CEO Update: An emotional week, and an organisation in very good hands
An emotional week, and an organisation in very good hands
It has certainly been quite an emotional week. So many friends and colleagues have taken the time to send good wishes and messages of support, as I prepare to make my way to the new role at the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia.
After eight and a half years, my last day at Mental Health Australia will be Friday October 11th. We are all working to make the transition as smooth as possible.
After October 11th, Mental Health Australia’s long serving Deputy CEO Melanie Cantwell will act in the position of CEO while the search for a permanent replacement is conducted.
Melanie is known to many of you, and as someone who has been active in delivering our program of work for many years, Mel is already taking on many of her new responsibilities.
Mel also enjoys the support of an active Board, including Chair Robyn Kruk, and a team of staff who are all dedicated to implementing our work program.
Harry Lovelock is leading the Policy and Projects Team, Kylie Wake the Consumer and Carer Programs, and Lach Searle the Communications and External Relations Team ahead of a very busy period of events.
Not least of these events will be the release of the Charter 2020: Time To Fix Mental Health, and the joint letter to the Prime Minister, which now has more than 100 signatories. This will send a powerful message that ultimately the sector is united and ready to embrace and support the once in a generation opportunity for reform the Productivity Commission will create.
Ahead of a busy time for all of us in the sector, with many mental health month, week and day activities planned, see below a list of key dates for Mental Health Australia events which you might like to add to your diary over the coming weeks:
Thursday 10 October – World Mental Health Day
Thursday 31 October – Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health – Draft Report released
Monday 25 November – Mental Health Australia AGM in Canberra
Monday 25 November – Grace Groom Memorial Oration in Canberra, to be delivered by Productivity Commissioner Stephen King, Tickets on Sale NOW
Tuesday 26 November – Mental Health Australia Members Policy Forum – Parliament House Canberra, 9:00am to 4:00pm
To aid the transition during this busy time we have established a new email address: ceo@mhaustralia.org which you may like to add to your contact list and again.
I can assure you Mental Health Australia is in very good hands, as the team continues their work to advance the mental health of all Australians.
Warm regards,
Frank Quinlan
Chief Executive Officer
UPDATE on Charter 2020: Time To Fix Mental Health
Firstly, thank you again to the now 101 organisations who have signed our Charter 2020: Time To Fix Mental Health.
Ahead of World Mental Health Day and then the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health releasing their Draft Report on Thursday 31 October, this Charter will become an important platform from which to advocate for implementation of the Inquiry and lasting mental health reform.
For those organisations who still wish to sign onto the Charter 2020: Time To Fix Mental Health, we can now look to include you in the second phase of this advocacy activity, and at 101 signatories to date, what a great message it would send to see more organisations support this sector wide initiative.
To sign on to Charter 2020: Time To Fix Mental Health please contact Lachlan.Searle@mhaustralia.org
To see the full Charter 2020: Time To Fix Mental Health please click here.
Submission to the Senate Inquiry into Centrelink’s compliance program
Last week, Mental Health Australia made a submission to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee Inquiry into Centrelink’s compliance program. Mental Health Australia’s submission reinforced the significant impact of the compliance program for the many Centrelink customers who are living with mental illness, and argued the efficiencies of greater reliance on automated data matching processes should not come at the expense of vulnerable people our social security system exists to support. Mental Health Australia called for greater safeguards for Centrelink customers, and again urged the Department of Human Services to engage in genuine consultation with mental health consumers and carers in the design and delivery of its compliance processes, to avoid causing further harm and undue distress.
Productivity Commission update
The Commission will seek further information and feedback following the release of the draft report on 31 October 2019. The Productivity Commission is advising that they will hold public hearings on the following dates, at the following locations:
- 15 November - Canberra
- 18-19 November - Melbourne
- 20 November - Perth
- 21 November - Geraldton
- 25-26 November - Sydney
- 28 November - Broken Hill
- 2 December - Rockhampton
- 3 December - Brisbane
- 9 December - Launceston
Adelaide and Darwin public hearings will be held at dates to be advised in early 2020. Please note registrations to attend or participate in the hearings is not open yet.
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The 2019 World Mental Health Day campaign is officially underway! The more organisations who commit to promoting awareness, the more we reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness and play our part in creating a mentally healthy community. Looking to attend or host an event on Thursday 10 October? You can do this HERE. You can also make a #MentalHealthPromise. Choose from a pre-written promise or get creative and write your own! Then share the promise amongst your social networks.
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On Wednesday, Harry Lovelock, Director – Policy and Projects will be participating in the next Optimising Psychosocial Supports Working Group meeting in Melbourne.
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