Table 1 Overview of community consultation activities regarding MHPS issues

2009^a

Meetings with workers from the Nazareth Centre and Leitana Nehan Women’s Development Agency, two non-government agencies attempting to address MHPS issues

2011^a

Forty people volunteered to meet with DT following an announcement made at a church service about his interest in understanding people’s experiences during and since the war. With the participant’s permission, DT documented thematic information to validate the events likely to have caused MHPS problems (Table 2). No personally identifying information was collected

Multiple meetings with workers (n = 7) from three agencies to clarify: data obtained from the literature review (Table 2); the MHPS issues identified in meetings; and the capacity in Bougainville to address MHPS issues

2013^a

80 people were consulted in a series of meetings and/or at a public forum. Those consulted were President Momis, Ministers and Members of Parliament (n = 4), Senior Parliament/Ministry Officials (n = 3), senior public servants (n = 9), public servants representing departments (n = 8), representatives of women’s groups (n = 7), representatives of church groups (n = 9), village representatives (n = 33), senior staff of three aid agencies (n = 4) and volunteers (n = 2)

A public forum was held at Buka Hospital, during which data regarding the events that occurred during the war thought likely to have had a MHPS impact was presented (Table 2). Participants (n = 28) provided feedback and clarification about the direct and indirect MHPS impacts of the war and the capacity in Bougainville to address these issues. An outcome of the public forum was the establishment of the Bougainville Mental Health Steering Committee

2014^b

DT, DS and PB together with the Bougainville Mental Health Steering Committee (including BM, LG, EB) developed a strategic framework for addressing MHPS issues in Bougainville. This process clarified the current MHPS issues, explored the existing capacity and the potential within Bougainville to address the MHPS challenges arising from the war, and involved 22 meetings, including with President Momis, senior public servants, representatives of women’s groups, workers from agencies attempting to address MHPS issues and aid agencies. A strategic framework to address MHPS issues was submitted to the Autonomous Bougainville Government for review [12]