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Speaking frankly... 
How to be effective in an age of reform
For Australia’s mental health sector the saying ‘change is the only constant’ rings very true, and is likely to do so for some time yet.
We’re all doing our best to strike the right balance between getting on with the important job at hand, while also responding to changes, and preparing for what we know, or hope, is likely to come.
What we know for sure is that one in five Australians currently experience mental illness, and too few have access to evidence based treatment or support. As we speak, the number of people who die by suicide continues to rise. We know that mental illness and substance abuse disorders represent between 10% and 15% of Australia’s total burden of disease and account for a quarter of all years of life lost due to disability.
So, how can we best get on with supporting people experiencing mental illness to seek and receive the help they need, in this age of ongoing reform?
Mental health reform in Australia is absolutely necessary, and any movement towards a better experience for Australians seeking help and support for their mental illness is welcome.
At the moment we still have a fragmented and unlinked environment that is frightening and difficult for people to navigate to get the best help possible. Thank goodness for the incredible people who work tirelessly to make it operate as close to a proper system as possible.
As we grapple with this changing environment, I think all of us need to be constantly reflecting on what we do, and how we do it:
- Do we know what consumers and carers really want from our service?
- Are we the best at what we do, or should we be clearing the way for others to excel?
- In a system that suffers chronic fragmentation, are we making every possible effort to collaborate?
- In a system that so often lacks evidence, are we evaluating the impact of our activities on the consumers and carers that draw on our services and programs?
- Are we actively exploring our failures in the hope of improvement?
- Are we celebrating and sharing our successes in the hope of disseminating our learnings?
We strive every day to achieve a true mental health ‘system’: one that’s linked with clear, evidence based pathways for people to choose and be supported on their journey. Much like the clear pathways that exist for other health conditions like diabetes or asthma.
But today, we must all do our best in an environment that is well short of optimal.
In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “The future depends on what you do today”.
Frank Quinlan
Chief Executive Officer
Next WeekTomorrow Friday I will be in Melbourne attending an NDIA workshop on pricing of psychosocial disability support. On Tuesday I will be participating in a marketing workshop with Directions. On Thursday I will be meeting with Martin Bowles, Secretary of the Department of Health along with Jennifer Westacott, Chair of Mental Health Australia. |
Meet a Mental Health Australia Member
Beyondblue
beyondblue provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live.
Because the impacts of mental illness and suicide affects all of us, beyondblue are equipping everyone in Australia with the knowledge and skills to protect their own mental health. They’re giving people the confidence to support those around them, and making anxiety, depression and suicide part of everyday conversations. As well as tackling stigma, prejudice and discrimination, they’re breaking down the barriers that prevent people from speaking up and reaching out. They're here for everyone in Australia – at work, home, school, university, online, and in communities across the country.
beyondblue leads major new mental health in education initiative
From July 1 beyondblue will lead a transformation in the development of good mental health and wellbeing practices for all Australian children from early learning centres to the end of secondary school. After a competitive tender process the Minister for Health, The Hon. Greg Hunt MP, announced a grant of $52.7 million over two years to beyondblue for a new mental health in education program. The initiative will be launched to early learning services, primary and secondary schools in partnership with Early Childhood Australia (ECA) and the National Youth Mental Health Foundation, headspace, in 2018.
Web - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/beyondblue
Twitter - https://twitter.com/beyondblue
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
New program for reducing harm in mental health care to keep people safe
Victorian Minister for Finance, Robin Scott and Minister for Mental Health, Martin Foley says the Andrews Labor Government is helping reduce conflict and create a safer environment for patients, staff and families in Victorian mental health services. "The $2.4 million Safewards program is being rolled out across all Victorian public mental health units under a partnership between the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority and the Department of Health and Human Services. Planning is also underway to extend the model to emergency departments and medical units. Safewards is based on a successful evidence-based model used in the United Kingdom that aims to reduce harm to patients, staff and families caused through conflict in health services. It identifies situations that lead to conflict and provides practical strategies to avoid it."
Audit Report: Mental Health Services - Transition from Acute Care (ACT)
ACT Auditor-General, Dr Maxine Cooper, has presented a performance audit report on Mental Health Services - Transition from Acute Care to the Speaker, for tabling in the ACT Legislative Assembly. Dr Cooper says ‘Periods of admission to acute care can be part of long term mental health treatment and care. Therefore having an integrated, comprehensive and contemporary framework for managing the transition from acute care services to community based services is important. This framework is lacking’.
Expert knowledge and skills to support NDIS transition
The Board overseeing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will draw on an expanded Independent Advisory Council (IAC) from July this year, ensuring broader representation for people with disability during this critical period for the NDIS. For the first time, the Council will include representatives with intellectual disability and deaf-blindness, working alongside other new and long-time members as well as a new panel of five expert advisors. The expanded Council, moving from 10 to 13 members plus the expert panel, will start work on 1 July 2017. Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, said the new model had been developed under the guidance of the IAC’s Principal Member, Professor Rhonda Galbally AO, to ensure a broad range of experience and advice to the NDIS Board.
Greater access to mental health help - sooner (VIC)
Victorian Minister for Mental Health, Martin Foley, says the Andrews Labor Government will invest an additional $20 million per year in clinical mental health services to meet growing demand and support 3,300 more Victorians. "The funding is in addition to the $325.7 million invested in the Victorian Budget 2017/18 and will provide an estimated 50,000 additional community mental health service hours. The additional investment will provide $16.5 million help adults (aged 16-64) to get support through their local community mental health service. The Labor Government will also provide $3 million in targeted support for older Victorians (aged over 65) across the 14 Victorian Health Services."
Census 2016 reflects evolving crisis support needs
With ABS Census 2016 data showing that our country is becoming increasingly culturally diverse, Lifeline is committed to meeting the needs of modern Australia in the years ahead. Lifeline Australia CEO Pete Shmigel said that – from exploring the feasibility of a Chinese-language helpline to recruiting multicultural Crisis Supporters – the national charity needs to do more to evolve as the nation does.
Reminders
NAIDOC Week 2017
Next week is NAIDOC week, a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievements, culture and history. Mental Health Australia staff will be celebrating by encouraging staff to participate in a tour of the ‘Defying Empire: 3rd National Indigenous Art Triennial’ exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia as well as encouraging staff to attend other local events.
I’d like to encourage Mental Health Australia’s members and friends to celebrate NAIDOC week as well. You can find out more about what’s happening near you on the ‘Celebrating NAIDOC Week’ website at the link below.
Launch of 2017 Australian Mental Health Prize
The 2017 Australian Mental Health Prize has been launched and is seeking nominations to recognise Australians who have made outstanding contributions to either the promotion of mental health or the prevention and treatment of mental illness in areas such as advocacy, research or service. You can make nominations through their website.
Register for 2017 Suicide Prevention Conference Brisbane before the end of financial year
Tomorrow (Friday 30 June) is the last chance to spend your education and training funds (and support your team's CPD) before the end of the financial year. The National Suicide Prevention Conference will take place in Brisbane from 27 – 29 July 2017 with the theme Relationships, Resilience & Respect: Responding to vulnerability in life. Comprising up to 5 days of intensive face-to-face learning, networking and social events, the Conference offers informative presentations and interactive workshops on the latest suicide prevention sector-wide developments in Australia and abroad.
Engage and Participate in Mental Health - Web Consultations
The National Mental Health Commission is conducting an overview of mental health consumer and carer engagement and participation in Australia. The project is the result of direction and guidance from a Steering Group, comprised of mental health experts with a lived experience of mental illness and/or suicidality. Craze Lateral Solutions has been engaged to work with them on this project.
Consumers, carers, families, support people and other stakeholders are invited to share your knowledge and experience through this consultation. Find out more about how to get involved here.
National NDIS Mental Health Conference - Call for Content Deadline Extended
You are invited to submit content to present at the National NDIS Mental Health Conference 2017. All proposals will be considered, but they are especially looking to run sessions that are interactive and feature the voices of those with lived experience. Submissions now close Monday 10th July 2017.
Reminder about available NDIS appeals support
The NDIS Appeals has been set up by the Department of Social Services to ensure that all people with disability, and others affected by reviewable decisions of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), have access to support when they are seeking review of those decisions in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). More information and a full list of NDIS Appeals Providers can be found online.
Call for participants to trial new education program for effective decision-making support (QLD)
Academics at La Trobe University, The University of Sydney, The University of New South Wales, and Queensland University of Technology, have developed an education program and support package for people providing support for decision-making to a person with a cognitive disability. In order to explore the effectiveness of this education program, the researchers are seeking people who provide support for decision-making along with the person they support to take part in this research.
The Queensland University of Technology is looking for Queenslanders with intellectual impairment or ABI to participate in the training and help test its effectiveness. If you would like to participate in this project, or know someone who would, please contact Dr Cindy Nicollet by phone on (07) 3138 4237 or by email at decision.making@qut.edu.au
Present at the 9th Australian Rural and Remote Mental Health Symposium
The window is closing for your chance to present at the 9th Australian Rural and Remote Mental Health Symposium, an invaluable platform to influence and improve the mental health of rural communities.
This year they will examine new and innovative approaches to care, recovery oriented practice, ageing communities, meaningful consumer and carer participation, current academic research, service integration, capacity-building, suicide prevention, physical health and mental illness, E-mental health and working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing. Abstracts submissions close on Friday 7 July 2017.
Calling for abstract submissions for the Society for Mental Health Research 2017 conference
Abstract submission is now open for the Society for Mental Health Research 2017 conference, which will be held in Canberra from December 6-8. Further details about the conference and the abstract submission process can be found here.
Call for participants in Griffith University research into the use of online and technology based interventions for mental health
A research team at Griffith University is conducting research into factors that influence the use of online and technology based interventions for mental health, with the major aim being to investigate factors which influence whether a person engages or drops out of these forms of treatment. The researchers are seeking participants who currently use these forms of interventions which may include e-therapy programs via skype or email, online discussion/chat forums, online programs or games, podcasts or e-books, mental health apps (that target sleep, stress, anxiety etc.) and mental health services delivered via telephone and text messaging. Queries can be directed to jessica.arentz@griffithuni.edu.au
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