Addressing youth health gaps - Model of care for disadvantaged youth

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Initiative Type
Model of Care
Status
Deliver
Added
07 February 2020
Last updated
20 May 2020

Summary

Addressing Youth health gaps across Central Queensland, gaps e.g.
-    High STI rates
-    High Teenage pregnancy 
-    High Risk drinking and smoking
-    Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Youth are more likely to be victims of sexual abuse and miss out on health and health education such as sexual health and immunisation programs etc. 
-    Lack of collaboration, people working in silos and fragmentation of service delivery.
-    No Youth Service Directory 
-    No Model of Care to address identified gaps 

Sourced funding to address health gaps, benchmarked for model of care, and service priority, to address Youth Health Gaps in Central Queensland and build stronger and healthier Communities.

Community Engagement has been high on the list from establishment of project to current.

Key dates
Jul 2018
Dec 2019
Implementation sites
Across Central Queensland
Partnerships
Partnership and Consumer and community Consultation. 

Aim

  • Increase youth service providers knowledge related to youth health, and youth services, programs 
  • Increase youth access to culturally and clinically effective services, and implementing services, establishing effective inter-agency referral pathways and partnerships.
  • Increase access to culturally and clinically effective health services, address gender based cultural sensitivities. 
  • Increase access early detection and intervention programs, delivering education and positive lifestyle health promotion programs.

Benefits

Teenage pregnancy dropped 4.6% to 2.9% in Youth under 19 years across Central Queensland. 
- Youth Plus (Flexi Learning) now smoke free School.  
- Central Queensland Youth Connect (CQYC) developed sustainable resources, health pathways, promote holistic Youth health and wellbeing, such as:

  • CQ Youth Connect Services Directory 
  • CQ Youth Connect Services Wall Charts
  • CQYC Personal care Kits and service access 
  • CQYC Health education packs and service access 
  • CQYC Health messages and service access banner pens
  • CQYC Health messages stress balls
  • CQYC Health messages and reusable bags
  • CQYC Health messages sun safe, sun smart bucket hats
  • CQYC Health messages reusable water bottles      

CQYC Services Directory and Wall Charts are efficient, innovative and sustainable electronic resource linking Youth with Service Providers, and Service Providers with each other. Prior to creation, there was no directory of youth services in existence, and service providers plus consumers experiencing difficulties finding services available to Youth. August 2019, 6th edition Services Directory was launched digitally with a record number of 415 listings compared to 92 listings 2014 -451% growth, Youth organisations providing crisis support, counselling, support and referrals, and programs as well as schools.

Background

There was a big need to address youth health gaps - high  Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) rates, pregnancy, drinking and smoking and sexual abuse in Central Queensland. The team decided to develop a model of care for disadvantaged youth. It included holistic, culturally appropriate, education and clinical services - linking with other services. A youth advocacy and Youth Health Reference group were established and support was channelled through services such as community forums. 

Solutions Implemented

Clinical: 

  • Delivered Clinical service to 2,422 Youth across CQ 2014 to date, through spot clinics, outreach and Internal / External Clinic partnerships
  • Health Education delivered to 28,400 Youth across CQ 2014 to date
  • Provided Health Education for Youth Service Provider Staff and Community Members through Annual Youth Inter-agency Health Forum e.g. in 2019 CQYC hosted 6th Annual Forum, 20 Youth service exhibited, 140 guests, data measures knowledge increase 71-75%
  • Total of 5,130 CPD hours delivered to date. 93% requested host Forum annually

Partnership and Engagement:

  • 2014 to date approximately 1,310 consumers engaged with CQYC's interactive, culturally appropriate, holistic youth health stalls.
  • Engaged with 37,799 Youth across CQ 2014 to date.

Resource development:

  • Developed various health education sessions and programs, created health kits and props e.g. for Quit Smoking, Alcohol, Stress Less, Condom, Personal Hygiene kits, Health Message Pen etc. 
  • List of partners internal and external via CQ Service Directory & Wall Charts, 
  • Exceeded expectations of CQ Youth Connect Services Directory objectives 92 listings in 2014 – to current record listing of 415 Services, 451% growth

Evaluation and Results

  • Record keeping tools and pathways for Consumers feedback at all levels, specific pre and post evaluation forms, Consumer feedback forms.
  • The number of disadvantage Youth accessing Health Service that previous didn't, now Health Screening opportunities for Youth that's previously didn't exist.
  • Health education opportunities for Youth and Youth Service that previously didn't exist, or very limited. Measuring Number of Indigenous now accessing Health and Health Education Services.  
  • Engaged with 37,799 Youth across CQ 2014 to date.
  • 92 listings in 2014 - to current record listing of 415 Services, 451% growth
  • CQYC delivered health education to 28,400 Youth across CQ 2014 to date.
  • Knowledge increase 71-75% Total of 5,130 CPD hours delivered to date. 93% requested continue to host Forum annually
  • Delivered Clinical service to 2,422 disadvantaged Youth across CQ 2014 to date
  • Created and distributed 32,500 Condom kits, 1,420 Personal Hygiene kits and 465 headlice kits to date for Youth across Central Queensland. 
  • Annually, attend 35 Community events, host a holistic, interactive, culturally appropriate, youth friendly health stalls, 2014 to date 6,980 consumers engaged visited Stall.

The results/evidence and consumer feedback demonstrate effectiveness CQ Youth Connect model of Care.

Lessons Learnt

  • Think outside the box, listen to consumer, embrace every opportunity to inform, inspire, connect and empower Youth in health and wellbeing, ripple effect, youth sharing health messages to their peers and Families.  (power of peer education and behaviour). 
  • Health and wellbeing is everyone's business.
  • Look out and be prepared to embrace and provide opportunities to creates innovative pathways to promote healthy behaviour and service access by creating
  • Prevention is better them cure, improves Quality of life, reduces cost and reduce burden on health system and society

References

- Benched marked various health models of care e.g. CQ Ed Link, BBV&SH, FPQ / True Relationships and reproductive Health, SBYHN, A&TSI, Hospital and Community Models of Care, working in various different Nursing fields across various Countries and states, following gaps identified locally and unable to find suitable model of care, developed model of care / CQ Youth Connect.
-Funding till 2021, working on sustainability.
-CQ Youth Connect /Friederike McCartney nominated two finalist Award for Excellence, and received the 2019 Highly Commended Individual Award for Outstanding Achievement in Queensland Award for Excellence.
-CQ Youth Connect Model of Care is designed, easily replicated in other health districts.
 

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Key contact

Friederike McCartney
Clinical Nurse Consultant
Central Queensland HHS
07 493 25452
Friederike.McCartney@gmail.com

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