On Monday I have a range of meetings in Melbourne and on Tuesday I am looking forward to a strategic workshop as part of the National Carer Policy Forum, hosted by our members Carers Australia.

On Wednesday and Thursday I will be attending the AICD governance summit and on Friday I am catching up with more Melbourne-based colleagues.

Work with us!

Mental Health Australia is seeking a Communications Officer. You will be responsible for assisting with communication and public relations activities as well as events, social media and publication development. The role is also responsible for assisting with the delivery and administration of the World Mental Health Day campaign and Mental Health Australia’s membership program. Find out more about the role.

Communicate your news, job vacancies, or upcoming events to more than 5,000 people in the mental health ecosystem weekly.

Mental Health Australia members are invited to send us news, announcements, job vacancies, events or other notices for inclusion in the Weekly CEO Update newsletter. To do so, simply fill out this form by COB each Wednesday for your notice to appear in the newsletter the following Friday.

Featured Members

UA and Suicide Prevention Australia partner to deliver early intervention framework

Universities will be better equipped to intervene early to help prevent the devastating impact of suicide in their communities thanks to a framework released this week by Universities Australia and Suicide Prevention Australia. Suicide Prevention: A Competency Framework for Universities offers a structure which enables early intervention for staff who may be experiencing suicidal behaviour, staff or students with a lived experience of suicidal behaviour, and people studying who may experience struggles or factors that cause significant distress.

Mental health support for those with small businesses in mind (VIC)

Member-based business organisations are being offered tailored mental health and wellbeing support, through an Andrews Labor Government initiative. Minister for Small Business Jaala Pulford announced the Mental Wellbeing of Business Communities Grants Program, providing up to 200 member-based business communities with a $15,000 grant for training and tailored support to manage stress and anxiety.

Key disability advocacy groups join with ACOSS to urge the Govt to act on DSP Inquiry Report

Whilst there are some welcome recommendations in the Report, PWD urge the government to take responsibility for taking action on addressing the level of need and distress that people with disability experience while trying to survive on income support. Australia is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Article 28 stipulates clearly that people with disability have a right to an adequate standard of living and social protection. 

Unpaid, underfunded and overworked: Psychologists on the brink

The pandemic is having severe consequences for mental health services across Australia with a record number of psychologists now unable to see patients. Psychologists continue to answer the call during the pandemic, working on average 17 unpaid hours each week and being paid for just 23 hours. Psychologists working with children recorded an additional 2.2 unpaid hours worked, on average. By comparison, GPs work an average of 5 unpaid hours each week.

Carers Australia welcomes new CEO

Carers Australia Chairperson Mr Steve Sant is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Alison Brook as Chief Executive Officer for the national peak body organisation, effective 8 May 2022. Ms Brook comes from Relationships Australia Canberra and Region where she is the CEO managing 160 staff across six centres covering the ACT, NSW Riverina, the far south coast of NSW and surrounding regions. Ms Brook has extensive national peak body experience having been the National Executive Officer for Relationships Australia for nine years, where she worked advocating for the eight state and territory federation members, with Commonwealth funders and parliamentarians.

New RANZCP practice guidance for working with families and carers in mental health settings

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) recognises that families and carers are an essential part of the mental health system. Illustrating the RANZCP’s commitment to working alongside families and carers and supporting psychiatrists, the RANZCP has published a new Professional Practice Guideline and desktop resource on information sharing with families and carers. These have been developed by RANZCP Committees including the Community Collaboration Committee:

• Professional Practice Guideline 20: Information sharing with families/whānau/carers
• How to have the conversation: Information sharing with families/whānau/carers

The purpose of these documents is to assist psychiatrists to work effectively with families and carers and assist them to establish and maintain working relationships with mental health services and staff. For more information on the RANZCP’s commitment to working alongside families and carers, please see Position Statement 76: Partnering with carers in mental healthcare. If you have any queries, please email policy@ranzcp.org.

ReachOut’s swimming event Laps for Life is happening throughout March 2022

Olympic gold medalist Ian Thorpe AM is calling on people across Australia to take part in Laps for Life this  March in support of youth mental health service ReachOut. Whether new to the water or a competitive swimmer, five-time Olympic champion Thorpey is challenging people of all ages to jump in from 1 to 31 March and swim laps at the local pool or beach to raise critical funds and awareness about youth mental health and suicide. Laps for Life is open to everyone across Australia and is easy to take part in. People can get involved by visiting lapsforlife.com.au, signing up as an individual, or as a team with their colleagues, family or friends, setting a goal using the lap calculator, swimming and logging their laps.