Browsing by Subject "Legislation"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Open Access
    A situational analysis of child and adolescent mental health services in Ghana Uganda South Africa and Zambia
    (2010) Kleintjies, Sharon Rose; Lund, Christopher; Flisher, A J; MHaPP Research Programme Consortium
    Objective: Approximately one in five children and adolescents (CA) suffer from mental disorders. This paper reports on the findings of a situational analysis of CA mental health policy and services in Ghana, Uganda, South Africa and Zambia. The findings are part of a 5 year study, the Mental Health and Poverty Project, which aims to provide new knowledge regarding multi-sectoral approaches to breaking the cycle of poverty and mental ill-health in Africa. Method: The World Health Organization’s Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems (WHO-AIMS) Version 2.2 was used to collect quantitative information on mental health resources. Mental health policies and legislation were analysed using the WHO Policy and Plan, and Legislation Checklists. Qualitative data were collected through focus groups and interviews. Results: Child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) - related legislation, policies, services, programmes and human resources are scarce. Stigma and low priority given to mental health contribute to low investment in CAMH. Lack of attention to the impoverishing impact of mental disorders on CA and their families contribute to the burden. Conclusion: Scaling up child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) needs to include anti-stigma initiatives, and a greater investment in CAMH. Clear policy directions, priorities and targets should be set in country-level CAMH policies and plans. CAMHS should be intersectoral and include consideration of the poverty- mental health link. The roles of available mental health specialists should be expanded to include training and support of practitioners in all sectors. Interventions at community level are needed to engage youth, parents and local organizations to promote CAMH.
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    Open Access
    An investigation of transformation inclusivity in the strategic planning of built environment organisation in South Africa
    (2025) Mabovu, Lunga; Le Jeune, Karen
    The transformation progress has been very slow in terms of delivering employment equity in the built environment. It appears that built environment organisations lack effective strategic plans that promote transformation, fail to use succession planning to embrace transformation, indulge in non-transparent recruitment and promotion procedures that further hamper transformation, and are not held accountable for their lack of transformation. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of lack of transformation inclusivity in the built environment organisations in South Africa. Thereafter find ways to stimulate the transformation inclusion into strategic planning of organisations across various sectors of economy. A quantitative research approach was adopted to provide hard, factual data. Descriptive research was conducted through a literature review, and a web-based survey to investigate the lack of transformation inclusion in the strategic planning of organisations in the built environment professions in South Africa. This study used probability sampling technique and applied cluster sampling to select the sample. A total of 36 respondents were surveyed. The results revealed that none of the respondents agree that employment equity is included in the strategic planning of their organisation. There is lack of incorporation of succession plan in the strategic planning of built environment organisations. The results showed that transparency on recruitment and promotional procedures is not clearly established. The results showed that there is no conclusive evidence on the accountability for not meeting employment targets. The lack of structured change management process is perceived as the main barrier to transformation. The study illustrates the importance of establishing transformation by overcoming imbalances in the HR processes of the organisations by revealing prominent barriers to employment equity in the built environment organisations. This will help HR practitioners and organisation management to establish organisation HR policies that are in line with Department of Labour (DoL) employment equity targets.
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    Open Access
    From mental health policy development in Ghana to implementation: What are the barriers?
    (2010) Awenva, A D; Read, U M; Ofori-Attah, A L; Doku, V C K; Akpalu, B; Flisher, Alan; Lund, Crick; Osei, A O; Flisher, A J; MHaPP Research Programme Consortium
    Objective: This paper identifies the key barriers to mental health policy implementation in Ghana and suggests ways of overcoming them. Method: The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitatively, the WHO Mental Health Policy and Plan Checklist and the WHO Mental Health Legislation Checklist were employed to analyse the content of mental health policy, plans and legislation in Ghana. Qualitative data was gathered using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with key stakeholders in mental health at the macro, meso and micro levels. These were used to identify barriers to the implementation of mental health policy, and steps to overcoming these. Results: Barriers to mental health policy implementation identified by participants include: low priority and lack of political commitment to mental health; limited human and financial resources; lack of intersectoral collaboration and consultation; inadequate policy dissemination; and an absence of research-based evidence to inform mental health policy. Suggested steps to overcoming the barriers include: revision of mental health policy and legislation; training and capacity development and wider consultation. Conclusion: These results call for well-articulated plans to address the barriers to the implementation of mental health policy in Ghana to reduce the burden associated with mental disorders.