ReFraming The FaPMI (Families Where a Parent Has a Mental Illness) Program: Using a Participatory Action Research Approach to Create Change

This paper documents a staged participatory action research process used to shift the underlying frames of the FaPMI (Families where a parent has a mental illness) Program. The FaPMI service development initiative in Victoria, Australia established in 2007 was built on a foundation emphasising these families as being vulnerable and at risk. While intentioned to promote action and compassion from policy makers and governments, researchers and programme developers, there has been growing awareness of the unintended consequences of these frames. In line with shifts in policy and social environment promoting context- and person-centred, strength-based views of people with Lived and Living Experience (LLE) of mental ill health, the FaPMI Program commenced a process to review and reframe its work. The participatory action research process with FaPMI Coordinators and people with LLE of mental health challenges used four phases to (i) establish direction for change, (ii) scope existing framing of parenting, mental health, child mental health and families, (iii) identify FaPMI's existing frames and (iv) build consensus for frames to avoid and advance in future. The resulting Avoid and Advance guidance document gives guidance to the programme and others in the field to support the framing shifts required.