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Speaking frankly...PC makes recommendations to address NDIS woesI was very pleased to see the Productivity Commission release its position paper on NDIS Costs this week. The Overview document and the full position paper (377 pages) are available here. For a long time now we have been talking about the risk of the NDIS becoming an oasis in the middle of a desert, and it appears our analogy has been acknowledged and heard. Over the next few weeks we will take the time to fully digest the paper, its recommendations and the implications for the mental health sector and for people living with mental health issues, however we are very pleased to see some of our key concerns being addressed in the Overview document. For instance the Commission noted: Most critically, it is important that people with disability do not see the NDIS as an oasis of support, surrounded by a desert, where little or nothing is available. Should such a dynamic develop, the financial pressures on the NDIS could be unsustainable, particularly if people feel the need to test their ability to qualify for the scheme, or remain in the scheme for as long as possible, for fear of not gaining access again should the need arise. The Commission goes on to acknowledge our concerns regarding overall numbers: Mental health services are an area of particular concern. The National Mental Health Commission’s report on Mental Health Programs and Services estimated that about 700 000 Australians experience a severe mental illness in any one year. However, according to the NDIA, only around 64 000 people with psychosocial disability are expected to be eligible for individual packages in the NDIS. Importantly, the Commission recognizes that the problems do not all reside with the NDIS. Many of the issues that need to be addressed relate to the responsibility of governments to continue to provide services outside the NDIS. Clearly, there needs to be support for people with mental health illnesses outside of the scheme — a responsibility that remains (largely) with State and Territory Governments. However, governments have been withdrawing their funding for a number of mental health support programs in their jurisdictions and using this funding to offset part of their contribution to the NDIS. At this stage, it is unclear what supports will be available for people with a mental illness who do not meet the NDIS eligibility criteria and this should be clarified as a matter of urgency. The Commission notes the tremendous uncertainty that arises because these issues have not been addressed, and the impact that this uncertainty can have on those living with mental health issues, and trying to make decisions about how best to manage them… All of this points to the urgent need for governments to sit down and agree on who is responsible for what, and to articulate how services will be made available for those who will remain outside the scheme. While the Australian and State and Territory Governments have agreed to provide continuity of support for disability services outside the NDIS, in practice there is confusion and uncertainty about what services will continue to be provided and/or funded. Governments need to be clearer about how they will approach continuity of care, and in particular about what disability services they will continue to provide for people who are not eligible for the NDIS. The Commission has made some very important practical suggestions:
It is a draft report, and the Productivity Commission has invited submissions. Let's hope the ongoing drafting process does not slow down the urgent implementation of some of the remedies suggested. Submissions in response to the Position Paper are due by 12 July 2017.
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Meet a Mental Health Australia MemberPsychotherapy and Counselling Federation of AustraliaThe Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia is a leading national peak body and professional association for counsellors and psychotherapists in Australia. Our mission is to represent the profession to communities and government, and to develop the evidence-base for counselling and psychotherapy. Victorian Branch Network and Social Evening on June 29 Participants will be discussing the opportunity to move to a more central venue, as well as the usual networking and peer discussion. It will be a great opportunity to: Web - http://www.pacfa.org.au/ Become a Member of Mental Health AustraliaAs 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$73 Million to support the mental health of Australian children (Fed)The Turnbull Government will invest $73 million in two new mental health programs to ensure Australian children and young people receive the support they need during their school years. Under the National Support for Child and Youth Mental Health Program, training and resources on mental health issues will be provided to people who regularly interact with pre-schoolers, primary and high school aged children. This includes teachers, school communities, doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
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RemindersOnline Lived Experience Forum – Is mental health more challenging for men?Join the next SANE online forum on 20 June, from 7-9pm AEST, where the topic 'Is mental health more challenging for men?' will be discussed. Calling for help to recruit people for important research to inform updated guidelines for depressionMental Health First Aid Australia and the University of Melbourne are conducting research to update the mental health first aid guidelines for depression. The original mental health first aid guidelines for depression 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 this flyer. Please feel free to pass the flyer on to anyone you think might be interested in being a part of this research. Interested people can contact Dr Kathy Bond kathybond@mhfa.com.au Launch of the 2017 International Mental Health Conference ProgramThe 2017 International Mental Health Conference Program has now been launched and can be found here, with over 90 presenters confirmed on the program. Now into its eighteenth year, this reputable Conference is the must attend event on the mental health calendar, facilitating professional development and the exchange of current ideas and practices between mental health practitioners from Australia, New Zealand and further afield. Early bird registrations close soon - register here. The Conference Committee welcome Mind Australia as the Gold Sponsor for 2017. If you are interested in promoting your product or service to the 400+ delegates expected to attend, please contact the Partnerships Manager, Bec Byrnes for more information: partnerships@anzmh.asn.au Call for participants in University of Western Australia research studyToday, many young people are diagnosed with a mental health disorder. Honours student Megan Ansell wants to know how this impacts them as they develop their self-identity. If you are 15-21 years, and have a mental health disorder, please consider completing this anonymous 15 minute survey here. |
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