to fulfil our mission and they help us to shape and focus our work in the areas of most need.

And lastly, in this document we are pleased to share our newly articulated organisational values. These values, developed with input from our Board and staff, direct all aspects of our work.

PHoEniX AUsTRALiA sTRATEGiC PLAn 2016 - 2018

His Honour Michael Strong Chair

Professor David Forbes Director

PHOENIX AUSTRALIAUNDERSTANDS TRAUMA

75%of Australians are

exposed to at least one traumatic event

in their lifetime

There are moments in life that test us, that challenge our understanding of the world and our sense of safety.

Trauma can come out of the blue, be a predictable risk at work, and for some, it can be ongoing. Almost everyone who goes through a traumatic event will be emotionally affected in some way. Most people will recover with the right sort of care and support, but for some, the impact of trauma can be severe and long-lasting.

Supporting people who experience trauma is everybody’s business, and organisations, government, and the community must play a role.

Together, we can:

• promote recovery

• reduce suffering

• reduce the effects on families

• improve capacity for work, study and other meaningful activities

• improve mental health

We know that good outcomes are possible for people who experience trauma.

Trauma comes in many forms:

• accidents

• sexual and physical violence

• natural and man-made disasters

• war

Trauma can lead to:

• posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• depression

• anxiety

• alcohol and drug use

• anger

• problems in relationships with family and friends

• reduced capacity to work

Our journey began with developing treatment and recovery programs for war veterans. Today, we retain a core commitment to military and veteran mental health, but our work has expanded and has a broader focus as we seek to improve the outcomes for all Australians affected by trauma across the lifespan.

Our acclaimed research and international networks are the foundation of our work. We partner with and guide organisations, communities and individuals to reduce the effects of trauma.

Phoenix Australia is a not-for-profit organisation affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Melbourne.


For over 20 years Phoenix Australia has been a leader in posttraumatic mental health.

Vision Improved wellbeing and quality of life for individuals and communities who experience trauma

Mission To be an international leader in building the capability of individuals, organisations and the community to understand, prevent and recover from the adverse mental health effects of trauma. To be at the forefront of world’s best practice in veteran and military mental health.

Goals 1. Improve outcomes for the community

2. Improve outcomes for members of the Defence community

3. Advance scientific knowledge about the nature, development and impact of traumatic stress

4. Provide leadership and expertise in evidence-informed posttraumatic mental health policy, service delivery and practice

5. Enhance the operational and business capabilities of the organisation

Services and products • World class research

• Policy and service development

• Education and training

• Events and resources

Enablers • Our people

• Our partnerships

Values • We are passionate about making a real difference to the wellbeing of people impacted by trauma

• We operate with integrity in our words and actions

• We collaborate with our colleagues and partners to achieve the best possible results

• We are responsive to the changing needs of the communities we serve

• We strive for excellence

• We are guided by scientific evidence

STRATEGIC FRAMEwORk

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES


GOALS INITIATIVES

1

2

3

4

5

Improve outcomes for the community

Improve outcomes for members of the Defence community

Advance scientific knowledge about the nature, development and impact of traumatic stress

Provide leadership and expertise in evidence-informed posttraumatic mental health policy, service delivery and practice

Enhance the operational and business capabilities of the organisation

• Develop a world first online trauma portal for Australians affected by trauma, providing information, self-management resources, e-therapy and communities of support

• Expand training programs for those providing support and treatment services

• Develop and implement effective interventions for post-disaster mental health and readjustment problems

• Establish a support and advice service for practitioners who treat veterans and military personnel with complex mental health problems

• Establish and lead a national collaborative network to develop new treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder and other military-related mental health problems

• Develop posttraumatic stress disorder treatment guidelines for military and veteran personnel

• Establish a traumatic stress treatment research centre

• Increase focus on competitive research opportunities to better understand and address posttraumatic mental health problems

• Develop the third edition of the Australian Guidelines for the Treatment of Acute Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

• Lead an international consortium in post-disaster mental health recovery

• Develop and execute a digital strategy

• Evolve internal operating model

Improve outcomes for the community1

Develop a world first online trauma portal for Australians affected by trauma, providing information, self-management resources, e-therapy and communities of support

Expand training programs for those providing support and treatment services

Develop and implement effective interventions for post-disaster mental health and readjustment problems

Most people living in Australia will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime. Whilst the majority of people will recover, for some the impacts can be devastating and enduring. With more people turning to the internet for information and guidance about health and self-help strategies, it is important to ensure that comprehensive, evidence-based information is available online. At present, no single comprehensive online resource exists to support Australians affected by trauma. The trauma portal will provide quality, authoritative information, resources and tools designed for people affected by trauma as well as for health practitioners working with trauma-affected clients.

Giving practitioners and other providers the skills and knowledge to provide practical, effective support and treatment will enhance the outcomes of those affected by trauma. We know there is a need among the diversity of professional and lay helpers working with trauma-affected individuals and families for high quality education and training programs. We will consider that need and expand our suite of training programs and resources by developing new training programs, including online professional and workforce development courses, and digital educational resources (e.g, webinars and podcasts).

A significant proportion of disaster survivors experience ongoing readjustment difficulties. While there is an evidence base for effective treatments for mental health disorders after disaster and trauma, there is scant evidence for effective interventions for less severe but ongoing readjustment problems. We will lead a collaboration of national and international experts to develop, evaluate and implement interventions targeting post-disaster mental health and readjustment problems.

Improve outcomes for members of the Defence community 2

Establish a support and advice service for practitioners who treat veterans and military personnel with complex mental health problems

Establish and lead a national collaborative network to develop new treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder and other military-related mental health problems

Develop posttraumatic stress disorder treatment guidelines for military and veteran personnel

Many veterans and military personnel suffer complex mental health problems including depression, anxiety, PTSD, anger, aggression, alcohol and drug abuse, and thoughts of suicide. These complex problems are difficult to treat. We will establish a national practitioner support service, grounded in evidence-based research, to provide expert advice, consultation and supervision to guide practitioners who are working with veterans with complex mental health problems. The support service will be flexible and accessible to all practitioners throughout Australia, regardless of location, with expert advice provided by a multi-disciplinary team.

There is an urgent need to learn more about PTSD and other trauma-related mental health problems and to develop new and more effective treatments. The best treatments currently available only work for some, and only a third of PTSD patients fully recover. We will establish and lead a collaborative network of Australian trauma experts that will conduct systematic research to address the gaps in knowledge, focus on early intervention, test innovative treatments and delivery methods, and determine how to improve treatment effectiveness.

The Australian Guidelines for the Treatment of Acute Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder are due to be revised in 2018. The body of research specific to military and veteran personnel is now sufficient to support a brief, stand-alone evidence-based guideline for this population. This initiative will produce a valuable online resource for the Departments of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs, as well as for mental health practitioners throughout Australia. The guidelines will be the standard upon which evidence-based policy and practice for the treatment of military personnel with PTSD will be developed.


Advance scientific knowledge about the nature, development and impact of traumatic stress3

Establish a traumatic stress treatment research centre

increase focus on competitive research opportunities to better understand and address posttraumatic mental health problems

This treatment research centre aims to improve understanding of PTSD (and trauma-related mental health disorders) and test innovative psychological, social, and neurobiological treatments. It will:

• take a precision medicine approach, that is, focus on getting the right treatment to the right person at the right time

• focus on early intervention to reduce the cumulative impact of trauma

• consider the unique treatment requirements of various trauma-affected populations, including veteran and military personnel, first responders, and survivors of traumatic injury, disaster and interpersonal violence.

The research centre will be based at the Royal Park Campus of the Royal Melbourne Hospital and form part of the national treatment research collaboration.

While maintaining our strengths in translation and implementation of evidence-based practice, we intend to increase our focus on competitive research opportunities to investigate and improve the understanding of the phenomenology and neurobiology of posttraumatic mental health problems, and effective interventions. Competitive research also offers excellent opportunities to foster exciting and productive collaborations with both national and international research groups. This increased focus will ensure that Phoenix Australia maintains its international reputation as a leading centre for posttraumatic mental health.

Provide leadership and expertise in evidence-informed posttraumatic mental health policy, service delivery and practice4

Develop the third edition of the Australian Guidelines for the Treatment of Acute Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Lead an international consortium in post-disaster mental health recovery

Phoenix Australia’s leadership in the field of posttraumatic stress is exemplified by our leading role in the development of Australia’s trauma treatment guidelines, first produced in 2007, updated and expanded in 2013, and due for renewal in 2018. There is increasing recognition across the Australian community of the potential impact of trauma, not only for military personnel but for people in a range of emergency service and other high risk industries, as well as the broader community. In revising and updating the guidelines, we will engage with relevant stakeholders, including people directly affected by trauma, mental health professionals, health, education and community service organisations, high risk industry and government.

In November 2015 Phoenix Australia co-hosted an international roundtable on Psychological Recovery following Community Disaster attended by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. We plan to build on the momentum of the roundtable by trialling and evaluating a pilot post-disaster recovery program. His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales continues his support for this work, and the 21 delegates, international leaders in post-disaster mental health from the US, UK, Canada, Asia, and Australia, have committed to continuing their involvement under Phoenix Australia’s lead.


Enhance the operational and business capabilities of the organisation 5

Design and implement a digital strategy to expand our communication and service delivery platforms and improve the accessibility and reach of Phoenix Australia’s resources

As we expand our strategic plan to meet the needs of a broader range of trauma-impacted people and communities, we face an increasing need to optimise the tools and platforms through which we conduct our business. In order to best fulfil our mission we need to extend our engagement in the digital realm.

We will develop a comprehensive digital strategy that encompasses our primary business areas, helps to promote our brand, and assists with all our communications, fund-seeking and business development activities.

Using a top-down approach to uniformly address our needs, the strategy will provide an architectural blueprint for identifying, planning for, resourcing, executing and measuring digital initiatives, so that they fully support Phoenix Australia’s strategic goals. While we will provide uniformity, we will also meet the unique demands of each business area, project and stakeholder.

The strategy will carefully assess the strengths of digital engagement and focus on those most relevant to Phoenix Australia, identify new audiences, review and assess our existing technology infrastructure, provide an internal and external skill audit, and outline expected impacts of successful strategy implementation.

OUR SERVICES AND PRODUCTS

Research and evaluation

Policy and service development

Training and education

Events and resources

• Advancing the scientific knowledge of posttraumatic mental health through internationally acclaimed research and evaluation

• Creating real-world solutions through the use of diverse research methodologies

• Translating research findings into practical applications

• Establishing the standards of best practice for the management of trauma

• Translating research into best practice policies and procedures

• Working with organisations to build their capacity to minimise the impact of workplace trauma

• Creating engaging and evidence-based education and training programs

• Improving the practice of those working with people affected by trauma

• Tailoring training, supervision, and consultation services to meet the specific needs of a diverse range of clients

• Development and dissemination of information about mental health and posttraumatic mental health through publications, resources, articles, conferences, forums, symposia and informed media commentary


Our people are talented and passionate about our mission;

they are the foundation of our achievements. We will

endeavour to provide a workplace that enables them to

create and deliver high quality outcomes for our clients.

We value the respectful, collaborative relationships that we

have with our partners, stakeholders and clients. We will

engage with our key stakeholders to shape the focus and

scope of our work in order to achieve mutually beneficial

and agreed outcomes.

OUR ENAbLERS

OUR VALUES

Our People

Our Relationships

We are passionate about making a real difference to the wellbeing of people impacted by trauma

We operate with integrity in our words and actions

We collaborate with our colleagues and partners to achieve the best possible results

We are responsive to the changing needs of the communities we serve

We strive for excellence

We are guided by scientific evidence

Level 3, Alan Gilbert Building 161 Barry Street, Carlton VIC 3053 Phone: 03 9035 5599 [email protected]

www.phoenixaustralia.org

strategic plan 2016 -2018 - phoenix australia · and support, but for some, the impact of trauma...

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