mental health

This is an open letter to the Prime Minister, The Hon Tony Abbott MP , imploring the Australian Government to take urgent action to ensure continuity of services and programs for Australians who live with mental illness, and those who care for them. While the seventy signatories understand the Government will be formulating its response to the National Mental Health Commission’s Review of Mental Health Services and Programmes, the continued uncertainty is now resulting in staff attrition and service wind down. This issue has now reached crisis point.

“We will reap what we sow,” Frank Quinlan, CEO of Mental Health Australia, said today at the launch of the 2015 Intergenerational Report at Parliament House in...

There is currently no conference funding to report.

Perspectives Newsletter - December 2014. What are the experiences of Australians who have attempted suicide? Much of the research into suicide and suicide prevention has focused on expert opinion, quantitative studies, or data from other countries. There is a gap in the literature regarding the exploration of the stories of Australians who attempt suicide and how such lived experience can inform improvements to our suicide prevention efforts.

Perspectives Newsletter - December 2014. Many organisations have a growing awareness of the important role that inclusive practice plays in the efficacy of their mental health and suicide prevention initiatives. There is widespread enthusiasm for developing services that can respond deliberately to a diversity of bodies, genders, sexualities, and relationships. In this context, understanding the specific needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex ( LGBTI ) people becomes critical to positive health outcomes.

Perspectives Newsletter - December 2014. Greater understanding of the facts about mental health and eating disorders leads not only to a more aware and accepting community, but also improves prevention, early identification and help-seeking. However research indicates that there are generally low levels of mental health literacy in the community in relation to eating disorders. A new video has been released that highlights key facts about eating disorders, dispels misconceptions and encourages help seeking.

Perspectives Newsletter - December 2014. NSW has embarked on what Premier, Mike Baird, has called a once-in-a-generation series of mental health system reforms aimed to reduce the state’s over-reliance on crisis care in hospitals and to strengthen community-based support for people who experience mental illness.

Perspectives Newsletter - December 2014. David Meldrum from the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia discusses the NDIS roll-out and how experience, hope and optimism, may have led us astray, with people affected by serious mental illness and their families the potential losers.

NDIS and mental health: the story so far (presentations and videos)

More than a year into the National Disability Insurance Scheme ( NDIS ) trial, this opening statement conveys the views of Mental Health Australia in relation to the implementation of the NDIS .