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Federal and state cooperation necessary but not sufficient for effective regional mental health systems: insights from systems modelling and simulation

Peer reviewed: Yes Authors: Occhipinti, Jo-An and Skinner, Adam and Carter, Samantha and Heath, Jacinta and Lawson, Kenny and McGill, Katherine and McClure, Rod and Hickie, Ian B. Publication: Scientific Reports. Year: 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90762-x Method: A system dynamics model of pathways between psychological distress, the mental health care system, suicidal behaviour and their drivers was developed, tested, and validated for a large, geographically diverse region of New South Wales; the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network.

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Reducing youth suicide: systems modelling and simulation to guide targeted investments across the determinants

Peer reviewed: Yes. Authors: Occhipinti, Jo-An and Skinner, Adam and Iorfino, Frank and Lawson, Kenny and Sturgess, Julie and Burgess, Warren and Davenport, Tracey and Hudson, Danica and Hickie, Ian. Publication: BMC Medicine. Year: 2021 DOI: https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-021-01935-4 Method: Using a participatory approach, and informed by a range of national, state, and local datasets, a system dynamics model was developed, tested, and validated for a regional population catchment. The model incorporated defined pathways from social determinants of mental health to psychological distress, mental health care, and suicidal behaviour.

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The science of complex systems is needed to ameliorate the impacts of COVID-19 on mental health

Peer reviewed: Yes. Authors: Atkinson, Jo-An and Song, Yun Ju Christine and Merikangas, Kathleen R and Skinner, Adam and Prodan, Ante and Iorfino, Frank and Freebairn, Louise and Rose, Danya and Ho, Nicholas and Crouse, Jacob and Zipunnikov, Vadim and Hickie, Ian. Publication: Frontiers in Psychiatry. Year: 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.606035 Method: Editorial. Message: Applications of systems modeling in mental health research and practice have already demonstrated value in providing improved decision support capability and a better understanding of the different ways even “evidence-based” interventions can play out in diverse systems and settings.

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The National Mental Health Service Planning Framework: Where has it come from and what is its future?

Peer reviewed: Yes. Authors: Whiteford, Harvey and Diminic, Sandra. Publication: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry Year: 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867420963723 Method: Descriptive account of the background and application of the National Mental Health Service Planning Framework. Message: Decentralised regional planning requires the application of a planning framework that sets targets for the same level of care for all Australians with equivalent needs, accounting for the specific characteristics and needs of local populations and the existing services and barriers to care.

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Systems modelling and simulation to inform strategic decision making for suicide prevention in rural New South Wales (Australia)

Peer reviewed: Yes. Authors: Atkinson, Jo-An and Skinner, Adam and Hackney, Sue and Mason, Linda and Heffernan, Mark and Currier, Dianne and King, Kylie and Pirkis, Jane. Publication: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. Year 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867420932639 Method: A system dynamics model for the rural and remote population catchment of Western New South Wales was developed. The model was based on defined pathways to mental health care and suicidal behaviour and reproduced historic trends in the incidence of attempted suicide (self-harm hospitalisations) and suicide deaths in the region.

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Beyond prevention: which interventions will flatten the mental health and suicide curve post COVID-19.

Year: 2020 Type: Webinar Presenters: Hickie, Ian and Occhipinti, Jo-An and Sturgess, Julie and Iorfino, Frank and Lawson, Kenny and Hamilton, Matthew. Institution: Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney Topic: An overview of a number of modelling projects to help identify appropriate policy responses to the anticipated mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Duration: 1 hour, 12 minutes

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Experts’ perceptions on the use of visual analytics for complex mental healthcare planning: an exploratory study

Peer reviewed: Yes. Authors: Walsh, Erin I and Chung, Younjin and Cherbuin, Nicolas and Salvador-Carulla, Luis. Publication: BMC Medical Research Methodology Year: 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-020-00986-0 Method: Online survey of an international pool of policy-makers, health agency directors, and researchers with extensive and direct experience of using visual analytics tools for complex mental healthcare systems planning. Message: Preliminary findings indicated that, despite a clear need to extract information from highly complex data, experts tend to utilise visualisations that are most familiar to them, widely understood, and not necessarily the most appropriate.

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An ecosystems approach to mental health services research

Peer reviewed: Yes Authors: Furst, Mary Anne and Bagheri, Nasser and Salvador-Carulla, Luis} Publication: BJPsych International Year: 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1192/bji.2020.24 Method: Descriptive summary of mental health ecosystems methods. Message: Mental health ecosystems research is an emerging discipline which takes a whole-systems approach to mental healthcare, facilitating analysis of the complex environment and context of mental health systems, and translation of this knowledge into policy and practice. Evidence from the local context is needed in the analysis of complex interventions and of geographic variations in the outcomes of care.

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Factors affecting the implementation of simulation modelling in healthcare: A longitudinal case study evaluation

Peer reviewed: Yes Authors: Long, Katrina M and McDermott, F and Meadows, Graham N Publication: Journal of the Operational Research Society Year: 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01605682.2019.1650624 Method: A qualitative, longitudinal case study approach, grounded in Pragmatism, complexity theory, and the critical incident approach exploring implementation of simulation modelling in healthcare. Message: Twenty-three critical incidents were identified, including changes in government policy and funding, organisational context, intervention activities, project management, and staffing. The analysis revealed a complex adaptive system, where the role of specific implementation factors changed over time, and through interaction with each other.

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The impact of reducing psychiatric beds on suicide rates

Peer reviewed: Yes. Authors: Atkinson, Jo-An and Page, Andrew and Skinner, Adam and Heffernan, Mark and Prodan, Ante and Hickie, Ian B. Publication: Frontiers in Psychiatry. Year: 2019 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00448 Method: A systems dynamics model was developed for Western Sydney Primary Health Network. Message: Study findings suggest that i) not all reductions to psychiatric beds will result in increases in suicide deaths; ii) a threshold appears to exist beyond which cuts are likely to adversely impact suicides; and iii) the threshold can be significantly increased by strengthening community-based mental health services capacity.

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