The diary next week

• On Monday I am meeting with Suicide Prevention Australia. I will also be meeting with Cassandra Goldie from Australian Council of Social Service.
• On Tuesday and Wednesday I am looking forward to joining Mental Health Australia’s Embrace team in Melbourne for the Embrace Stakeholder Meeting. 
• I will join our Policy team on Thursday for our next consultation on psychosocial services.

Good Yarn Guidelines  

Advocates for Indigenous mental health has launched the Good Yarn Guidelines, a new national guideline that aims to improve the safety and accuracy of media reporting on First Nations issues and reduce harm to First Nations’ social and emotional wellbeing and mental health, which can occur due to inaccurate, offensive or insensitive reporting.

National Carers Week 

National Carers Week is an opportunity to recognise, celebrate and raise awareness about Australia’s 2.65 million carers.

The Mental Health Australia 2023 Report to the Nation shows that carers rated their own mental health significantly lower on average than non-carers.

However, this year’s Carer Wellbeing Survey found carers who had good access to support had healthy levels of wellbeing compared to those who had no or limited access to help.

Below are some ideas of how you can help a carer today:

              Mental Health Mosaic

Mental health nurses and clinicians key to reducing recreational cannabis harm

Harm caused by recreational cannabis could be reduced if mental health nurses are better equipped with information on the risks and benefits of the substance, according to a joint study with Charles Darwin University (CDU). The study with CDU and Chiang Mai University in Thailand examined literature on the medicinal benefits of cannabis, the negative mental health impacts associated with legalising recreational use and strategies to minimise these harms. 

Investing in a National Strategy and increased supports for Australia’s carers

The Albanese Labor Government will deliver a range of initiatives to demonstrate its commitment to ensure Australia’s 2.65 million carers are recognised for the contribution they make to the community. In National Carers Week the Government is today announcing: It will deliver on a National Carer Strategy, investing $3.8 million through to 2025-26 to develop a coherent national agenda; Launch the Carer Inclusive Workplace Initiative to ensure carers are better supported to participate in the workforce; Extend Carer Gateway for two years to ensure carers have access to supports they need, knowing they don’t always seek help when caring for a loved one.

Review of laws to better recognise unpaid carers

The Malinauskas Government is taking steps to better recognise the almost 250,000 South Australians who provide unpaid care, with a review of the Carers Recognition Act now underway. Public consultation begins this week as part of National Carers Week and carers are being asked to have their say. Human Services Minister Nat Cook says the Act acknowledges the valuable role of carers in the community and guides government agencies in their interactions with them.

Suicide prevention grant applications open

Premier’s Advocate for Suicide Prevention, Nadia Clancy, says projects that will help reduce the rate of suicide among South Australians will be supported through the Suicide Prevention Community Grants, which are now open. The grants are supporting communities across South Australia to take evidence-based action known to promote positive mental health and wellbeing. Total grant funding of $200,000 is available, consisting of two categories of individual grants, the first providing funding up to $5,000 to support delivery of smaller suicide prevention projects, and the second up to $15,000 for larger initiatives.

PhD Scholarships support health and wellbeing in WA mining

Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston has launched the new Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety (MARS) program PhD Scholarships hosted by the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA). The scholarships will further support a growing hub of leading-edge research in Western Australia to improve the health, safety and well-being of workers in the mining industry. At least four MARS Program PhD Scholarships will be available to study at any university in Western Australia.

First-of-its-kind suicide sanctuary for WA youth opens its doors

Mental Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson has officially opened a new sanctuary for young people experiencing suicidal thoughts. The short-term residential service, named The Luma Project, will provide 16 to 24-year-olds in need with a safe and evidence-based alternative to hospital emergency departments. Staffed by trained peer workers and volunteers, and overseen by a qualified clinician, The Luma Project will provide trauma-informed, person-centred support to young people in a home-like environment. The fit-for-purpose sanctuary was designed in collaboration with young people, their families, and mental health experts, and is expected to support up to 300 young people and their families each year.

A further nine mental health locals now one step closer

The Allan Labor Government is on track to deliver another nine Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals across Victoria, ensuring more people have access to walk-in mental health care and support, without the need for a GP referral. 

National Centre to improve health outcomes for people with intellectual disability 

Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney, says the Albanese Labor Government is establishing a National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health. Compared with the general population, the 450,000 Australians who have an intellectual disability experience more than twice the rate of avoidable deaths, higher rates of physical and mental health conditions, and lower rates of preventive healthcare. The Labor Government is working to improve the nation’s health system to better serve people with intellectual disability, who have the right to the same quality of health care as everybody else.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: mental health data updates

AIHW: Transitions to residential aged care after hospital for people living with dementia

In 2017, nearly 79,000 people living with dementia and 630,000 people without dementia aged 65 or older had one or more hospitalisations. This report focusses on people’s first hospitalisation in 2017 and compares transitions to residential aged care or mortality in the 7 days, 3 months and 12 months after discharge for people living with dementia and people without dementia. 

AIHW: Practice Incentives Program Quality Improvement Measures: annual data update 2022-23

The 3rd data update presents the latest findings from the de-identified aggregate Practice Incentives Program Quality Improvement Eligible Data Set covering 10 measures. The data from clinical information systems of over 5,800 general practices represent recording status of clients’ lifestyle behaviours and areas of significant health burden but are not prevalence measures. Building on previous reports, it empowers practices and healthcare organisations to leverage primary healthcare data for nationwide improvements.

For these updates and more, visit the AIHW website.

New leadership development scholarships announced

Women & Leadership Australia has announced new scholarships to enable more women to access world-class leadership and workplace skill development programs.

With partial scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, there are four programs to suit women in non-leadership roles all the way up to senior executives.

Applications close Friday 24 November 2023. Limited places available.

Learn more and apply now:

AASW Health Symposium

At the AASW Health Symposium on 16 November join the discussion to gain insights into the real-life scenarios and outcomes that arise when social workers collaborate within multidisciplinary teams.

Panel members, Jo Emery, Jacinta Sadler & Lloyd Truong, will delve into genuine case scenarios from their workplaces.

There will also be a Round Table Discussion with the panel members, and an audience Q&A session.

Department of Health and Aged Care – National mental health consumer and carer peaks – Co-design

On 30 January 2023, the Government announced $7.5 million in funding to establish and operate two new independent mental health lived experience peak bodies:

• one representing consumers; and
• one representing families, carers and kin.

These peak bodies will work to ensure people with lived and/or living experiences of mental ill-health can help shape the policies and programs impacting them. The Department of Health and Aged Care invites people with personal lived and/or living experiences of mental ill-health to share their thoughts on what these peak bodies could look like.

Consumer Peak

Survey and Discussion paper: https://consultations.health.gov.au/mental-health-access-branch/nationalmentalhealthlivedexperienceconsumerpeak/

Family/Carer/Kin Peak

Survey and Discussion paper: https://consultations.health.gov.au/mental-health-access-branch/nationalmentalhealthlivedexperiencecarerpeak/

Surveys close 27 Oct 2023

Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding

On 23 August 2023 the Governor of New South Wales established a Special Commission of Inquiry to enquire into the funding of health services provided in NSW, and related matters (“the Inquiry”). The Inquiry has now launched a public invitation for submissions on its Terms of Reference. The Inquiry is calling for submissions no later than 5pm, Tuesday, 31 October 2023. Interested parties may email: contact.HFI@specialcommission.nsw.gov.au if you have any queries.

Body Kind Youth Survey – Youth Voices Can Make a Difference

Butterfly Foundation is inviting all young people aged 12 – 18 to have their voices heard about body image.  This is a chance to complete the first national survey on body image, the Body Kind Youth Survey, so Butterfly can better understand the body image experiences of young Australians, and get young peoples’ views on what needs to change to create a more Body Kind Australia.  

The online survey is voluntary, anonymous, has ethics approval, takes 15 minutes and requires parental consent for under 15s.

Support Butterfly to help more young people to be kind to their body by encouraging all young people to take part; there’s even a chance to win one of 20 gift vouchers! 

The survey will remain open for approximately 10 weeks from 11 September 2023.

Take the 2023 National Workforce Survey for Child, Parent and Family Mental Health and help shape child mental health planning and policy

Emerging Minds is conducting the National Workforce Survey for Family, Parent and Child Mental Health again following the success of the inaugural survey in 2020-21. The survey will inform strategies and policy to meet the needs of health, social and community services workers across Australia, and support improved outcomes for infants, children and families. Complete the survey for your chance to win an iPad.

The survey closes on Wednesday, 15th November 2023. 

Targeted Regional Initiatives for Suicide Prevention (TRISP)

TRISP is a new suicide prevention program being rolled out across regional NT. $1.26 million in funding will be provided for suicide prevention programs and initiatives through an open tender process. 

Programs need to be locally focused and address the unique risk factors for suicide in each region. You are invited to attend an information briefing about TRISP tender funding on 15 November 2023 at 11am. 

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