1.   Purpose Of This Document	10.  How To Join
2.   Introduction to IIMHL	11.  The IIMHL Leadership Exchange & Conference
3.   Background	12.  Examples of Current IIMHL Activities
4.   Participating IIMHL Countries	13.  Joining IIMHL
5.   International Change Management	14.  Appendix 1 - Past Exchanges       Introduction       2003 - Birmingham, England       2004 - Washington, DC       2005 - Wellington, New Zealand       2006 - Edinburgh, Scotland       2007 - Ottawa, Canada       2009 - Brisbane, Australia       2010 - Killarney, Ireland
6.   Vision, Mission & Goals
7.   Structure
8.   Benefits of Membership
9.   Who May Join

This document is designed to give a brief overview of IIMHL people, agencies and activities to December 2010.

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The field of mental health and substance abuse has been focusing on identifying evidence of best practices and services that will enable and support consumers in their recovery. Consumers include adults with mental illness and children with mental health problems (and their families). Historically across many countries there has been little investment in understanding how provider organizations can develop effective leaders. Such leadership includes the ability to locate, understand and adapt benchmarked excellent organizational practices and develop robust organizational and managerial skills.  IIMHL is a “virtual” agency that works to improve mental health services by supporting innovative leadership processes. IIMHL does not fund projects as such, but rather facilitates connections between leaders.

In recent years we have also included our colleagues in the disability arena who are working towards their own related agency (i.e. IIDL).

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National policies and directions have often been focused on clinical practices rather than mental health leadership as a key function to assure that services and supports are delivered in a way that consumers need and want. National perspectives such as those in Australia, Canada, England, the Republic of Ireland, NZ (New Zealand), Scotland and the US (United States) realise that mental health leadership is just as vital to the success of community-based services as are effective clinical practices. To succeed in moving science based practices into the service provider environment will require leaders who have the ability to promote and support the rapid changes occurring in the delivery of mental health services.

The absence of resources and supports for key leaders in mental health hampers them, their organizations and communities from obtaining and adapting the skills and processes identified as most likely to support consumers to achieve recovery. With greater support for developing and demonstrating leadership, mental health leaders could develop services based on best practices and innovation and could mentor future leaders.

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IIMHL is a “Government-to-Government” initiative. It is funded by the seven participating Governments of each country. As of October 2009, Governments and national organizations recognizing the issues outlined above and wanting to promote mental health leadership are:

	The National Mental Health Development Unit (NMHDU)
	The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) of the US
	The Mental Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health New Zealand (MOHNZ)
	The Scottish Executive (SE)
	The Department of Health and Children , Ireland (DoHC)
	The Department of Health and Ageing, Australia (DH&A Au)
	The Ministry of Health and Canadian Mental Health Commission

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5. International Change Management

The journey towards recovery focused, best practice mental health practices is an international movement.  National policies and directions can be enhanced by changes occurring in other countries. The role of a leader in maintaining awareness of all changes is a daunting task. It often leaves leaders without a network for personal support or organizational assistance to advance changes needed within the environment.

IIMHL offers support and technical assistance to countries and their provider leaders by assisting leaders in adapting to rapid changes in the field and providing a support network through partnership with other leaders from around the world. IIMHL identifies and shares the best in managerial and operational practices together with access to information about developments that are occurring in other countries. IIMHL provides member countries with a linkage to international leadership development that supplements their national policies and service developments with an emphasis on evidence-based practices.

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The following vision, mission and goals have been agreed by leaders of participating countries:

VISION

IIMHL seeks a future where everyone with a mental illness / mental health problem and those who care for them have access to effective treatment and support from communities and providers who have the knowledge and competence to offer services that promote recovery.

MISSION

To achieve its vision IIMHL provides an international infrastructure to identify and exchange information about effective leadership, management and operational practices in the delivery of mental health services. It encourages the development of organizational and management best practice within mental health services through collaborative and innovative arrangements among mental health leaders.

GOALS

IIMHL aims to:

• Provide a single international point of reference for key mental health leaders.

• Strengthen workforce development and mentoring of mental health leaders.

• Identify and disseminate best management and operational practices.

• Foster innovation and creativity.

• Expand the knowledge of:

• Building community capacity.

• Implementing best practices for consumer recovery.

• Expanding methodologies for integration with other health and social systems.

• Promote international collaboration and research.

• Provide assistance to international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and sponsoring countries to build low and middle income countries to increase their ability to operate community based recovery systems.

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IIMHL operates under the umbrella of MHCA (Mental Health Corporations of America, Inc.), as its fiduciary agent.  

The IIMHL structure has two basic levels:

1. First, a Sponsoring Country Leadership Group (SCLG) sets direction for and oversees the activities of IIMHL. It includes representatives from each country, as well as the Director of IIMHL and President/CEO and Board Chair of MHCA to review IIMHL goals and activities.
    

2. Second, each participating country (either on its own or with a collaborating region) organizes forums to:

• Identify and communicate key issues for that country/area to SCLG (and vice versa).

• Host the Leadership Exchange and Network Meeting.

• Collaborate in IIMHL activities.

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When you join IIMHL, you will have access to:

• Semi-monthly email bulletins (called IIMHL Update) which includes information on the latest Mental Health issues:
       News
       Research
       Announcements

• The IIMHL General List - A Discussion List Server

• The Leadership Exchange and Network Meeting

• Participation in research projects

• Email contact with a network of leaders from each participating country.

Join IIMHL Now!

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FROM IIMHL SUPPORTING COUNTRIES

Membership in IIMHL is via the CEO (or leader) of a mental health, substance abuse (or disability) provider organization. Membership enables participants to obtain all the benefits listed above.

FROM NON-SUPPORTING COUNTRIES

Leaders from countries that do not belong to IIMHL can also join IIMHL to receive the IIMHL Update and other public information released by IIMHL. To date we have leaders from fifteen other countries.

COST

There is no direct cost to joining. In 2009, we have around 2000 members.

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Each provider in the IIMHL-supporting countries can join IIMHL by completing an IIMHL Membership Record.

The only requirements are that:

• You are the leader of an organization that provides services, funds, commissions services, or provides technical assistance in the field of mental health, substance abuse or disability.
   

• You (as a key decision maker in your agency – the title may vary by country, e.g. CEO, Manager, etc) complete an annual Membership Record located on our website, which can be submitted online or mailed to us.

This Membership Record collects information about each organization in IIMHL. The information provided allows us to facilitate exchanges by matching up leaders with like interest and needs. It also assists to promote collaboration between international leaders.

The information we'd like to collect from you varies, depending on whether you are a:

• Provider of mental health services, like a community mental health center or mental health trust, service user organization.

• Funder or Non-Provider, like a government official, mental health commissioner, county administrator, or technical assistance organization.

• Disability Leader, providing, planning or supporting services for people with learning (intellectual), sensory or physical disabilities.

Complete the Membership Record!

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LEADERSHIP EXCHANGE

The philosophy behind the IIMHL Leadership Exchange is that once key leaders are linked together, they have the opportunity to begin collaborating and building an ongoing international partnership. The aim is to build relationships and networks that are mutually helpful for leaders, organizations and countries and that are maintained by ongoing contact between leaders between Exchanges (e.g. via email). The benefits of such a collaborative effort will cascade down to all staff and consumers. These benefits could include:

• Joint programme and service development

• Staff exchanges and sabbaticals

• Sharing of managerial and operational expertise (e.g. in service evaluation)

• Research

• Peer consultation

The exchange process involves IIMHL matching key leaders using information from their Membership Record. Leaders may be Government officials, provider organizations, NGOs, planning and/or funding, researchers, leaders from indigenous or specific ethnic groups, family leaders or consumer leaders. The exchange starts with a two-day visit and is followed with a two day Network Meeting.

Each exchange occurs in a different region: Australia/New Zealand; North America, UK and the Republic of Ireland, with one of the countries hosting the two day Network Meeting.

Since its inception in 2003, IIMHL has undertaken six (6) Leadership Exchanges:

SCHEDULE OF THE IIMHL LEADERSHIP EXCHANGE

Days 1 and 2: Matching Leaders

Leaders who are visiting are matched with colleagues with similar interests in the hosting countries. These matches are often return visits where visiting leaders are traveling to see leaders that they hosted in prior exchanges. Or they may be new or emerging leaders matched with more experienced leaders. The host and visitors jointly prepare a programme through prior email contact for the two day visit that ensures that leaders’ (both host and visitor) expertise and interests are met.

The hosting leaders make their facilities and staff available for the visitors to observe and where possible participate in day to day activities. This programme has often included brief presentations by visiting leaders to the staff of the host organization. Sometimes collaborative research projects have been initiated during a visit. Leaders who have been matched in prior exchanges have sometimes used these two day visits to conduct peer consultation/assessment of a service.

Day 3: Travel

The third day of the Leadership Exchange is for travel from all of the host sites to the venue for the IIMHL Network Meeting.

Day 4 and 5: IIMHL

Network Meeting

The two day hosting period is followed by a two day Network Meeting which both visitors and hosts attend. The first day is focused on key developments within the hosting country and the second day is centered on a broader view of IIMHL’s latest activities and projects and how to continue to build collaboration between leaders of IIMHL’s sponsoring countries.

Future Leadership Exchanges

The exchange occurs every 16-18 months. The next exchange is planned for:

• The week of 12 September 2011 in the US and Canada with the Network Meeting being held in San Francisco.

(Appendix 1 below outlines a brief description and summary of past exchanges)

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In addition to the IIMHL Leadership Exchanges, IIMHL facilitates the sharing of innovative projects and processes between and within sponsoring countries. More recent examples are:

• IIMHL Network on Mental Health and Deafness

The inception of this network began through the participation at the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL) meeting held July 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee.  The mental health leaders agreed there were some real challenges related to mental health services for people who are deaf and hard of hearing, and that it would be useful to understand more about what was happening or being planned in IIMHL countries.

To this end it was proposed to establish a virtual network of approximately two people from each country who would between them be able to provide a perspective about clinical, cultural and organizational aspects of these services based on an in-depth understanding of the issues and what was happening in their countries.

IIMHL will be looking to this unprecedented network to advise the international mental health leaders on lessons learned and implementing best practices related to developing mental health services for people who are deaf and hard of hearing.

The IIMHL agreed that the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) will take the lead in establishing this network.

• “Make it so”

IIMHL’s intent with this newsletter is to offer an opportunity for leaders to be informed about how one country has learnt how another country has solved a specific problem – thus  facilitating the fast-tracking of implementation.  They will hear how new ideas have been shared across international arenas and the way in which they have been adapted for local environments and populations.  Finally, IIMHL has established a function to complement “Make it so” whereby these leaders can search out what is happening in other countries or states.

The recipients of this quarterly e-newsletter are 90 to 100 leaders who are responsible for policy, planning and funding of services in large jurisdictions (countries, states/provinces and territories).

This e-newsletter is circulated to a small group of national and state leaders.

• IIMHL “Cincinnati Group” leadership development

The first meeting was held in 2004 at Dartmouth College in the US with subsequent meetings held at SAMHSA in Washington in April 2006 and then the 2006, 2007 and 2009 Leadership Exchanges. Participating leaders are from New Zealand, Canada, US, England and Scotland. The group led by Professors Allen Daniels and Rick Beinecke has undertaken several publications and is working on linking efforts to encourage research in leadership within the mental health sector and share the development of training concepts. Some work currently undertaken was:

• A Special Edition of the International Journal of Mental Health focusing on IIMHL work.
   

• Revision of the report on Leadership Training Programs and Competencies for Mental Health, Substance Use, Health, and Public Administration in Eight Countries.

• Council of clinical leaders

The council is comprised of individuals who are clinical leads to the national departments of IIMHL’s sponsoring countries and the goal is to directly benefit clinical service delivery within an organized system of mental health care. The function of the council of clinical leaders is to create opportunities for international exchange in best clinical practices that are consistent with the vision of IIMHL, provide additional support for leadership development for clinical leaders and to provide consultation to the governing body of IIMHL as requested.

The council has launched its first project with Columbia University. The current outline of the project is called: Defining quality of care in terms of consumers, families and communities.

• The first task is a literature review (national and international) and reports/websites/citations/etc. This will include information at the national, state and provincial levels, government and NGO reports and WHO and OECD efforts.
   

• The second task is to draft and develop a structural framework for a survey instrument/questionnaire regarding quality measurement activities and measures (each representative in the group will need to identify main country respondent to collate country level information).

The council has included a member from the Netherlands who attended last year’s IIMHL Leadership Exchange and the following countries will be sought for inclusion in the study: Italy, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel.

• Mental Health International Collaborative (MHIC)

The MHIC project is to link IIMHL with developing countries who are interested in developing community mental health services but need ongoing assistance from volunteer leaders. The aim is to develop a partnership with one community in a country and over a three to five year period organize a set of volunteers to provide support to the development of a community model.

The two countries involved in this work to date are US and England.  Our first project has begun in Ecuador in 2007 and continues. We have completed a study of the local Tambuco Valley along with a list of projects to begin building their systems. We are also conducting an evaluation of the community development process. Our first programme was launched in September 2008 to develop a peer system within a high school.

A second site is being developed in American Samoa with a potential partnership with Samoa. We are currently using our learning from Ecuador and are preparing project management, location of potential volunteer’s structures; and linkages with Le Va (the NZ Pacific Workforce Development and Research Programme under Te Pou).

• Indigenous, ethnic and cultural diversity

IIMHL organized an indigenous and ethnic systems group in England during the 2006 Leadership Exchange. A follow up meeting occurred in April 2007 in Alaska hosted by the Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC).

There are several practical outcomes that have occurred following these meetings:

• The continuing development of the Indigenous Evidence Based Effective Practice Model.
   

• CITC has launched a technical assistance centre with help from the Paul Allen Foundation.
   

• A project with Scotland in three local sites as a test of a working collaborative.

In 2009 there was a continuation of this work as an IIMHL match site was held at Massey University in New Zealand. This included leaders from New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the US. It discussed indigenous leadership development and the effective practice model and a document resulted from this meeting: “Wharerata”. This document is being used as a foundation for national policy work by Canada and New Zealand.

• International social inclusion network

There is a group of leaders from IIMHL countries who are interested in social inclusion at the community level. One objective is to link leaders in 15-20 sites across IIMHL countries. The aim is to collaborate and move communities forward so that environments are more socially inclusive and people have access to full citizenship and all that that entails.

In June 2008 a meeting was held at the University of Pittsburgh sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh European Union Center of Excellence, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the Center for Mental Health Services/SAMHSA/US Department of Health and Human Services with additional support from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh.  The meeting included leaders from Glasgow, Scotland who have an active and successful programme of a community inclusion which has benefits for the city of Pittsburgh. This work continues on in several IIMHL countries.

• Peer Recovery Specialist

A Peer Recovery Specialist service is a consumer operated service where trained and credentialed consumers provide an alternative case management approach. IIMHL is continuing to promote consumer operated services.

• The International Journal of Leadership in Public Services

This Journal is published by Pavilion in the UK. Janet Peters from IIMHL coordinates four articles per year on both IIMHL/IIDL and leadership activities occurring outside the UK. A Special Edition of the journal is published after each Exchange. This year’s Special Edition was undertaken in 2009 after the Brisbane Network Meeting.

• Children and Youth

In 2007 in Ottawa there were five key matches developed and the group continues to work together. These matches included:

• Young people who have experienced services.

• Family and carers of young people.

• Providers, policy makers and technical assistance leaders.

This network continues to work collaboratively between Exchanges.

• Leadership Study Tours

Leadership Study Tours with National Council of Community Behavioral Organizations (NCCBH) and National Health Services Confederation have taken place. In 2008 we assisted NCCBH and the NHS Confederation to launch small one to two week exchanges between US leaders and English leaders in a theme based setting.

• Disability Leaders’ International Initiative for Disability Leaders (IIDL)

 

We are continuing to work with Disability leaders to expand the opportunities within this sector, one of the early goals of IIMHL to reach out into additional sectors within IIMHL sponsoring countries before expanding beyond the current sponsoring countries. The following is part of our work plan:

• Established separate survey and data collections for IIDL leaders.
   

• Meet with leaders in Australia, England, Ireland, Canada and US about the development of IIDL.
   

• The New Zealand Ministry of Health has agreed to provide core funding. Lorna Sullivan has been hired to guide this new group.
   

• Increased the number of IIDL organizations to 60 in 2009.
   

• Expanded the IIMHL Update to include one feature about disability leadership and include them in the International Journal of Leadership in Public Services.

• Annual report

Each year IIMHL publishes an Annual Report describing the year’s activities.

• Evaluations

At each Network Meeting an evaluation canvasses participants’ opinions of the Exchange and Network Meeting and asks for suggestions for the future.

Earlier IIMHL activities:

• Interrelate

New Zealand hosted a meeting of key national consumer leaders in May 2007. Five countries (Australia, England, New Zealand, Scotland and the US) were represented and the discussions focused on how an international consumer network might be established. This network is ongoing between Exchanges in 2009.

• International Trailblazer Programme

This project adapts from the Trailblazer Programme in England that jointly trains mental health and primary care practitioners in “pairs” to deliver more effective mental health services within the primary care setting. Each pair chooses a project to work on in their local community. The International Trailblazer Programme has completed its first cohort of pairs. The first training was a success with three pairs from NZ, two from the US and two from England. This work continues on in several countries.

• Service Improvement

A service improvement model was developed in England and based on work from the Institute for Health Innovation. This model links clinicians, support workers, consumers and families to improve service delivery using processing mapping techniques. It is currently being adapted in New Zealand as a way to enhance services.

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Please complete the online Membership Record at the link below. Once completed and submitted you and/or your organization will be added to the IIMHL distribution lists.

A half monthly IIMHL Update, together with any other information relevant to IIMHL activities, will be automatically sent to you at the email address detailed in your Membership Record.

Please email Erin Geaney at erin@iimhl.com for more information.

• Complete the Membership Record

• List of Benefits

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