General

Perspectives Newsletter - March/April 2015. These days, there are many more people working in the mental health space. We have seen a growth of psychologists doing work that was once the bastion of mental health nurses, while social workers and occupational therapists run therapeutic groups. We have community mental health teams made up of mental health nurses and allied health professionals, which once would have been all mental health nurses. With all this, are mental health nurses still necessary?

Perspectives Newsletter - March/April 2015. There was a strong sense of unity a month ago when representatives from across the mental health sector met with parliamentarians en masse for a day of advocacy surrounding mental health. Rather than speaking solely about local issues, representatives presented a cohesive message, united as one voice, calling for change in the way we approach the mental health system. The delegates included leaders from mental health organisations, as well as consumer and carers. They presented three key messages to forty-seven Members and Senators from across the political spectrum, asking for clarity on the direction of mental health in Australia.

The Independent Hospital Pricing Authority ( IHPA ) has commenced the development of a new classification system for mental health services - Australian Mental Health Care Classification ( AMHCC ). Mental Health Australia is assisting IHPA to engage the community mental health sector in the development of the classification.

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.