❓ A WA parliamentary question probes the Mental Health portfolio regarding alcohol and pregnancy prevention activities, their evaluation, and future plans, particularly focusing on the Drug and Alcohol Office and NGO involvement, including activities in the South West region.
AnsweredQoN 523Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to Budget Paper No. 2, Volume 2 at page 540 "Outcomes, Services and Key Performance Information – Service Summary", line item "Significant Issues impacting the Agency – Alcohol and Pregnancy", and ask: (a) what population based prevention and workplace development activities were undertaken in 2012-13 (provide a list); (b) what evaluation of the success or otherwise of these activities were undertaken; (c) will the Minister table the evaluations, and if not why not; (d) what population based prevention and workplace development activities are proposed for 2013-14 (provide a list); (e) which of these be provided by the Drug and Alcohol Office and which will be provided by non-government organisations; and (f) which of the activities will be provided in the South West region, where and when?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
5 December 2013
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health
Response time
35 days
(a) In 2012-13 the following activities were undertaken:
o
Alcohol. Think Again
'No Alcohol in Pregnancy is the Safest Choice' campaign was implemented May/June 2013
o The Strong Spirit Strong Future (SSSF): Healthy Women and Pregnancies project implemented the SSSF Mary G campaign in September/October 2012
o The SSSF project awarded 4 small application-based grants to services in the Midwest, Pilbara and Kimberley.
o The SSSF project also delivered workforce development training opportunities across the state. Between September 2012 to June 2013, a total of 14 training workshops were delivered to the following regions; Perth Metropolitan area, Wheatbelt, South West, Mid-West, Goldfields, Pilbara and Kimberley. A total of 282 participants were trained.
(b) Formal evaluation of the
Alcohol. Think Again
'No Alcohol in Pregnancy is the Safest Choice' campaign was not conducted in 2012-13. Campaigns are evaluated in the first and third years of implementation. The campaign was first launched in 2011-12 and therefore was in its second year of implementation in 2012-13, and consequently not evaluated in this year.
(c) There were no results to table in 2012-13 for the
Alcohol. Think Again
No Alcohol in Pregnancy is the Safest Choice' campaign, as the campaign was not formally evaluated in 2012-13. Formal evaluation results from the 2013-14 campaign are planned for inclusion in the Drug and Alcohol Office Annual Report 2013-2014.
In October 2013, the Strong Spirit Strong Future Project, in partnership with Telethon Institute of Child Health Research (TICHR), hosted a consultation forum to re-engage stakeholders from the 2010 consultation forum.
The purpose of this forum was to:
o Provide stakeholders with an opportunity to provide their feedback on the SSSF project and the outcomes to date
o Identify gaps within the project for future planning.
The forum was attended by 37 stakeholders from around the State. Initial findings from this forum indicate the following;
o That there is still a degree of confusion regarding alcohol use in pregnancy in Aboriginal communities and that it is important to further reinforce the message by continuing the campaign
o Campaign messages need to be reinforced by localisation of the messages through the small-grants component of the project
o Participants indicated that the training increased their skills and knowledge about addressing the alcohol and pregnancy issue with clients. The training also increased their confidence and overall gave them a better understanding of FASD and FASD prevention.
TICHR is undertaking a formal evaluation of the SSSF project. TICHR will evaluate the culturally secure processes for the project and the campaign component.
(d) Prevention and workplace development activities proposed for 2013-14 include:
o A repeat phase of the
Alcohol. Think Again
'No Alcohol in Pregnancy is the Safest Choice' campaign is proposed for June 2014.
o A repeat phase of the SSSF Campaign was conducted in September 2013.
o Two more rounds of the SSSF small grants have been planned, one of which coincided with the September campaign. A subsequent round is open until March 2014.
The SSSF project is also conducting further one-day training sessions for the state. To date a total of 7 workshops have been conducted in the Perth Metropolitan region, Goldfields, Kimberley, East Pilbara, and Midwest, with a further 8 workshops planned for the following locations; Perth, Narrogin/Northam, Ngaanyatjarra Lands, Newman, Leonora, Derby and Albany.
(e) The
Alcohol. Think Again
'No Alcohol in Pregnancy is the Safest Choice' campaign is implemented in partnership with the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth, DAO's contracted non-government service partner, and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.
The Strong Spirit Strong Future campaign is also implemented in partnership with the McCusker Centre.
Alcohol and pregnancy training for health workers is provided primarily by the DAO officers, wherever possible in collaboration with local service providers.
The evaluation of the project is a joint project between DAO and the Telethon Institute of Child Health Research.
(f) The proposed
Alcohol. Think Again
'No Alcohol in Pregnancy is the Safest Choice' campaign is implemented state-wide and will be supported by targeted online digital advertising across WA in June 2014. The campaign is complemented by local initiatives to support regional stakeholders promoting the campaign and its important messages in their communities.
The Strong Spirit Strong Future campaign that was scheduled state-wide in September also targeted South West residents through local radio stations and regional television stations. Likewise, the small grants program and proposed workforce development training will also be made available to the South West region of the state.
o
Alcohol. Think Again
'No Alcohol in Pregnancy is the Safest Choice' campaign was implemented May/June 2013
o The Strong Spirit Strong Future (SSSF): Healthy Women and Pregnancies project implemented the SSSF Mary G campaign in September/October 2012
o The SSSF project awarded 4 small application-based grants to services in the Midwest, Pilbara and Kimberley.
o The SSSF project also delivered workforce development training opportunities across the state. Between September 2012 to June 2013, a total of 14 training workshops were delivered to the following regions; Perth Metropolitan area, Wheatbelt, South West, Mid-West, Goldfields, Pilbara and Kimberley. A total of 282 participants were trained.
(b) Formal evaluation of the
Alcohol. Think Again
'No Alcohol in Pregnancy is the Safest Choice' campaign was not conducted in 2012-13. Campaigns are evaluated in the first and third years of implementation. The campaign was first launched in 2011-12 and therefore was in its second year of implementation in 2012-13, and consequently not evaluated in this year.
(c) There were no results to table in 2012-13 for the
Alcohol. Think Again
No Alcohol in Pregnancy is the Safest Choice' campaign, as the campaign was not formally evaluated in 2012-13. Formal evaluation results from the 2013-14 campaign are planned for inclusion in the Drug and Alcohol Office Annual Report 2013-2014.
In October 2013, the Strong Spirit Strong Future Project, in partnership with Telethon Institute of Child Health Research (TICHR), hosted a consultation forum to re-engage stakeholders from the 2010 consultation forum.
The purpose of this forum was to:
o Provide stakeholders with an opportunity to provide their feedback on the SSSF project and the outcomes to date
o Identify gaps within the project for future planning.
The forum was attended by 37 stakeholders from around the State. Initial findings from this forum indicate the following;
o That there is still a degree of confusion regarding alcohol use in pregnancy in Aboriginal communities and that it is important to further reinforce the message by continuing the campaign
o Campaign messages need to be reinforced by localisation of the messages through the small-grants component of the project
o Participants indicated that the training increased their skills and knowledge about addressing the alcohol and pregnancy issue with clients. The training also increased their confidence and overall gave them a better understanding of FASD and FASD prevention.
TICHR is undertaking a formal evaluation of the SSSF project. TICHR will evaluate the culturally secure processes for the project and the campaign component.
(d) Prevention and workplace development activities proposed for 2013-14 include:
o A repeat phase of the
Alcohol. Think Again
'No Alcohol in Pregnancy is the Safest Choice' campaign is proposed for June 2014.
o A repeat phase of the SSSF Campaign was conducted in September 2013.
o Two more rounds of the SSSF small grants have been planned, one of which coincided with the September campaign. A subsequent round is open until March 2014.
The SSSF project is also conducting further one-day training sessions for the state. To date a total of 7 workshops have been conducted in the Perth Metropolitan region, Goldfields, Kimberley, East Pilbara, and Midwest, with a further 8 workshops planned for the following locations; Perth, Narrogin/Northam, Ngaanyatjarra Lands, Newman, Leonora, Derby and Albany.
(e) The
Alcohol. Think Again
'No Alcohol in Pregnancy is the Safest Choice' campaign is implemented in partnership with the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth, DAO's contracted non-government service partner, and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.
The Strong Spirit Strong Future campaign is also implemented in partnership with the McCusker Centre.
Alcohol and pregnancy training for health workers is provided primarily by the DAO officers, wherever possible in collaboration with local service providers.
The evaluation of the project is a joint project between DAO and the Telethon Institute of Child Health Research.
(f) The proposed
Alcohol. Think Again
'No Alcohol in Pregnancy is the Safest Choice' campaign is implemented state-wide and will be supported by targeted online digital advertising across WA in June 2014. The campaign is complemented by local initiatives to support regional stakeholders promoting the campaign and its important messages in their communities.
The Strong Spirit Strong Future campaign that was scheduled state-wide in September also targeted South West residents through local radio stations and regional television stations. Likewise, the small grants program and proposed workforce development training will also be made available to the South West region of the state.
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