This week, we conducted three super user training sessions for our WentWest (Western Sydney Primary Health Network (PHN)) Youth Mental Health model, as a part of the Right care, first time, where you live program funded by the BHP Foundation.
Our team at The Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Syney tailored sessions for youth with lived experience, general stakeholders, and specialised health economics.
It was wonderful to see users engaged with the dashboard, exploring various customised possible futures, what-if scenarios, and system-level interventions, and evaluating the results from both health and economic perspectives, providing a holistic view of the impacts of their decisions.
This program goes beyond just creating a system dynamics model; it empowers stakeholders to use a system-level simulation model (in the form of a policy gaming dashboard) to drive a system-level change. The ability to simulate different scenarios and interventions provides invaluable insights that can guide policy and decision-making, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively and that the most beneficial strategies are implemented. This collaborative approach underscores the importance of involving diverse (health and economic) perspectives and expertise in addressing complex issues like youth mental health.