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The results of a Delphi study originally published on ScienceDirect
By Justine Bale, Christine Grové, Shane Costello

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to inform the development of an open-ended and verbally administered Mental Health Literacy (MHL) scale and a model for children aged 8–12. There are no established MHL frameworks for children this age. There is also a paucity of scales that measure MHL learning in an inclusive manner which often are implemented in written format only. Therefore, this paper will explore: (1) experts opinions on children’s MHL needs, and (2) obtain expert consensus regarding a pool of items to measure children’s MHL and (3) establish a new MHL child focused model. Experts in the study were psychologists, teachers, and researchers/academics who have experience working with children.

Method

A Delphi method was employed. Thirty-five experts responded to three rounds of online surveys (overall retention rate: 87.5%). Round 1 was qualitative and analysed for themes that encompassed children’s MHL that informed the preliminary pool of items rated by experts in round 2 and 3. Round 2 and 3 were quantitative ratings of the newly developed scale items, with the option for experts to provide qualitative feedback regarding the individual items.

Results

The findings identified six main themes and several sub-themes that encompass children’s MHL needs that have informed a new MHL child focused model. In total, consensus from the experts was reached on 110 out of 117 scale items. After final review of all items, 95 knowledge related items remain.

Discussion

The findings have developed a new model of MHL for children in the general population, as well as items to develop a verbally administered MHL scale to be used with children aged 8–12. This study advocates that mental health information is important and should be delivered to school-aged children in a manner that is accessible to all children, including children with limited literacy abilities.

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Written by Mark Goodie
Chief Executive Officer, MOSS

Organisations are continually evolving from one year to the next, but the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an evolution no one could have anticipated. The effect globally, nationally, within our own State, City, Community and to the immediate world around us has been unimaginable.

As a Community, we have had to change how we live and interact to survive and protect the most at risk. It has been difficult. Old habits are hard to change. However, most will say the hardest change of all was the thought of or losing a loved one and the social isolation. We have had to adapt to socially interacting online while being physically alone or socially distanced.

Covid Changes
In delivering Homelessness Services to some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in our Community, MOSS has been determined to continue to provide services now and into the future by being as proactive and innovative as we could.

Early in March 2020, due to the COVID Pandemic, MOSS had to move quickly to allow staff to work from home. Perseverance from staff really made this transition happen with minimal interruption. Communication with one another did not suffer, in fact, it was to the contrary. We could attend more meetings, provide better opportunities for confidential interactions and provide better supervision to once-isolated staff.

Consumers’ needs had to be considered and at the heart of any programmatic changes. Safety for both staff and consumers needed to be the focus. The speed and quality of the implementation of this new way of working, whilst continuing to deliver effective and sensitive services was a testament to the fortitude of MOSS staff.

In the Community
While some of the MOSS Services and staff were able to be delivered from home, many Staff continued to interact with consumers in the community, delivering services in Housing Towers in Northcote and Brunswick.

Our 24/7 Catchment youth service continued to operate throughout all lockdowns to provide a safe place for young people. MOSS also continued to provide outreach services to people in the wider community, in transitional housing, rooming houses and those living without shelter. Our service delivery became a hybrid model of socially distanced face-to-face, and phone contact.

The Bright Futures Program also pivoted their group delivery sessions for children affected by homelessness to online sessions with great success, supplying internet connectivity where required to families to participate.

Updates
MOSS took the opportunity during this year to reflect upon our operations and rewrote our Mission and Vision statements and our promise to consumers with the development of a “Consumer Commitment Model”.

Our Consumer Commitment Model is really about what Consumers can expect when interacting with our service: Welcome, Connected, Involved, Supported and Secure. This is also how we want our staff of MOSS to feel working here for this fabulous organisation.

MOSS successfully completed our Tri-annual Homelessness Standards Accreditation in February 2020. This was a huge effort by all staff, which resulted in a fantastic outcome. All staff are to be congratulated on efforts in producing this result.

As a medium-size organisation with 75 staff, MOSS should feel proud when reflecting on the delivery of diversity and breadth of services we have delivered. This year staff provided homelessness services to over 1300 individuals. A truly amazing result under any circumstances.

New Services
We were successful in creating a new partnership with Darebin Council to deliver the Darebin Assertive Community Outreach Program. This Program has been effective in engaging rough sleepers in the Darebin LGA and assisting with housing and identified needs. This is a two-year pilot program in which we hope not only continues, moreover, Darebin Councils innovative response to rough sleepers, is modelled upon by other Local Governments.

MOSS has also begun delivery of the High-Risk Accommodation Response project which supports older people residing in the High-rise Office of Housing towers in both Brunswick and Northcote during the pandemic. This project was developed by MOSS support staff in partnership with DHHS, Your Community Health and Merri Health with MOSS providing both case-managed and after-hours response to older people pertaining to COVID issues.

Conclusion
Some of the variables ahead for the year will be to review and possibly implement some of the positive learnings of staff working from home, reviewing office space required to deliver services and living with PPE. The world has changed dramatically over the last year and MOSS has revised its systems to ensure safe, timely professional service delivery that will continue to be innovative and adaptive in the pursuit of ending homelessness.

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Written by Stephen Gagen
Chairperson, MOSS

Last year I wrote of change, renewal and reformation at MOSS. As the world moves on and government policies change, we must adapt to these changes if we are to survive and prosper. As companies such as Kodak and Xerox learnt the hard way, if you don’t rise to these challenges, you will flounder.

Thankfully, far from floundering in the face of change, MOSS is prospering!
In September, our auditor, Caroline James of Sean Denham & Associates, our auditor reached out to express her delight with the changes she has observed at MOSS over the past year. She mentioned the increase in revenue, the evolution in the workplace culture, and the move to “granular” accounting so that we now know which of our activities are making or losing money.

She also welcomed the various plans to save money, such as the car fleet purchase proposal. She was particularly pleased with our partnership arrangements, and that MOSS has received and is seeking more grants. She was also very pleased by the way MOSS is dealing with the special difficulties presented to us by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although COVID-19 is one of the biggest challenges any of us is likely to face in our professional work, we’re delighted to say the MOSS Management and staff have responded magnificently. Not only have we continued to work remotely using modern communication technology, but in many cases, we are now working more efficiently and effectively. Moreover, the pandemic has presented MOSS with many opportunities to expand our operations.

Having entered into a six week COVID-19 After-hours Health Concierge Service contract with DHHS, we now have an ongoing partnership arrangement with Your Community Health to deliver services. Additionally, we have brokered further partnership arrangements with Your Community Health to deliver COVID related services to disadvantaged public-housing tenants and individuals living in Supported Residential Services accommodation.

The Board is impressed by the big effort that staff have clearly made to meet the increased demand for MOSS services during the pandemic. It is not easy working in COVID-19 times, yet everyone has really stepped up to push MOSS to the fore among service providers in our field.

This year, the Board welcomed a new member of the Management Team, Lorraine Walker, our new Business Manager. Lorraine has been working on our financial systems and has developed a new financial report format that has met with universal approval. A new human resource management project is scheduled to start in January 2021.

MOSS also engaged George Liberopoulos as our Business Development Manager in June. George has been working on the overhaul of our Website platform and our Reward and Recognition program, in addition to the redevelopment of our strategic plan. The new payroll system has gone live and website planning is underway with an expected donation portal ready to hit the website soon.

Lorraine and George have also been working with Rita Lawrence (General Manager) to develop grants and partnership opportunities. Among these is one with Darebin Council seeking additional brokerage monies grant for the Darebin Assertive Community Outreach (DACO) program.

Throughout 2020 and into 2021 we’re proud to say that MOSS has remained dedicated to offering essential and consistent services. We’re humbled to continue to be part of the Melbourne community and offer our assistance to those experiencing transitional life stages and homelessness.