Speaking frankly...                                       

To advocate for mental health, is to care

At its heart, ‘advocacy’ is the public support for… or recommendation of a particular cause or policy. The word itself, has Latin origins meaning ‘one called to aid’ and interestingly was once referred to as ‘advocare’.

Interesting, because it’s a one word synopsis for what we aim to do at Mental Health Australia. To ‘advocare’ publically for those who need our support, those experiencing mental illness, and to recommend a particular cause or policy to Government to improve the mental health of our community. To advocate is to advocare.

And that’s what we’ve continued to do this week, starting by welcoming three newly appointed Board members to the Mental Health Australia office for a full day induction. An intense and productive day, equipping our new Board members with all the information they need to hit the ground running at their first Board meeting in March. And continue their advocacy.

All caring advocates in their own right - Georgie Harmen, CEO of Beyondblue, Janne McMahon, Chair and Executive Officer of the Private Mental Health Consumer Carer Network, and Sam Refshauge, outgoing CEO of Batyr - bring expertise, networks, and a deep commitment to working alongside people living with mental illness to the task of guiding Mental Health Australia.

The task of taking the rich and diverse experiences of our Members, stakeholders and consumers and carers, and turning it into advice governments can use to improve public policy. The task of advocacy.

It was also the task for yesterday, when I attended a Symposium hosted by the Mental Health Community Coalition of the ACT examining the role of peak bodies in a rapidly changing environment.

The challenge of keeping consumers and carers at the centre of our considerations. The challenge of understanding and serving the diverse needs of our Members. The challenge of working on a huge agenda with limited resources. The challenge of influencing governments, while remaining a-political. The challenge of meeting the terms of our funding contracts, without surrendering to the whims of our funders. The challenge of determining whether to be 'inside the tent', and deeply involved in the policy discussion, or to be outside the tent criticising the failures of existing systems.

Participants at the Symposium discussed the particular challenges of doing all of this in the context of the NDIS – a much needed, much welcomed program that remains an implementation challenge of its own, and an integration challenge alongside the mental health system. A challenge we all embrace because we all care.

As if to herald the events and discussions of this week, I ended last week in discussion with Patrick McClure AO, Chair of the current ACNC review. 

Amongst other things, the review will examine the role that charities like Mental Health Australia, and many of our Members, play in advocating for reform.

Some fear that this role is under threat, and that charities might be prohibited from their role in advocacy, and Patrick and I have agreed that Mental Health Australia will meet with the review to put our case forward.

Our case is simple: we advocare. 

Warm regards.

Frank Quinlan
Chief Executive Officer

Submissions due 28 February - Review of Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) legislation

An important review, as mentioned above!  This review will enable the Government to meet its statutory obligation that a review of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012 and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (Consequential and Transitional) Act 2012 (together, the ACNC Acts) must be undertaken after their first five years of operation.  Interested parties are invited to comment on this consultation. You can submit written responses up until 28 February 2018.

 

NDIS Psychosocial Pathway Workshop in Perth - Tue 6 Mar  

CEO update readers will know that the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has engaged Mental Health Australia to hold consultation workshops on the design of a tailored National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) pathway for people with psychosocial disability. Mental Health Australia has already held workshops on this issue in Melbourne and Sydney and we are pleased to announce one additional workshop to be held in Perth on Tuesday, 6 March.

The workshops have focussed on the experience of people with psychosocial disability who are participants in the national NDIS and their carers. People with psychosocial disability (and their carers) who have experience of the Western Australian NDIS are also invited to attend but are asked to be mindful that the workshop is about designing a pathway for the national scheme. Service providers and peak bodies are also encouraged to RSVP, however please note that every attempt is being made to privilege the voice of people with psychosocial disability and their carers and families through this process.

Perth workshop details
Location: Perth, Duxton Hotel, 1 St Georges Terrace
Date: Tuesday, 6 March 2018
Time: 9am-2pm

RSVP: Please RSVP via email to Julian.CARR@ndis.gov.au with the following:

• your name
• whether you are:
  • an NDIS participant
  • a carer or family member of someone who is an NDIS participant
  • an NDIS service provider
  • other
• if you are an NDIS participant whether you would prefer the NDIA to contact you directly or through another person (e.g. their carer, support worker etc…)
• whether you will require your support worker to attend with you
• any dietary or accessibility requirements.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will contact the potential workshop participant to advise whether a place has been secured.

Mental Health Australia Member Profiles

The Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN) is the peak professional mental health nursing organisation and the recognised credentialing body for mental health nurses in Australia. It seeks to represent the profession at all levels of government and across all health service sectors. In addition, the ACMHN sets standards for practice, supports mental health nursing research and provides a forum for collegial support, networking and ongoing professional development for its members. Importantly, the ACMHN also works to promote public confidence in and professional recognition of mental health nursing.
Website - http://www.acmhn.org/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AustCollMHNs Twitter - https://twitter.com/ACMHN

Mental Health Carers Arafmi Queensland is a uniquely carer-based organisation formed by families who experience the loss, loneliness, stigma and isolation of caring for loved ones with serious mental illness. Among Arafmi’s goals are a reduction in the stigma of mental illness in the community, and wider acceptance of family members as part of the therapeutic alliance in mental illness, with doctors, hospital staff, community mental health workers, and consumers.
Mission - To enhance the well being of family, friends and others caring for people with mental illness and/or psychiatric disability by providing quality support, education and advocacy services.
Values - Arafmi’s values are strongly about compassion, collaboration, and respect, but they also work very hard to achieve efficiency and results in the use of their limited resources. 
Website - www.arafmiqld.org Facebook - www.facebook.com/arafmiqld Twitter - www.twitter.com/ArafmiQld

News

Delivering better services for veterans and their families

Veterans and their families are set to benefit with Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Michael McCormack introducing the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Veteran-Centric Reforms No. 1) Bill 2018 (VCR Bill) to implement several new initiatives which will deliver better services to veterans and their families. "This Bill will create a new veteran payment to assist financially vulnerable veterans who have lodged a compensation claim for a mental health condition and are unable to work while their claim is being determined," Mr McCormack said.

Tackling mental health with the NRL

Thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rugby league players and fans have received positive mental health messages and many more are likely to benefit, thanks to this week's successful Festival of Indigenous Rugby League. The Minister for Indigenous Health, Ken Wyatt AM, said the Turnbull Government was proud to partner with the NRL, contributing $300,000 to support the event in Sydney. "Sport, in particular rugby league, plays an important role in many of our communities, connecting people and empowering them to make positive changes in their lives," Minister Wyatt said.

"Quentin the question mark" national rail R U OK? conversation convoy launches

Quentin – an interactive Question Mark that issues conversation challenges and is about to embark on a national rail Conversation Convoy – has been launched today by TasRail. In a bid to connect Australia’s rail employees in the lead up to Rail R U OK? Day in April, the TrackSAFE Foundation and R U OK? kicked off the eight-week Australia-wide journey in Launceston at TasRail’s East Tamar Depot.

Reminders

Butterfly Asks Australians To Share The Cost Of Eating Disorders

Butterfly has commissioned a consultative survey to be undertaken within the community, focusing on the cost of eating disorders treatment, and the impact on individuals and their families. The survey offers an opportunity for Australians to: 

• SHARE their experience of the financial costs related to the treatment of an eating disorder
• HELP us to understand the impact of this cost on their daily lives
• CONTRIBUTE to commentary for government, both Federal and State, for advocacy and change to current health policy.

Butterfly is keen to get insight from a wide range of experiences from the community, which in turn will allow us to better understand the financial impact on an individual and their family when treating an eating disorder. The survey is open to anyone over the age of 18 and living in Australia. It will take approximately 25 minutes to complete. 

National NDIS Provider Forums this February and March

NDIS National Provider Forums are a series of events that will deliver information and insights about the role of Providers in the growing NDIS market. The events will be held from February to March in Brisbane, Melbourne, Townsville, Adelaide, Darwin, Sydney, Hobart, Perth and Canberra.

What's it all about? Provider Forum attendees will hear an update on the Participant and Provider Pathway Review, the implementation of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and an update on the Independent Pricing Review.

 

Alternatives to suicide program returning to Australia in March 2018 

Alternatives to Suicide is an innovative, peer led suicide prevention approach from Western Massachusetts Recovery Learning Community (USA). Two of their trainers, Sera Davidow and Caroline Mazel-Carlton are returning to Australia to provide further information and training from 5 to 22 March 2018. MercyCare in Western Australia has arranged this visit.

Further details about the Perth program and forms are now available at https://www.mercycare.com.au/ats-2018

SANE Australia Topic Tuesday - PTSD & Post Traumatic Growth 

Sane Australia will host another Topic Tuesday on 20 Feb discussing and exploring Post Traumatic Growth, a theory 'that people who endure psychological struggle following adversity can often see positive growth afterward.' 

What is Canberra’s potential as a restorative city?

The Canberra Restorative Community Network is hosting a 2-day workshop to explore how the ACT – and other jurisdictions - might re-envision its approach to social services, mental health, education, and justice in a way that builds supports, and wrap-around services, for people who are motivated and ready for change.

What: ‘What is Canberra’s potential as a restorative city?’
When: 22-23 February 2018
Where: Hotel Realm, Barton ACT
Cost: $275 2 days/$200 one day

Who should attend?  Senior executives and practitioners in government, social services, mental health, family violence, education, justice and child protection;  NGOs working in the community and volunteer sectors; academics; community members interested in restorative practice.

Blue Knot Foundation Training Services and Calendar of Events

The Blue Knot Foundation will hold a series of training courses this year including Trauma Informed Care and Practice, Managing Vicarious Trauma and Introduction to Working Therapeutically with Complex Trauma Clients. The Trauma Informed Care and Practice (Level 1) is interactive professional development training which alerts attendees to the possibility that their clients and/or co-workers may have experiences of childhood and/or other past or current trauma(s), which are affecting their health, wellbeing, daily interactions and functioning. 

 

 For a full list of training opportunities go to www.blueknot.org.au or click on the link below.