world mental health day

Open letter to Mark Scott, Managing Director of the ABC from Jennifer Westacott, Chair of Mental Health Australia regarding the Mental As campaign during Mental Health Week.

On the eve of World Mental Health Day 2014, Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs AO , CSC , RAN gave the key note address at our annual Grace Groom Memorial Lecture. Held at the National Press Club, the Vice Admiral outlined many of the issues facing a modern defence force that is looking to respond to the issue of mental health and wellbeing amongst service men and women.

This week read about the events of National Mental Health Week, the launch of our Seven Point Plan for Action on Mental Health, and the activity that took place on World Mental Health Day.

Today is World Mental Health Day, providing an opportunity for us to focus as a nation on an issue that affects us all. “With one in five Australians experiencing a mental illness in the next 12 months, mental health is an issue we all must take seriously,” Mental Health Australia CEO Frank Quinlan said.

Mental Health Australia is calling on the Australian Government to lead a decade-long, systemic reform program for mental health, following the outcome of the National Mental Health Commission’s Review into Mental Health Services and Programmes. The call comes as the peak body released a seven point plan to reform Australia’s mental health system.

To mark World Mental Health Day, sector peak Mental Health Australia is running their ‘Mental Health Begins with Me!’ campaign, encouraging people to take personal ownership of their own mental health and wellbeing.

Our policy team have been working hard this week following the Senate Estimates Hearings to find out more details surrounding some of the recent budget announcements. We also send our congratulations to Michael Burge and Alan Rosen who both received awards in this year’s Australia Day honours.

MHCA Chair, Jennifer Westacott, delivers the Grace Groom Memorial Oration for 2013 at the National Press Club as part of Mental Health Week.

A number of high profile Australians are getting behind World Mental Health Day this year, with celebrities, business people, politicians, sporting stars and organisations making a personal mental health promise.