Evaluation of the Queensland MOST Pilot
In 2015, mental and substance use disorders accounted for 23% of the burden of disease in Queensland. The top 3 mental illness conditions ranked against other health conditions included: Anxiety Disorders, Depressive Disorders, Conduct Disorders (0-14 years); and Anxiety Disorders, Depressive Disorders, Alcohol Use Disorders (15+ years). The Queensland context is defined by its geographical expanse, unique population characteristics and needs, shaping the development of industries and services. With environmental, economic and social challenges, natural disasters, as well as the challenges imposed more recently as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the mental health and wellbeing of Queenslanders are being challenged which will likely result in an increased burden of mental illness. As a result, Queensland services have redefined, with a greater emphasis on the role of technology alongside traditional modalities of work to effectively respond to rising welfare, health and mental health demands.
One such tool that is proposed to meet this need is MOST. Developed by Orygen Digital, MOST is an evidence-based clinician-moderated online platform offering young people aged 12 to 25 years, online personalised therapy programs, moderated social networking, resources, and a virtual peer support and career support network. MOST provides on-line clinicians with evidence-based tools that can be used on the platform to provide digital mental health care for young people. This model is designed to be delivered in partnership with face-to-face clinical support with capacity to target existing clients of mental health services, those young people with emerging mental health needs yet unable to engage or connect with services, or waiting for service, and outreach for disengaged and regional and remote young people through the capacity of access to the digital platform. As part of the proposed 2 year pilot, Orygen will adapt MOST to be adapted to meet the identified needs and the context in Queensland, resulting in the Q-MOST platform.
As such, Q-MOST has yet to be evaluated in the field and its efficacy and impact in this context is unclear. In order to determine the utility of Q-MOST in meeting the needs of young people 12-25 years with a mental illness, as well as providing practice-based evidence for its continued investment, this evaluation will utilize a mixed-methods approach and the Socioecological Model (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) to determine the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM; Glasgow et al., 1999) of Q-MOST and the factors that enable its success (or not).
