mental health

Perspectives Newsletter - September 2015. We hear a lot about what we can do to prevent physical illnesses, but most of us rarely think about the sorts of things we can do to protect and promote mental wellbeing. The Act-Belong-Commit campaign is a world first mental health promotion program developed by Curtin University in Western Australia. The campaign is unique in that it targets the whole population and is focussed on mental health, rather than mental illness.

Perspectives Newsletter - September 2015. Australia’s first royal commission into family violence will wrap up public hearings after four weeks of evidence from victims, advocates and support services. We’ve learnt that the impacts of early experiences of family violence and child abuse are often both significant and long-term. However, until recently, society has continued to ignore and stigmatise the daily challenges often experienced by the five million Australian adults living with the effects of childhood trauma and abuse.

Perspectives Newsletter - September 2015. Most people now know that mental health problems are common and disabling. It is no different in the workplace, where the annual costs to the economy are often cited in be in the billions. Unfortunately, there may not be many people in a workplace who would know how to offer help to a co-worker who is developing depression, troublesome anxiety or a substance use disorder. Fortunately there are more programs becoming available to train employees in how to offer help a co-worker.

Perspectives Newsletter - September 2015. When a mental health crisis occurs, often the first people on the scene are the police. However, in reality, the need for trained mental health professionals as first responders is also key. In this article, Kym Ryan, CEO of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses discusses a new plan by NSW Police to ensure mental health nurses are part of any first response to reported mental health related crises.

Perspectives Newsletter - September 2015. Mental Health Australia CEO Frank Quinlan recently joined a delegation of leaders from the mental health sector to attend the Garma Festival in the Northern Territory. In this article Frank shares his experiences and photos from this important Indigenous cultural event.

Perspectives Newsletter - September 2015. Mental health reform in Australia is currently impacted by many government processes. Much of the work currently conducted is being done with an eye on the future state of our mental health system. However, consideration needs to be given to the arrangements needed to ensure services continue while the new system is being created. Mental Health Australia CEO Frank Quinlan looks at the need for transition planning.

Perspectives Newsletter - May/June 2015. It’s been a busy month in the political space in relation to mental health. Over the last month we’ve had the release of the National Mental Health Commission’s Review into Programmes and Services, as well as the 2015 Federal Budget. While the Budget had very little to say about mental health, the release of the Review spells out the issues and also possible solutions for change, and provides a clear pathway to reform.

Mental Health Australia has undertaken a short analysis of the National Mental Health Commission’s Review following the release of the Commission’s Final Report. A more detailed analysis will be released in the near future.

Today, Mental Health Australia has renewed its call for a long-term program of systemic reform, starting with the release of the National Mental Health Commission’s Review of Mental Health Programmes and Services, and the addition of mental health as an agenda item for COAG . “… We need a ten-year commitment from all governments to fund and implement a careful reform process for all Australians. Reform that involves listening to those who know the system best,” Mental Health Australia CEO Frank Quinlan said today.

Mental Health Australia has welcomed today’s news that Commonwealth supported community mental health organisations will be funded for another twelve months, worth almost $300 million. “This is fantastic news for Australians with mental illness and the people who care for them, and will also give some welcome reassurance to workers as they head off for their Easter break,” Mental Health Australia CEO Frank Quinlan said. “We will examine the announcement in detail and make further comment on its implications for people who experience mental illness and those who care for them.”