Calls for consumer and carer participation in new national multicultural mental health project
Mental Health Australia together with the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) is calling on consumers and carers from multicultural communities to join an advisory group that will work to improve mental health services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) people.
The project, led by Mental Health Australia in partnership with FECCA and the National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA), represents a national focus on mental health for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and aims to aims to support service providers to improve cultural responsiveness and accessibility.
Frank Quinlan, CEO of Mental Health Australia, says the aim is to establish an advisory group that represents the diversity of multicultural communities from across Australia.
“This is an opportunity to make a difference, and to ensure this important national project strongly reflects the views and interests of the multicultural communities it serves.”
FECCA Chairperson, Mary Patetsos, said today: “We urge carers and consumers from CALD backgrounds with an interest in this important area of health care to get involved.”
“We are inviting individuals from CALD backgrounds with personal experience of mental health issues or who have cared for a person with mental health issues to apply to become members of the CALD Mental Health Consumer and Carer Group”.
“This group will be a key source of advice to the national multicultural mental health project, ensuring that the views and interests of CALD consumers and carers are included”.
The group will comprise up to 16 members, selected from various communities and all states and territories. It would continue for the funded project period to 31 December 2020.
Mr Quinlan said “The advice of people from multicultural communities, who have experienced mental health issues, or cared for someone who has experienced mental health issues, will be essential to the success of the overall project and to improving the system”.
The project is funded the Department of Health.
Further information and application forms are available here.
For any questions on the application process, contact Pauline Gwatirisa at FECCA: 02 6282 5755 or pauline@fecca.org.au.
Media Contact:
Emma Campbell, CEO, FECCA – 0424 910 617
Lachlan Searle, Director External Relations, Mental Health Australia – 0488 076 088