Mental Health Australia acknowledges Australia's First Peoples, and in particular to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we conduct much of our work. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

A new era of unity and advocacy

Today we are launching our next 5-year strategy, which marks a pivotal moment in Mental Health Australia’s journey.  

Our organisation has a rich history of advocating for mental health reform. While significant progress has been made, there is still much work to be done to bring about the necessary policy, system, and cultural changes that will fundamentally improve the mental health of our country. 

To achieve this, we are committed to building on the strong foundations of the sector and leading a unified approach to mental health reform.  

Over the next five years, Mental Health Australia's overarching vision remains steadfast – to create mentally healthy people and mentally healthy communities.  

To achieve this, the first goal in our new strategy is: Driving better mental health policies and systems. 

Mental Health Australia aims to set the agenda for national policy reform; develop and advocate for practical policy solutions; and push for system reforms that both improve mental health and enable the sector to thrive. 

Our second goal is: Uniting and strengthening the mental health sector. 

Our efforts will focus on developing a shared agenda for change, in which the sector takes a lead role in achieving better mental health outcomes; building the capacity and capability of the sector, particularly to thrive in the changing reform environment; and facilitating opportunities for our members to collaborate, share information, and gain insights. 

People with lived and living experience of mental ill-health, family, carers and supporters, along with our members, are still at the centre of everything we do.  
 
Driven by our organisational values of curiosity, courage and connection, we will continue to bring together diverse perspectives across Mental Health Australia’s members, the community and governments to create greater change and more innovative solutions than what any of us could do working alone.  

To read our strategy visit our website. If you would like to join the 140-plus organisations that are members of Mental Health Australia, to support the delivery of our new strategy, learn more here.  

Carolyn Nikoloski

CEO, Mental Health Australia 

The diary next week

• On Thursday, I am attending a meeting of the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance and have a meeting with Mental Health Australia member, Australian BPD Foundation.
• On Friday I am meeting with the the Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care, and am meeting with staff from the office of the Hon Emma McBride MP, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.
• On Monday I am meeting with the Department of Health and Aged Care and the Commonwealth Government's Chief Psychiatrist.
• On Tuesday Mental Health Australia is co-hosting a webinar with Suicide Prevention Australia with our special guest, Commissioner Peggy Brown, Royal Commission for Defence and Veteran Suicide - you can register to attend at the link below.

Event Essentials: 

Time/date: 2pm – 3pm (AEST), Tuesday 13 August
Where: Online via Zoom (Register here) or click the button below

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has published a book to honour the contribution of people with lived experience of military suicide to the landmark inquiry.

The book features deeply personal stories of our serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members, and their loved ones, with lived experience of suicide and suicidal behaviour in a military context.

In this presentation, Commissioner Peggy Brown will take us through some of the topics canvassed in the book and explore the significant challenges confronting past and present Defence personnel on a daily basis.

If you have any questions, please reach out to events@mhaustralia.org

You are invited to join Mental Health First Aid International (MHFAI) and Mental Health Australia’s live broadcast event to discuss national mental health reform, drawing on global insights to drive meaningful change. 

Date: Thursday 22 August 
Time: 12:00PM – 1:30PM (AEST) 
Location: Online
Register: Click the button below to register

This online broadcast will feature a keynote presentation from international guest Chuck Ingoglia as he shares his experiences driving reform as President and CEO of the US’s peak mental health body National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Chuck will provide insights and lessons learned from the organisation’s work in developing 500 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics across 48 states nationwide. 

Following the keynote presentation, a panel discussion will explore the parallels between this model and our national Medicare Mental Health Centre and Victorian Local Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre programs. This is an opportunity to understand how lessons from the US can be applied locally and explore potential solutions to advance our mental health reform efforts.  

The panel, facilitated by Carolyn Nikoloski, CEO of Mental Health Australia, will include:

• Tramaine EL-Amin, President, Mental Health First Aid USA, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
• Tom Dalton, CEO, Neami National 
• Ingrid Ozols AM, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Consultant
• Dr Rahul Khanna, Program Director (Clinical), Transforming Trauma Victoria

Please register to secure your spot as places are limited.

If you have any questions, please reach out to communications@mhfa.com.au.

Open Tender Opportunity - Embrace Multicultural Mental Health

Mental Health Australia is seeking a partner to deliver a report on the State of Mental Health for Multicultural Australia.

In May 2023, the Commonwealth Government announced a funding allocation through Mental Health Australia and the Embrace Multicultural Mental Health Project (Embrace Project) for the delivery of a report on the State of Mental Health for Multicultural Australia. The current state of mental health in multicultural Australia is relatively unknown. Due to the absence of contemporary academic literature and formal reports on the topic, it is largely reliant upon anecdotal reports. The report on the State of Mental Health in Multicultural Australia will help to address this gap. The report will align with the Australian Government’s commitment to improving mental health supports for priority population groups, including multicultural communities and improving access and equity for people seeking mental health services. 

This is an open tender process; all submissions must be received no later than 5:00pm (AEST) on 26 August 2024.

For more information of this opportunity and tender documentation, please click on the button below. For any queries, please email multicultural@mhaustralia.org before 22 August 2024, 12:00pm AEST.

New expert advisory group to support Labor protect our health from climate change

Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney, says the Albanese Labor Government has established an expert advisory group to provide advice on reducing the impacts of climate change on the nation's health. The Climate and Health Expert Advisory Group will also support implementation of Australia's first National Health and Climate Strategy, launched at COP28 in Dubai last December by Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney.

Another report, another grim picture

Following today’s release of the updated Closing the Gap Data Dashboard and Annual Data Compilation Report, Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia is calling for governments to do more under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.  

The update shows that at 29.9 per 100,000 people, the suicide age-standardised rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is higher than the previous two years and the 2018 baseline figure (25.1 per 100,000 people). 

Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission Advisory Board appointments

Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, and Treasury, Andrew Leigh, says he is pleased to announce that the Government has appointed a new Deputy Chair and a new member to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) Advisory Board. The Advisory Board supports the ACNC Commissioner by providing sector-specific advice relating to charities. Ms Sara Harrup has been appointed as the part-time Deputy Chair (and member) in recognition of the contributions she has made as a member since 1 August 2023.

Australian Health Review: Equitable access to healthcare - the evidence for moving forward

'Most Australians will face a mental health issue during their lifetime, and we need a health system and workforce that is able to deal with the intricacies and specific needs of individuals seeking mental health care,' says Dr Sonj Hall, Editor in Chief of the Australian Health Review, AHHA's peer-reviewed journal.

NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce

The Taskforce’s final advice was published on 2 August 2024, and is available online. The Taskforce was established to provide advice on the design and implementation of the new graduated risk-proportionate regulatory model proposed in Recommendation 17 of the NDIS Review in consultation with the disability community.

Improving clarity on NDIS supports

A clear definition of NDIS Supports which outlines what will and won’t be funded through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will provide greater clarity for people with disability and strengthen the Scheme, NDIS Minister the Hon. Bill Shorten said. On Sunday 4 August Minister Shorten announced public consultation on draft lists of what constitute NDIS Supports. 

New Lancet report reinforces importance of brain health no matter your age

Research from the 2024 update of the Lancet Commission on the prevention, treatment and care of dementia this week reports that almost half of dementia cases worldwide could be prevented or delayed, as experts named 14 risk modifiable factors. Dementia Australia Executive Director Services, Advocacy and Research Dr Kaele Stokes said it is vital there is increased awareness about these risk factors through preventative public health promotion and further investment in research.

Response to youth mental health crisis needs to start with respect

Australians for Mental Health is calling for the struggles of young Australians to be treated with more respect as yet another report reveals a growing mental health crisis. Released on 1 August by Monash University, the 2024 Australian Youth Barometer: Understanding Young People in Australia Today found that more than one in five young Australians rated their mental health as poor or very poor and a staggering 98% reported having at least one feeling of anxiety or pessimism in the past 12 months.

Pharmacists to help address loneliness epidemic with world-first training and education

Marking Loneliness Awareness Week (5-11 August 2024), the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is proud to partner with Pharmacy Addressing Loneliness and Social-isolation (PALS) to deliver world-first training for pharmacists to identify and address loneliness as a social and health priority. 

AIHW: Characteristics of ex-serving ADF members hospitalised for suicidality & self-harm

This is the first report using a newly established data set on the health service use of ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members. It examines the characteristics of hospitalised ex-serving members to better understand their hospital care needs, particularly for conditions associated with suicidal behaviour, including mental health-related care and intentional self-harm.

Australians urged to see their GP for help stopping antidepressants after guidelines endorsed

The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) says people who want to stop taking antidepressants should see their GP for support after endorsing the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines for use in Australia.

Responses to Disability Royal Commission 

On Wednesday 31 July, the Albanese Labor Government released its initial response to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. The Disability Royal Commission was Australia's largest inquiry into the experiences of people with disability. 

Government response to the Disability Royal Commission

State and Territory Governments released responses to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. 

ACT Government Response

Tasmanian Government Response

Queensland Government Response

Western Australian Government Response

NSW Government Response

NT Government Statement - Caretaker

SA Government Response

Victorian Government Response

Joint Statement_Disability Ministers

Joint Position Statement Youth Mental Health and social media

A Joint Position Statement developed by Australian mental health focused organisations working with young people has been released. Social media can have a negative impact on mental health, however the current narrative blaming social media for the youth mental health crisis is overly simplistic and fails to address other important factors associated with poor mental health in young people.

Forum to shine a spotlight on men’s mental health (NSW)

NSW Minister for Mental Health, Rose Jackson says the Minns Labor Government is continuing work to support the wellbeing of the people of New South Wales, and destigmatise conversations about mental health, particularly for men, with the inaugural Men's Mental Health Forum being held Monday 5 August. 

Delivering a new Mental Health Precinct in Launceston (TAS)

Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Guy Barnett, says the Tasmanian Government is getting on with the job of building a better health system and growing our frontline health services.

Cops missing out on crucial psychological reviews amid SAPOL’s resourcing crisis (SA)

SAPOL officers who work in the most dangerous and traumatic fields across the force are missing out on crucial annual psychological reviews because there is no centralised system to record and track mental health assessments, it can be revealed.

See attached media release.

Consultation open on draft lists of NDIS Supports

The Department of Social Services has opened a public consultation on draft lists of what is and is not a NDIS Support. This is related to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024 that is currently before Parliament. If passed, this Bill enables the provision of transitional rules about what is and is not a NDIS support, until the Commonwealth and States and Territories formally agree on a new rule to replace it. The Department of Social Services says the intention is to “provide greater certainty and empower participants to make better, more informed decisions about the right supports for them”.

The consultation is open until 18 August 2024 and you can find out more on the DSS engage website: https://engage.dss.gov.au/consultation-on-draft-lists-of-ndis-supports/

Mental Health Australia will be making a submission, for more information contact policy@mhaustralia.org

Advocacy Brief: Sexual Safety of Consumers in Mental Health Inpatient Units

The National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum’s (NMHCCF) Advocacy Working Group has published its Advocacy Brief on the Sexual Safety of Consumers in Mental Health Inpatient Units, which you can view here: Sexual Safety of Consumers in Mental Health Inpatient Units (nmhccf.org.au).

Significant consultation with members of the NMHCCF was done to produce this work, including an online consultation on July 10 as well as the circulation of a survey. The Advocacy Working Group would like to thank all those who were involved in this project and provided input. It would also like to thank the NMHCCF Secretariat and the following esteemed members of the Advocacy Working Group:

• Rosalyn Havard (Carer Co-Chair and NMHCCF NT Carer Representative),
• Lyn English (Consumer Co-Chair and NMHCCF SA Consumer Representative),
• Monica Hastings (NMHCCF TAS Consumer Representative), and
• Eileen McDonald (NMHCCF NSW Carer Representative).

The NMHCCF would greatly appreciate if you could circulate the Advocacy Brief to your networks. Questions or comments can be emailed to ebenezer.swan@mhaustralia.org

Digital mental health system navigation project

The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care has commissioned a project to develop digital options that support help seekers to connect with appropriate care. The project is being delivered by SANE who have assembled a consortium to design a lived-experience and sector led approach. This approach aims to develop sector-supported options that consider the diverse needs and perspectives of help seekers and their support networks accessing services and providers across Australia. A short briefing note is attached to provide some additional detail about the project.

The project is currently in its early stages and is looking to gain broad input from people and organisations who have a role in delivering mental health services or supporting help seekers to navigate the project.

Town hall objectives

1. Provide an overview of the Digital Navigation project and opportunities for stakeholder engagement
2. Consider how well the Mental Health system is supporting help seekers to find and connect with mental health care in Australia
3. Discuss where and how national solutions would have the greatest impact in supporting help seekers
4. Discuss the role and value of digital solutions in supporting help seekers to navigate the mental health system and access care.

Who should attend:  The Town Hall is intended for senior stakeholders from across the sector, including service providers, peaks, government representatives, academics, and lived experience groups.

When and where is the town hall: 

• Virtual: Monday 12 August 1-4pm – We will not have capped numbers for the virtual town hall.

For further information please reach out to digitalnav@sane.org out if there is anything you wish to discuss in relation to this project or the event outlined above.

Closing soon: 2024 ANU-ALIVE National Lived-Experience Priorities Study

A reminder that the 2024 ANU-ALIVE National Lived-Experience Priorities Study is closing soon, but there’s still time to contribute! 

The ALIVE National Centre HUB Team is eager to hear from young people (aged 16-25) living with mental ill-health, as well as their carers, family, and kinship groups. There are four ways to contribute: an online survey, photo interview, crowd sourcing and emotion mapping. Click the button below to participate.

The ethical aspects of this project have been approved by the ANU Human Research Ethics Committee (protocol H/2024/0495).

First Steps to Eating Disorder Support - training for non-clinical workers

This training is aimed to support workers in non-clinical roles who are not providing medical, clinical or therapeutic eating disorder treatment. After completing this training, we think you will: have a better understanding of eating disorders, have gained the knowledge and skills to support clients with an eating disorder through early identification and appropriate referrals, have the appropriate language to assist clients & be able to break down eating disorder stigma in the community.

The training is free, can be delivered in person or online, and goes for 1 hour - 1.5 hours (with lived experience guests speaker). 

Peer Support and Capacity-Building Grant Round Open

The NDIA has announced the opening of the Peer Support and Capacity Building Grant Round. Applications close at 12PM (AEST) on 9 August 2024. 

This grant round is aimed at organisations who deliver established peer support and capacity-building programs. Community-based, disability-led organisations are eligible to apply.

Organisations interested in this opportunity can apply at GrantConnect. At that link you will also find information about the grants and how to apply, including a Frequently Asked Questions document.

This Grant Round was announced by Minister Shorten on 28 June 2024. It will deliver up to $40 million over two years, with a possible one year extension. The Grants are intended to ensure supports continue while foundational supports and the navigator function – recommended by the NDIS Review – are developed.

FACTORS – Factors Affecting Community Treatment Orders Research Study

Australia has one of the highest rates of forced community treatment for diagnosed mental illness in the world but there is considerable variation across the country and between mental health services.

We are seeking people to participate in an online survey that will investigate the experiences and perceptions of people who have been placed on a community treatment order (CTOs) for their mental health. There is also a separate survey for Family/Carers.

This project is supported by La Trobe University, Flinders University, University of Melbourne, University of Sydney and Lived Experience Australia.

If you would like to participate in this study, please use the links below appropriate to your circumstance.

• Individuals identifying as someone who has been placed under a CTO
• For those who are Families/Friends/Supporters of someone who has been placed under a CTO
  

If you have any questions about this project please get in touch with Professor Sharon Lawn at Flinders via email at sharon.lawn@flinders.edu.au.

If you know someone who may be able to assist us with this study, we would very much appreciate if you could forward this email to them.

This project has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of Flinders University (HREC 6854).

Participate in research: Social inclusion + psychosis

Orygen is researching how people living with psychosis experience social inclusion and social cognition. They are inviting people aged 25 to 65 who are living with a psychotic illness to share their experience.

Participation will require completing some questionnaires, taking part in an interview and completing some cognitive tasks. Participants will be reimbursed for their time.

If you wish to discuss the project further, please contact Annabel on 0437 051 846 on annabel.burnside@orygen.org.au

Ethics number: HREC/16/MH/325

Learn The Fundamentals of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies - 6 week online course

Discover how psychedelic medicine is reshaping mental health treatment. Learn the science, clinical applications, and protocols to stay at the forefront of this emerging field.

The team at Mind Medicine Australia are excited to announce they are partnering with Drug Science to update their online course, the Fundamentals of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies.

The course runs over 6 weeks, from October 6 to November 10. It will be delivered live on Sundays (European mornings/Australian evenings), by a faculty made up of leaders in the psychedelic field from Australia, Europe and the Americas, with recordings available in case you cannot attend the live sessions. You will receive lifetime access to the recordings.

In addition to the basics of psychedelic-assisted therapies, you’ll learn about the history, science, foundations of safe and responsible practice and regulations surrounding access in Australia and overseas.

R U OK? encourages year-round conversations: Ask R U OK? Any Day

A lot can happen in a year, a month, a week. Whether it’s your friend, family member, colleague, partner, or teammate, the people you care about go through life’s ups and downs every day.

That’s why R U OK? is calling on everyone to Ask R U OK? Any Day because life happens every day. New research has found 90% of people who are regularly asked R U OK? feel more supported, connected and cared about. By checking in regularly with the people close to you, you can help prevent small things from becoming big things.

R U OK?Day is Thursday 12 September but you can Ask R U OK? Any Day.

Visit ruok.org.au for free tips and tools to build the R U OK? message across your year.

#RUOKAnyDay #RUOK

Participate in ReMind research

Led by Professor Kaarin Anstey at UNSW, ReMind is an app-based longitudinal study investigating cognitive and mental health resilience over the life course. They are looking to recruit 1600 adult participants (aged 18-95 years) across Australia (iPhone users) to participate for the next year.

They are currently focusing on recruiting individuals with a lived experience of psychotic illness. The study involves participants completing online surveys, an interview about their mental health, and some cognitive tasks. Participants are reimbursed for their time.

It has been approved by the UNSW Human Research Ethics Committee (approval number: HC220723).

2024 Rural Mental Health Conference

Cairns, Qld 6th – 8th November, mark the dates in your calendar now for this year’s Rural Mental Health Conference.

This event is the place to be if you work in mental or allied health within rural and remote communities or with companies that support better mental health outcomes for rural communities.

Register now for the 10th International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health

Take advantage of early bird pricing today and save up to 25% on your In-Person Full registration!

Spanning three days, the Conference main program will be offered over eleven concurrent streams each day.

The diverse range of topics covered in each stream will explore the intersection between social workers and Health and Mental Health care.

Blending keynote and featured speakers, plenary and concurrent sessions and workshops, the Conference program will bring forward new concepts, discuss existing practices and give attendees the most up to date subject knowledge available.

Share your news, job vacancies, or upcoming events to more than 5,000 people in the mental health sector each week.

Mental Health Australia members are invited to send us news, announcements, job vacancies, events or other notices for inclusion in the Weekly CEO Update newsletter. To do so, simply fill out this form by COB each Monday for your notice to appear in the newsletter.