carers

In this submission the MHCA argues that the burden of disease and cost to the economy from both mental illness and co-occuring physical health conditions cannot be ignored and recommends that the National Preventative Health Agency identify the prevention of mental illness as an issue of growing importance and include it as a research priority.

The MHCA strongly supports initiatives to further the interests of Australia’s most vulnerable people. There are few groups more marginalised than people with mental illness who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The Draft Homelessness Bill is an attempt to develop legislative mechanisms for addressing these needs, but without commitment at all levels and jurisdictions of government, little will change. It will therefore be disappointing if the commitment of the Australian Government is not reflected in the Homelessness Bill 2012.

The MHCA applauds the Safety and Quality Partnership Subcommittee’s recognition of the role of recovery as critical to better mental health services and encourages an organisational learning approach and the establishment of a national strategy.

In this submission the MHCA congratulates the Mental Health Standing Committee for its recognition of the role of recovery as critical to the implementation of better mental health services, and makes a series of suggestions context of our desire to drive lasting change in the delivery of recovery based services to mental health consumers and carers. These suggestions centre around ensuring a focus on people with lived experience and maximising the impact of the Framework through a range of educational and sector development mechanisms.

In this submission the MHCA reiterates the outcomes of its consultations with consumer and carer representatives, which the Council does not believe were reflected in the subsequent Draft Roadmap. In particular, the MHCA found that the Draft Roadmap does not make reference to any specific goals, targets, funding commitments or specific measurements that would indicate what the Australian mental health system will look in 10 years time, and how it will make progress from where it is now.

In this Issue: The Road Ahead?; Mental Health in Immigration Detention Centres; Report Highlights Level of Stigma from Health Professionals; Why Don’t We Talk about Suicide?; A Foray into Social Media: Bumpy Beginnings; Centrelink, Human Services and DEEWR – an Update on Employment Participation and Mental Health; MHCA News and Updates; Our Consumer Place

Medicines play an important part in the maintenance and treatment of mental illness and the MHCA has a keen interest in the governance structures which oversee the conduct of the Australian innovative pharmaceutical sector. In this submission the MHCA promotes consumer and carer engagement as effective strategies to include in the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct.

In this Issue: World Mental Health Day; World Mental Health Day Promotions; Media Coverage; Mark Butler & World Mental Health Day; Mental Health Council of Australia; World Mental Health Day; Senator Penny Wright – World Mental Health Day can Increase Awareness and Resilience; Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells – World Mental Health Day; Mary Woolridge – Minister Woolridge Launches Mental Health Week; Anna Bligh – Premier Urges Queenslanders to Change their Minds About Mental Illness; Isobel Redman – Let’s Talk about Mental Health; Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia – World Mental Health Day; AGPN – Mental Health Investment in Primary Health Care Reaps Benefits; Kon Vatskalis – Action Urged on Key Issue; Official Launch – World Mental Health Day Forum, 7 October 2011; New MHCA Logo; Privacy, Confidentiality and Information Sharing – Consumers, Carers and Clinicians

This submission highlights the specific challenges faced by people with experience of mental illness in applying for, or making claims against insurance policies, in particular those where they relate to the private health insurance sector.

This submission highlights the specific challenges faced by people with experience of mental illness in applying for, or making claims against insurance policies, in particular those where they relate to the private health insurance sector.