Introduction to IIMHL

The International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL) is a unique international collaborative that focuses on improving mental health and addictions services. IIMHL is a collaboration of nine countries: Australia, England, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, USA and Sweden.

IIMHL organises systems for international innovation sharing, networking and problem solving across countries and agencies. The overall aim is to provide better outcomes for people who use mental health and addiction services and their families.

The Leadership Exchange is a week-long learning event which is held every 16 months.

Knowledge transfer among IIMHL countries includes not only the Leadership Exchange, but also promotion of workshops/training/education, research, support of learning collaboratives and information dissemination between Exchanges.

Background

National policies and directions have often been focused on clinical practices rather than recovery through mental health leadership. National perspectives such as those in Australia, Canada, England, the Republic of Ireland, NZ (New Zealand), Scotland, Sweden 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 evidence-based and promising/wise 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 will develop services based on best practices and innovation and will nurture and grow future leaders.

IIDL for disability leaders is a key part of IIMHL’s activities.

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, clinical 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.

Vision

We seek a future where everyone with a mental illness / mental health, addiction and/or disability issue and those who care for them will 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 and IIDL provide an international infrastructure to identify and exchange information about effective leadership, management and operational practices in the delivery of services. It encourages the development of organizational and management best practice within mental health, addiction and disability services through collaborative and innovative arrangements among leaders.

Structure

IIMHL operates as a 501(c)(3) US non-profit corporation. It has a small Board of Directors currently comprising five former Sponsoring Countries Leadership Group (SCLG) members and who collectively have a long history with IIMHL. The Board has fiduciary responsibility for the fiscal and corporate functions and reviews the performance of IIMHL.

Each of the eight member countries identifies representatives to participate in the SCLG and pays a fee into a small fund to cover the administration and operations of IIMHL. The SCLG also includes the President/CEO of IIMHL.

The By-Laws for IIMHL specify the composition of the IIMHL SCLG and authorise the SCLG to choose the subject or theme for the Leadership Exchanges, and to provide suggestions and advice to the Board and President/CEO regarding the activities and expenditures of IIMHL.

Although a small SCLG has been established for IIDL, this is not currently recognised in the IIMHL By-Laws. The leadership of IIDL has recently seen a change, and the new leader intends to expand sponsorship and clarify the IIDL direction over the coming two years. At that end of that time, the Board and SCLG will be updated on the plans for IIDL, and if necessary any implications for IIMHL and its By-Laws can be considered.

A small “virtual” international IIMHL office is led by the President/CEO. A team of four part-time contractors provide administrative, communications and operational support for IIMHL and IIDL, including support for the website and database. From IIMHL’s inception, Mental Health Corporations of America kindly donated support for IIMHL book-keeping and auditing, however since 1 July 2012 IIMHL has entered an arrangement with an accounting firm to fulfill these functions.

Each sponsoring country nominates key people to liaise with IIMHL, and these people also contribute to the operation of IIMHL in various ways.