Dear friends and stakeholders,

Welcome to our last e-newsletter for this year.

We have now reached the end of 2023 and are delighted to share several Embrace Project activities and engagements completed over the last quarter. A few highlights include: 

• facilitating the collection of valuable insights from our Lived Experience Group via online meetings for the Psychosocial Support Services Project and Embrace Suicide Prevention Pilot (ESPP) Phase 2
• presenting the learnings, findings, and recommendations from our Primary Health Network (PHN) targeted support process with 13 PHNs to the Department of Health and Aged Care
• seeing innovative community engagement approaches and co-design resource development take place with different multicultural communities via our CALD Community Engagement Project
• expanding our network and focus on multicultural suicide prevention through the first year of the Embrace Suicide Prevention Pilot (ESPP) Project
• supporting the Department of Health and Aged Care’s evaluation of the Embrace Project, led by research firm Verian (formerly known as Kantar Public)

As we reflect on 2023, we would like to thank you for being a part of this journey and supporting our mission for a more culturally responsive mental health system that responds to the needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Join us in 2024 to continue to empower and create better mental health outcomes for our multicultural communities.

We wish you all a safe and joyful holiday and festive season and look forward to seeing you next year!

Please note the Mental Health Australia office will be closed from Monday 25 December and re-open again on Tuesday 2 January 2024.

Warm regards,

The Embrace Project team

Embrace Multicultural Mental Health
Phone: (02) 6285 3100
Email: multicultural@mhaustralia.org
Website: www.embracementalhealth.org.au

Embrace Project Updates

• We need your help – Embrace Project Evaluation 10-min survey
• CALD Community Engagement Project (CCEP) Update – new resources to share!
• Primary Health Network Engagement Update
• Embrace Suicide Prevention Pilot Update
• Embrace Lived Experience Group Update
• FECCA National Multicultural Health and Wellbeing Conference on 21-22 November 2023
• Staff Updates

New Resources - find these and more on Mental Health Australia’s Embrace Multicultural Mental Health website

• FASSTT network resources to support multicultural communities impacted by global crisis and conflict
• Health of refugees and humanitarian entrants in Australia – AIHW Web Report
• Multicultural Matters: Mental Health podcast, CMS Radio FM 91.1
• Young Well Beings Resource Pilot – Improving Mental Health for Young Mothers

Partner Updates and Announcements

• Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia (FECCA)
• National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)
• Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
• Nominations are open: 2024 Annual LiFE Awards – Living is For Everyone

Best 10 min you ever spent!

Your feedback can improve mental health outcomes for multicultural communities.

Please complete this short anonymous survey and share the link with colleagues in your organisation.

The survey is about planning and delivering culturally responsive mental health services. Your professional opinion is needed to inform future investments.

The survey will close on Friday 19 January 2024 at 5:00pm (AEST)

More information

The survey was commissioned by the Department of Health and Aged Care to understand what works to improve mental health outcomes for multicultural communities and to evaluate the Embrace Multicultural Mental Health Project. It is being conducted by an independent research and evaluation agency called Verian (formerly Kantar Public).

The survey is open to everyone working in the mental health sector, not just those that have interacted with the Embrace Project.

Please help us understand how we can support you to deliver culturally responsive services. We need as many people as possible to complete the survey.

Following the conclusion of our PHN targeted support process, the Embrace Project continues to support Primary Health Networks (PHNs) to implement the Framework for Mental Health in Multicultural Australia (the Framework).

On 12 October the Embrace Project team presented its findings and recommendations from the PHN targeted support process to key staff at the Department of Health and Aged Care, including representatives from the PHN Branch. Findings and recommendations fell under the following themes and focused on what’s recommended on the part of the Embrace Project, PHNs, and the Department of Health and Aged Care for continued momentum: 

1. The Framework is a suitable quality improvement tool for CALD mental health in PHNs 
2. PHNs are well placed for improving cultural responsiveness of mental health services and possess a high level of interest 
3. The Embrace Project is well placed to provide support to PHNs in implementing the Framework 

Findings and recommendations were synthesized from final reports submitted by participating PHNs at the conclusion of the 12-month process, which ran from 1 April 2022 to 30 April 2023 and sought to build the capacity of PHNs and their commissioned mental health services to better respond to CALD community needs.   

The Embrace Project will continue to liaise with the Department of Health and Aged Care for ongoing feedback and progressing recommendations.  

Through bi-annual Community of Practice (CoP) meetings, we will continue to support the 13 PHNs who opted into our targeted support process as they work to continually improve the cultural responsiveness of commissioned mental health services. Our latest CoP was held on 13 December. The first since the conclusion of the targeted support process, this meeting provided a space for PHNs to share Framework implementation progress, learnings, and advice for their peers. The eight PHNs in attendance also had the opportunity to provide input into the direction of future CoP meetings.

Overall, it was great to see the amazing work that is being undertaken by PHNs to improve cultural responsiveness. We look forward to sharing further updates!

The first phase of the Embrace Suicide Prevention Pilot (ESPP) is in its final months with the draft evaluation report expected from evaluation partner Verian (formerly known as Kantar Public) prior to the holidays. Dissemination of ESPP Phase 1 learnings and recommendations will begin in earnest in the new year, including developed resources for mainstream suicide prevention organisations and R U OK? co-designed resources for the Arabic, Hindi, and Vietnamese pilot communities.  

Stay tuned to Embrace News & Events in the coming weeks for key updates, including details for a webinar highlighting key pilot learnings and resources, targeted for mid-February.   

The Commonwealth Government has committed to extend the ESPP for a second year. Phase 2/Year 2 of the ESPP will endeavour to amplify and build upon the learnings, partnerships, and outcomes during year 1. Embrace is working closely with the Department of Health and Aged Care on implementation planning. 

For additional information on the ESPP, please see the MHA 2022-2023 Annual Report.

The Embrace Lived Experience Group is a key advisory group that consists of CALD mental health consumers and family members, carers and supporters from each state and territory across Australia.

In October we sought input from the Lived Experience Group on two topics: (1) Mental Health Australia’s Psychosocial Support Services Project and (2) the Embrace Suicide Prevention Pilot Phase 2 - Next Steps.

In November our bi-annual meeting included:

• A welcome and update from Mental Health Australia’s CEO, Carolyn Nikoloski, who provided an overview of sector themes sourced from Mental Health Australia member feedback, and nuances to these themes gleaned from Embrace Stakeholder Group members. Carolyn also referenced Mental Health Australia’s Report to the Nation - a pulse check of mental health in Australia, highlighting the increasing cost of living as a barrier accessing mental health support.
• Embrace Project activity updates and priorities for FY23/24 with a spotlight on the CALD Community Engagement Project (CCEP) and PHN engagement.
• Overview of the Embrace Suicide Prevention Pilot (ESPP) Phase 1, Phase 2 objectives, and group discussion and validation of themes from recent conversations with a broad range of sector stakeholders on the current state of CALD suicide prevention that will help to inform ESPP phase 2 areas of focus.
• Reflection on the meaningful contributions provided by the group since the last in-person meeting in April of this year

Monthly Embrace Lived Experience Group meetings will resume in February 2024 with the first bi-annual meeting targeted to take place in March or April of 2024.

We thank the group for their unwavering commitment and valuable contributions.

At the end of September, Mental Health Australia and the Embrace Project bid farewell to Letitia Casagrande and welcomed Crystal Halbmaier into the Senior Program Manager role. We thank Letitia for her awesome leadership and valuable insights. Crystal joined the Project in March of this year as the Senior Project Officer managing the Embrace Suicide Prevention pilot where she gained strong visibility and understanding of the Embrace Project along the way. Crystal will continue to provide oversight and direction to the Suicide Prevention Pilot in her new capacity.  

As Mental Health Australia CEO, Carolyn Nikoloski, shared in her update last month on Supporting Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities in time of crisis, the mental health implications of the ongoing mental health crisis in the Middle East have been detrimental for both the Israeli and Palestinian diaspora, as well as several other multicultural communities in Australia. 

Helpful resources for service providers, communities and educators are available from the Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma, including:

• An information sheet on support for people during times of international conflict - this resource outlines common signs of trauma in adults and young people, how people can access urgent support if they are concerned about someone’s wellbeing, as well as details about the support FASSTT agencies provide.
• A suite of helpful resources for services and schools to support students, youth, and those working with survivors of traumatic experiences including:
  • a tip sheet for supporting youth and families during an international crisis
  • a guide for responding to students’ trauma reactions
  • a self-care resource for those providing support
• Witness to war, a free and confidential multilingual telephone hotline for people in Australia affected by overseas conflicts. Staffed by mental health practitioners and bicultural support workers, Witness to War offers community members incidental counselling, information about available support, and connections to other local services. Witness to War staff can speak to callers in Arabic, Hebrew, Dari, Ukrainian and English and in other languages with an interpreter. Flyers in these languages are also available on the Witness to War website.

These and other helpful resources can be found on the Embrace Multicultural Mental Health website, an information hub providing Australian mental health services and multicultural communities access to resources, links to services, translated materials, best practice examples, and information in a culturally accessible format.

As part of the 2022-23 Budget, the Australian Government has committed $7.8 million over two years (2022-23 to 2023-24) to ensure Translating and Interpreting Services (TIS) are available through PHN-commissioned mental health services.  The Translating and Interpreting Service, provided by the Department of Home Affairs, delivers high quality, cost-effective and secure interpreting services for people who do not speak English and for agencies and businesses that need to communicate with their non-English speaking clients.

The service launched on 1 February 2023 and approved PHN-funded mental health service providers can use TIS National’s interpreting services for free. For more information on how to register, please refer to the Department of Health and Aged Care website. Allied health professionals may also be eligible for the Australian Government’s Free Interpreting Service. More information is available from TIS National.

Through the National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Program, the Government is investing approximately $17.5 million over three years (2022-23 to 2024-25) to fund a range of activities to support men who may be at high risk of suicide. Many of the organisations also provide mental health and wellbeing support. Support and services include:

• MATES In Construction aims to improve resilience through working with men on the origins of suicidal distress, the value of support at work, and how to seek help. 
• OzHelp seeks to provide early support using insights from people with lived experience of suicide. 
• The Men’s Table aims to prevent suicide by supporting men’s mental, emotional and social wellbeing. 
• Parents Beyond Breakup provides support to men who are in distress following a relationship breakdown.
• The ‘Dads in Distress’ (DID) is a national suicide prevention program offering in-community peer support groups for men experiencing relationship breakdown.
  • The DIDs peer support groups are male friendly, non-judgemental, confidential, free to access and, as a drop-in service, require no booking, intake, or preparation. The groups engage men ‘where they are’ on an ongoing basis. Attendance of the group often results in those attending being trained to become group facilitators and in doing so, establishes a highly sustainable local support resource.

Updated information on mental health and wellbeing supports and services for First Nations peoples is available on the Department of Health and Aged Care website at Mental health support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care).

Further contact details on organisations, websites and services that offer support, counselling, research and information about mental health and suicide prevention is also available at Mental health and suicide prevention contacts | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

Suicide Prevention Australia has just announced its 2024 LiFE Awards, marking 21 years of honouring outstanding efforts in suicide prevention. There are five categories that recognise the diverse and innovative efforts being undertaken to save lives and reduce suicide. These categories acknowledge individuals and organisations at a state and territory level, with all award recipients automatically proceeding to the national awards which are held at the 2024 National Suicide Prevention Conference.

If you know of someone that deserves to be recognised, make sure you nominate them by 15 January 2024.

For more information, head to www.suicidepreventionaust.org/life-awards

If you would like further information about the Embrace Project or to discuss how we could support you, please contact us via email on multicultural@mhaustralia.org or call 02 6285 3100.