International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL)
On this page:
- The leadership exchange 2010
- Background
- Key facts
- Leaders involved in IIMHL
- Key contacts
- Useful links
The leadership exchange 2010
The 2010 leadership exchange and network meeting was held in May in Ireland. In addition a meeting of indigenous people was held in Toronto, Canada.
Around 470 mental health and disability leaders, predominantly from the seven participating IIMHL countries, took part in 57 topic-based exchanges. Innovations included initiatives in child and youth services, peer support, primary care, housing, employment, leadership training, disability services and deaf services. Difficult economic times was also a feature of many groups’ discussions.
A summary of key topics will be documented in the special edition of the International Journal of Leadership in Public Services due out later this year.
The critical issue is translating learning into practice so that services are improved as a result. New Zealand is taking a lead in ensuring this happens internally by implementing a process by which participants report back on the impact and outcomes of their learning in services they offer.
A report has been produced on the learning outcomes of the exchange for New Zealand participants, as well as the usual evaluation across all countries. These two documents are available for download in PDF format below.
IIMHL leadership development programme: Learning outcomes for 22 New Zealand attendees in 2010 (PDF, 112KB)
Evaluation of the IIMHL 2010 leadership exchange (PDF, 500KB)
Background
IIMHL was developed in 2003 by representatives from England, USA and New Zealand as a leadership development programme. The aim was to facilitate learning exchanges between mental health and addiction leaders from these countries to assist in the reform of services by comparing best practice and innovations. More recently the disability sector has joined this agency and now has its own parallel organisation under the umbrella of IIMHL.
IIMHL is funded by a small charge to each country to support two New Zealand-based part-time staff (David Robinson and Erin Geaney) who undertake administration and liaison with members. IIMHL is led by director Fran Silvestri. Janet Peters is also funded by Te Pou to assist with planning, liaison and evaluation.
IIMHL does not fund projects; it facilitates collaboration among groups and the exchange of information.
Approximately every 15-18 months the leadership exchange takes place. Leaders are placed for two to three days with like-leaders from a host country to learn and share experiences, and to form partnerships around further collaboration while working on system reform in their own countries. Some of these partnerships now have a five-year history and focus on issues like joint research, evaluation, exchanges of staff, and active assistance and support for the development and review of new service models and processes.
The exchange is followed by a two-day network meeting which fosters further collaboration and learning.
The week-long programme is an intensive leadership development event with most attendees putting in between 60 to 70 hours.
Key priority areas affecting all countries are highlighted including funding practices, developing primary mental health, reducing seclusion in inpatient units, indigenous best practice and gathering together an evidence and research base around leadership in mental health.
Key facts
- Seven participating countries - USA, England, New Zealand, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Canada, Australia.
- Over 2000 people listed in the IIMHL database representing: 15 countries and 1000 mental health agencies.
Leaders involved in IIMHL
- Chief executives of provider organisations.
- Directors of national and state mental health government departments.
- Consumer leaders.
- Family leaders.
- Leaders of indigenous and ethnic systems.
- Clinical leaders.
- Funders of national, state, provincial, regional and local health authorities.
- Educational, training and research leaders.
- Disability leaders.
- Leaders from the deaf community.
The IIMHL annual reports are available on the IIMHL website.
Two documents are available to provide information about New Zealand participants' previous experiences of the exchanges.
Summary of Results of Survey of New Zealand Participants in IIMHL Exchanges 2003 to 2007 (PDF, 320KB)
Key contacts
Fran Silvestri and Janet Peters.
Useful links
Page last updated: 19 August 2010