SOLAR Program

Natural and human-made disasters represent a major threat to individual and societal health and wellbeing. Some of the negative mental health outcomes of disaster include depression, grief, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, disability and problems with substances such as alcohol or drugs. These problems not only cause great distress; they also interfere with people’s quality of life, their ability to relate to loved ones and their ability to carry out normal social and occupational roles.

Around the world, health services and practitioners respond rapidly following disaster with a view to preventing the development of psychological disorders. Unfortunately, at present there is no evidence to guide what these preventive strategies should look like. This is a problem not only because early emotional problems cause distress, economic loss and functional impairment, but also because these problems can deteriorate into serious mental health problems if they are not addressed.

The SOLAR program was developed by an international collaboration of disaster and mental health experts, led by Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, in partnership with the Prince’s Trust Australia. The international group held a roundtable in Sydney, Australia in 2015, where the content for the intervention was decided. The SOLAR intervention was pilot-tested in 2016-17 with funding from the Australian Commonwealth Department of Health.

Members of the SOLAR international roundtable development group include:

• Professor Meaghan O’Donnell, Director of Research, Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, University of Melbourne
• Professor Richard Bryant, Director Traumatic Stress Clinic, University of Sydney
• Professor Jonathon Bisson, Professor of Psychiatry, Cardiff University
• Dr Susie Burke, Senior Researcher, Australian Psychological Society
• Dr Walter Busuttil, Director of Medical Services, Combat Stress
• Mr Andrew Coghlan, National Manager Emergency Services, Red Cross
• Professor Mark Creamer, Honorary Professor, Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, University of Melbourne
• Ms Deb Gray, Manager, Mental Health Promotion and Illness Prevention, Alberta Health Services
• Professor Neil Greenberg, Defence Mental Health, Kings College London
• Professor Brett McDermott, Professor of Psychiatry, James Cook University
• Professor Alexander McFarlane, Director, Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies, University of Adelaide
• Professor Candice Monson, Professor of Psychology, Ryerson University
• Dr Andrea Phelps, Director of Policy and Service Development, Phoenix Australia
  Professor Josef Ruzek, Director, Dissemination and Training, National Center for PTSD
• Professor Paula Schnurr, Executive Director, National Center for PTSD
  Ms Janette Lauza Ugsang, Senior Project Manager, Asia Disaster Preparedness Centre
• Dr Patricia Watson, Senior Educational Specialist, National Center for PTSD
• Ms Shona Whitton, National Coordinator, Strategic Partnerships, Red Cross
• Professor Richard Williams, Mental Health Strategy, University of Glamorgan
• Professor David Forbes, Director, Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, University of Melbourne

The findings of the SOLAR project will be used to help people who have experienced disaster or other traumatic events manage their emotional distress, adjust to life following trauma and prevent them from getting worse down the track. Participants stand to benefit from using the skills taught in the program to manage strong emotions, improve quality of life, improve sleep and increase their social support.

SOLAR has the backing of local and international disaster and trauma experts, which encourages its use following a broad range of potentially traumatic events. By using frontline disaster workers, also known as Coaches, to deliver SOLAR, we can maximise the number of people the program reaches, thereby providing support to people who would not ordinarily be in a position to access mental health support.

Importantly, ongoing research on SOLAR will help to establish an evidence base able to guide how psychosocial support can most effectively be provided in the aftermath of trauma.

Help promote resilience and recovery for disaster-affected Australians by becoming a SOLAR coach. With generous funding from the State Trustees Australia Foundation, we’re recruiting Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN) members in rural and regional communities to deliver and evaluate a brief psychosocial intervention (SOLAR) to help promote recovery for residents impacted by disasters, including bushfires and COVID-19.

Interested MHPN members will be trained to become SOLAR Coaches. They will learn skills and receive supervision. to deliver SOLAR as an early intervention to promote recovery and prevent long-term mental health problems.

Register your interest below or get in touch here.