Speaking frankly...                                       

Budget week in Canberra can be quite frenetic

As Budget day approaches, there is usually a mixture of excitement and dread that builds among those with an interest in budget outcomes – excitement that maybe this budget will be the one to allocate much needed resources; dread that maybe this year will be the one that takes away the resources so vital to a particular project or program.

I do not intend to re-hash our budget summary here; if you somehow missed it you can access it here, along with the video that Minister Hunt so openly agreed to appear in, so he could provide an update on the budget “direct and unfiltered”.

I would like to reflect a little on where we are and where the budget leaves us.

We were delighted that Minister Hunt allocated resources to start to close the emerging gap in psychosocial supports that is arising with transition to the NDIS.  Delighted too that he did so in such a way as to bring state and territory governments to the negotiating table – to match Commonwealth funds.

This is a very big shift, because it is the first time the government has given concrete recognition to the problem, and has taken responsibility for addressing it.  We still have a long way to go, but this represents a very significant breakthrough.

But what comes next?

Even after this significant injection of funds, there is a lot left to do in mental health reform.  The 2014 Review of Mental Health programs conducted by the National Mental Health Commission laid out an extensive agenda for reform, and so far we have only touched the sides.

Mental health spending seems stuck at about 5% of the total Commonwealth Health Budget, and has been stuck there for many years.  And yet, mental illness and drug and alcohol misuse account for about 12% of the total disease burden, and about 24% of years of life lost to disability.

Year by year budgets help, but they have not addressed this glaring gap.

It was encouraging, at the Health Minister’s post budget briefing at Parliament House this morning, to hear Minister Hunt reconfirm his commitment to including mental health as one of the four pillars of his long term plan for national health reform. It was encouraging too to see him list mental health as a priority in the next (ie post budget 2017) wave of his reform agenda.

As a sector I think that leaves us with three challenges:

• to do all we can to bring state and territory governments to the negotiating table,
• to build confidence by doing all we can to demonstrate that mental health reform is possible and that outcomes can be improved, and
• to do all we can to be unified in our efforts to achieve future reform and investment.

Budget 2018 will be upon us before we know it.  Let’s start to prepare the way for the ongoing and long-term reform that we all hope for so desperately.
 

Frank Quinlan
Chief Executive Officer

Media release: Federal Budget invites states to close critical gaps in mental health

See this week's media release from Mental Health Australia in response to the 2017-18 Federal Budget announcement.

'The 2017-18 Federal Budget has been welcomed by Mental Health Australia, as it starts to address one of mental health's most critical issues - gaps in psychosocial support services...'

Video: Minister for Health provide mental health Budget brief for sector

Minister for Health The Hon Greg Hunt MP was pleased to provide a short video brief on the key budget measures addressed in the 2017 Federal Budget. Watch the video here.

A reminder of your chance to attend the Garma Festival in East Arnhem Land

As mentioned in my previous update, Mental Health Australia and Carers Australia will be jointly hosting a delegation to attend this year’s Garma Festival in East Arnhem Land, on the lands of the Yolgnu people. As the Garma website says:

In its 19th year, Garma has become Australia’s Indigenous equivalent of the World Economic Forum held annually at Davos in Switzerland. Hosted, coordinated and programed in entirety by the Yothu Yindi Foundation (YYF), Garma attracts an exclusive gathering of 2,500 political and business leaders from across the globe. YYF is committed to improving the state of Indigenous disadvantage by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas.

The Garma gathering brings together business leaders, international political leaders, intellectuals, academics and journalists to discuss the most pressing issues facing Australia.
I have been lucky enough to attend the last two Garma Festivals. Mental Health Australia and Carers Australia have pre-purchased tickets to the event, which combines a conference like program with a rich cultural immersion. You can find out more about the Garma Festival here.  

We anticipate the Garma package will cost approximately $2,500 (covering camping fees, Festival registration (Corporate) and hosting by members of the local Yolgnu community – travel not included). If you would like the opportunity to attend this year’s event as part of our joint delegation, please send your expression of interest to Felicity.Wilkins@mhaustralia.org

If you would like to discuss the opportunity, please feel free to call me directly. Numbers for the festival fill VERY quickly, so we hope to be able to resolve the final delegates list in the next week.

Meet a Mental Health Australia Member

Mental Health First Aid Australia

Mental Health First Aid Australia is a national not-for-profit organisation focused on mental health training and research. MHFA Australia develops, evaluates and provides a variety of training programs and courses, which teach mental health first aid strategies to members of the public. Mental health first aid is the help provided to a person who is developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of a mental health problem, or in a mental health crisis. The first aid is given until appropriate professional help is received or the crisis resolves.

International participants needed: People who have experience with depression.

Mental Health First Aid Australia and the University of Melbourne are conducting research to update the mental health first aid guidelines for depression (the current version of which can be found here).
They are recruiting people with a lived experience of depression, carers/those who provide significant support to someone with depression and mental health professionals. The specific selection criteria can be found in the attached flyer. Interested people can contact Dr Kathy Bond at kathybond@mhfa.com.au

Web - https://mhfa.com.au/
Facebook - https://facebook.com/mentalhealthfirstaid
Twitter - https://twitter.com/mhfa_australia

Become a Member of Mental Health Australia

As the peak body for the mental health sector in Australia, Mental Health Australia is uniquely placed to influence the national debate on mental health issues and achieve our vision of mentally healthy people and communities. Representing more than 100 organisations in the mental health sector, find out more about Membership at the link below.

Parliamentary News

Budget 2017: Treasurer's Budget Speech

The full Budget Speech 2017-18 delivered on 9 May 2017 on the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2017-18 by The Honourable Scott Morrison MP Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia.

Budget 2017: Minister for Health Media Release 'Guaranteeing vital services for Australia’s world class health system'

Media Release from the Hon Greg Hunt MP, Minister for Health: 'The 2017-18 Budget delivers on the Turnbull Government’s commitment to guarantee Medicare and ensure our health system continues to be one of the best in the world – where every Australian has access to the best doctors, nurses, hospitals and medicines.'

 

Budget 2017: Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten Transcript from interview on ABC News Breakfast 10 May 2017

Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Bill Shorten MP, discusses the 2017-18 Federal Budget on ABC News Breakfast with Michael Rowland.

 

 

Budget 2017: Shadow Minister for Mental Health media release 'Mental health measures big on promises but short on delivery'

Media release from the Hon Julie Collins MP, Shadow Minister for Mental Health: 'Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health, Julie Collins, says the Turnbull Government's promise to make mental health a pillar of its national health plan has failed to be delivered in the Budget. "This Budget not only falls well short of meeting the huge need for services it also lacks the necessary investment for genuine long-term reform. Labor called on the Turnbull Government to put mental health and suicide prevention front and centre of its Budget but once again little has been achieved. This is a lost opportunity by the Government to help around four million Australians living with a mental health illness."

Reminders

Lived Experience Forum 16 May 2017 - Living with schizophrenia 

Just Ask Me How I Feel  - A Photographic Exhibition by Jennifer Blau

International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia - May 17

Created in 2004 to draw the attention of policymakers, opinion leaders, social movements, the public and the media to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTI people internationally, in under a decade, May 17 has established itself as the single most important date for LGBTI communities to mobilise on a worldwide scale. The day represents an annual landmark to draw the attention of decision makers, the media, the public, opinion leaders and local authorities to the alarming situation faced by lesbian, gay, bisexuals, transgender and intersex people and all those who do not conform to majority sexual and gender norms.

Mental Health Awareness with Palgrave Macmillan - access to resources

For Mental Health Month (US) and Mental Health Awareness Week (UK) Palgrave Macmillan publishers have brought together a selection of multidisciplinary books and journals which examine the issues surrounding mental health. Their content discusses mental health on a whole range of levels, from psychology and politics to theatre and history. Palgrave Journals has also brought together a a selection of recent articles which cover a number of relevant topics. These articles are free to read until 2nd June 2017.

Anxiety Disorders Association of Victoria Workshop 24 May: How to treat Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs)

NDIS Quarterly Report released

The NDIA has released the NDIS Quarterly Report, covering the period from 1 January to 31 March 2017. It shows the total number of people who had received support from the NDIS at the end of the quarter was 78,006, including 2439 children referred through the NDIS Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) approach. The report can be found here.

IHPA Work Program 2017-18 released for public comment

The Independent Hospital Pricing Authority (IHPA) has released its draft Work Program 2017-18 for public consultation. The draft Work Program 2017-18 outlines IHPA’s objectives, performance indicators and timeframes. Submissions can be emailed to submissions.ihpa@ihpa.gov.au by Wednesday 7 June 2017.

 

Short Film 'The Gift' to feature in US as part of Mental Health Awareness Month

Short film 'The Gift' will feature as part of the Art with Impact #myMHmatters campaign in the US as part of this month's Mental Health Awareness Month. Written and directed by Peninsula Film Office director, Steve Bastoni, The Gift is about isolation and re-connection and how a small act of kindness, like a ripple, can have far reaching and profound affects. The Gift was made in association with Mental Health Australia and premiered at last year’s Peninsula Short Film Fest in February.

Call for Respondents to Seclusion and Restraint Survey

The Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN) is calling for respondents to their Seclusion and Restraint Survey. ACMHN has been funded by the National Mental Health Commission to undertake a project designed to increase their understanding of how best to support mental health nurses towards an ongoing reduction in seclusion and restraint use in inpatient settings in Australia. There are several components to the project including a literature review, an online survey and some focus groups. They are currently seeking more respondents for the survey. Please participate in the survey if you are working in a psychiatric/mental health inpatient unit (e.g. acute, forensic, older persons, child & adolescent, etc.) or in an Emergency Department in Australia.

 

Suicide Prevention Australia's National Strategic Framework - Online Survey Open

Suicide Prevention Australia (SPA) invites the NGO community to complete an online survey. Background: A February 2017 National Coalition for Suicide Prevention workshop, convened by SPA initiated discussion on a 2025 strategic framework for suicide prevention. From this, a brief Consultation Paper has been developed. The Federal Government has committed to the development of a national suicide prevention plan and the strategic framework is an opportunity for the NGO community voice to contribute to the development of the final plan. SPA is undertaking a round of community consultations on the framework, and feedback is also being collected through this online survey.

Mental Health Community Coalition ACT $1000 Grants Close Soon

Got a great idea for Mental Health Week? The Mental Health Community Coalition ACT would love to see as many people as possible involved in Mental Health Week. That's why reimbursements of up to $1000 are available to community organisations to help assist them host their own event during October 2017. The number of reimbursements available is limited so submit your application today. Applications close 5pm Thurs May 18th. To download the application package go to the Reimbursements page at www.mentalhealthweekact.org

New data from AIHW provides first picture of the use of restraint in mental health facilities

For the first time, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has published national data about the use of restraint in Australian specialised public mental health hospital services. Restraint refers to the restriction of an individual’s freedom of movement by physical or mechanical means. The information has been released in conjunction with the Towards Elimination of Restrictive Practices 11th National Forum, held in Perth last week.

 

Inaugural JCU conference targets mental health in higher education

James Cook University Education and Social Work academics are collaborating to bring together leaders in the field of mental health at the Inaugural Australasian Mental Health in Higher Education Conference (IAMHHEC). The conference will be held at JCU's Townsville campus on Friday June 30 and Saturday July 1 and is open to the public, who are invited to register now.