A six-month trial of a new mental health coaching service introduced by Comcare in two Australian Public Service (APS) Agencies has reported a 78 per cent success rate in self-help strategies.
The program, NewAccess, was trialled on 50 employees with coaches working alongside participants to develop a plan that involved guiding the participant on the use of practical self-help tools and strategies to help tackle day-to-day pressures, including work stress.
The evaluation by PricewaterhouseCoopers showed that the majority of post-trial survey respondents were very satisfied (67 per cent) or satisfied (33 per cent) with the service and reported that NewAccess either exceeded (50 per cent) or met their expectations (44 per cent).
In a statement, Comcare said NewAccess was a low intensity cognitive behaviour therapy (LiCBT) program with a strong focus on prevention and early intervention.
“A key insight from the evaluation is that psychological therapies can be delivered successfully by non-clinical coaches to help manage mental health in the workplace,” Comcare said.
“Thanks to the success of the trial, Comcare is exploring opportunities to expand the LiCBT service to other areas in the APS,” it said.
The four-page summary of findings can be accessed at this PS News link.
