OHP Optimal Health Program Empowering People With Mental Disorders Through Optimal Health Program

Jan 5, 6, 7 and March 18, 2022 (Virtual Event)

Objectives

This project enables member economies – particularly developing economies – to obtain, share, strengthen, maintain and develop knowledge, abilities, skills and technical know-how in addressing the mental and neurological disorders and promoting mental wellness in the region by empowering people with mental disorders through Optimum Health Program which consists of several activities.

The activities, including:

• Webinar I : introduction and training on the optimum health program
• Homework project : implementation of optimum health program in each participants’ economies
• Webinar II : Booster program for post implementation of Optimal Health Program by participants, and
• Webinar III : Collection of data and developing comprehensive report.

Overview

The Optimal Health Program is a collaborative salutogenic approach to managing symptoms to produce designated levels of wellbeing determined by the participant. It draws upon many evidence based practices that sit within collaborative therapy, positive psychology and wellbeing. It also draws upon outcome informed evidence where the participant takes ownership for their own wellbeing processes, planning and interventions. The program is therefore a framework of engagement with the content being determined by participants. This approach requires the practitioner to create a reciprocal learning environment where relational expertise for both the practitioner and participant are honoured.

Though certain elements of the program may resonate more with one participant or practitioner over others, no one element of the program is greater than the whole. The program is intentionally designed to be an andragogcial process, where the participant constantly builds capacity for self, to ever enhance self-directed holistic wellbeing. The program does have key elements that may be used as stand-alone tools or interventions, in an informal manner, which may be beneficial in the moment. The program is in alignment with the key elements of consumer defined recovery; being self- determined and self-directed, and provides an essential mechanism of how to, through self-advocacy.

Therefore, at the heart of the program sits two important instruments: the “I Can Do Model” and the Health Plans. The I Can Do Model defines the actual, as well as potential resources one can draw upon to manage any adversity in life to maintain desired levels of wellbeing, while the Health Plans ensure personal autonomy is maintained at all times, including during episodes of illness.

The program’s sessions include:

• What is health? How behaviour can influence our health
• I‐Can‐Do model part one : Health Plan 1- Strengths and vulnerabilities – understanding balance
• I‐Can‐Do model part two : Health Plan 2- Stressors and strategies – understanding and monitoring impact
• Medication : Medication, physical health and metabolic monitoring
• Collaborative partners and strategies : Health Plan 3- Identification of key partnerships
• Change enhancement : Understanding past events and defining change
• Visioning and goal setting : Creative problem solving and planning
• Building Health Plans : Health Plans 1, 2 and 3 – maintaining wellbeing

Participants have an opportunity to:

• Reflect on their own wellbeing
• Identify their strengths and strategies
• Learn to recognise early warning signs of stress
• Develop partnerships with others
• Vision achieving goals and celebrating success at each step
• Develop health plans which include strategies to maintain wellbein

Optimal Health Program: Group Sessions Overview

The Optimal Health Program (OHP) is designed to be utilised by trained practitioners. The program illustrates a range of concepts and tools that are helpful for participants to explore their wellbeing and develop strategies within health plans to improve and maintain their wellbeing.

The program is divided into eight sessions and a post program booster session. The post program booster covers a range of information that explores someone’s strengths, vulnerabilities, stressors and strategies empowering them to be in control of their own health and wellbeing. Importantly, the program is guided by the participant and is sensitive to their needs and values.

Each session contains an outline of topics to be covered and a journal section to give the partitioner an opportunity to document their thoughts about each session. The resources to conduct each session are listed and these will vary according to the context of engagement, setting, and number of participants, and in particular the focus of the person or group.

The Optimal Health Program is delivered either one-to-one or in groups, with the group sessions having 10-20 participants. The group sessions should have two trained practitioners facilitating it. The program also supports the use of Peer Support Workers trained as practitioners to co-facilitate whenever and where ever possible. The program promotes the use of between sessions coaching, whereby participants are coached one on one by practitioners as a support to implement learning outcomes from the sessions.

Some of our honorable guests

We have gathered the top professionals of the innovation community, to lecture on the hottest topics and most relevant new technologies about Optimal Health Program.