About this course
Released 2016
Description
The aim of this module is to help midwives, child health nurses, and Aboriginal Health Practitioners develop the necessary skills to identify and support Aboriginal women at risk of experiencing a mental health condition during pregnancy or with a young baby.
This module provides a detailed description of how to perform a routine psychosocial assessment with Aboriginal clients using the Kimberley Mum’s Mood Scale. It also explains pathways for follow-up and referral, and the importance of psychosocial care.
The information in this module is based on the most recently released guideline Mental Health Care in the Perinatal Period, Australian Clinical Practice Guideline, October 2017, the Centre for Perinatal Excellences and as approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. This training recognises the unique history of Torres Strait Islander women and notes that some Torres Strait Islander women have been involved in the development and the validation of Kimberley Mum’s Mood Scale.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this module, participants will be able to:
- Understand the unique context of Aboriginal perinatal mental health.
- Understand approaches to screening that are acceptable for Aboriginal women.
- Use the KMMS to perform a routine psychosocial assessment for Aboriginal women during pregnancy and in the first year post birth.
- Understand pathways for follow-up and referral for women at risk of perinatal mental health conditions.
- Describe psychosocial supports that may be useful for clients with risk factors and/or mild symptoms of a perinatal mental health condition.
Acknowledgement
The KMMS was developed by over 200 Aboriginal women and health care professionals across the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services (KAMS) is the custodian of the KMMS and support it's use for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women during the perinatal period.
Queries
For Further information please contact Dr Emma Carlin, Senior Research Officer, Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services, at emma.carlin@kamsc.org.au