consumers and carers

In any given year, almost two and a half million people care for a person with mental illness in Australia. Too often, when dealing with organisations...

“Recovery-oriented practice and service delivery recognises the unique role of personal and family relationships in promoting wellbeing, providing care, and...

Over recent years there has been significant investment and effort made by governments to improve outcomes for people with mental illness, their families and...

Ostara Australia is a national not-for-profit that provides specialist recruitment services to employers and finds sustainable employment for job seekers disadvantaged by mental illness or other disabilities. This article looks at how Ostara has worked with young restaurateur Ami Tran in Sunbury, Victoria, creating opportunities for workers with mental illness.

Mental health problems and financial difficulties can often go hand-in-hand, yet mental health professionals are not necessarily trained in how to assist their clients with financial difficulties. To aid this, Mental Health First Aid Australia has developed guidelines for mental health professionals to support clients with financial difficulties.

There are so many opportunities to get involved in suicide prevention in this country, ranging from running a community event, to learning how to tell your story in a public forum, influencing local government to take action or to seeking employment in the sector itself. Yet it’s important that those who have been touched by suicide are ready both emotionally and mentally to lend their support. In this article, Tracy McCown shares guidance developed by Suicide Prevention Australia for their national Lived Experience Network.

As part of the NDIS Capacity Building Project, Mental Health Australia has compiled a range of information regarding the NDIS , which mental health consumers, carers, service providers and policy officers may find useful. You can find what you’re looking for by the categories below .

The Integrating Mental Health into the NDIS Conference was held by Informa Australia from 27-28 November 2014 in Sydney. Topics covered included scheme design, emerging lessons from the launch sites, the changing landscape for service providers, integrating the NDIS with other service systems and maximising choice and control. Presenters included Frank Quinlan, CEO of Mental Health Australia and Josh Fear, Director Policy and Projects, Mental Health Australia, David Butt, CEO and Commissioner of the National Mental Health Commission, Eddie Bartnik, NDIA Strategic Advisor NDIA , Nick Hartland, Group Manager, NDIS Department of Social Services, David Meldrum Executive Director of the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia and a range of other key stakeholders including consumers and carers. Video footage and slideshow presentations for many of the sessions can be accessed here.

Mental Health Australia today welcomed the first meeting of the Expert Reference Group ( ERG ) advising the Commonwealth Government on its response to the National Mental Health Commission’s recent Review of Mental Health Programmes and Services. “Today’s ERG meeting is another important step towards the reform that is so urgently required. There have been many reviews; now we need action,” Mental Health Australia CEO Frank Quinlan said.