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The First-line Therapies Initiative Expands to the Iso Omena and Tapiola Health Centres

9.10.2023 10.48

With the new approach, clients can access mental health and substance abuse treatment in the very locations where their need for care is identified, such as at health centres.

The First-line therapies initiative will be introduced at the Iso Omena and Tapiola health centres during October. One of the new tools introduced is the Therapy Navigator, an online tool that allows users to assess their treatment needs anonymously. It helps to identify and measure mental health symptoms and determine the most suitable treatment options.

The Therapy Navigator and the First-line Therapies model are currently being used in the mental health and substance abuse units of the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County. The model began to expand to health centres in April, starting with the Lohja, Karkkila, and Nummela health centres.

The aim is to integrate new tools, such as the Therapy Navigator and digital self-help programs, into all the health centre services across the Wellbeing Services County. More specifically, the goal is to make these services available at all health centres by the end of 2024.

The Therapy Navigator is easy to use

Saija Vepsäläinen, a nurse who has been using the Therapy Navigator at the Nummela health centre since spring, reports positive feedback: “the survey is comprehensive and suitable for everyone.  We have referred people aged 18-89 to it, and they have found it easy to complete,” says Vepsäläinen.

If you need help with your mental wellbeing, please complete the Therapy Navigator before contacting your health centre. You may be experiencing anxiety, low mood, insomnia, or seeking support for managing your everyday life. The Therapy Navigator is available for everyone, but it is currently used to assist with treatment need assessments specifically at Iso Omena, Tapiola, Lohja central, Nummela, and Karkkila health centres.

Filling out the survey is easy.

  1. Visit the website www.terapianavigaattori.fi(external link) and complete the survey.
  2. Keep the code given to you at the end of the Therapy Navigator. The code is valid for one month.
  3. When you contact the health centre either by phone or online, give the code to the health care professional advising you. The code allows the health care professional to see your Therapy Navigator results.
  4. You will be scheduled with an in-person or phone appointment as soon as possible.
  5. The professional will go through the Therapy Navigator results together with you and suggest help and support measures suitable for your individual needs.

Filling in the Therapy Navigator is voluntary. No personal or identifiable information is collected. The service is completely anonymous; you control the data you enter by using a private and secure code.

Precompiled responses speed up treatment access

The Therapy Navigator compiles the answers automatically, making it easier for health care professionals to identify what kind of support you need. Vepsäläinen says that professionals can quickly get a summary of a client’s situation from the results. Doctors have also benefited from the structured and consistently formatted data.

When discussing the Therapy Navigator’s results together, the client feels listened to, a point Vepsäläinen emphasizes.  This leads to conversations about the kind of help and support the client needs.

In many cases, guided self-help utilising the resources of MentalHub in combination with visits to the clinic is sufficient for treatment. The aim is that you can receive help and support in the same place where the need for treatment is identified—for example, at health centres. “Guided self-help is a great resource for those who have the ability and energy to go through the materials and do the exercises independently,” Vepsäläinen explains. “Of course, guided self-help is not suitable for everyone and may not be sufficient by itself. In such cases, other methods must be explored, and the appropriate help may be found from the mental health and substance abuse services or specialized medical care.

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