Weekly CEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Healing Country and mental health reform
9 July 2021
This year’s NAIDOC theme to Heal Country is a reminder of the impressive 65,000+ year history and heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia and the resilience of our culture and custom.
Culture is a source of strength and pride, and the foundation for good mental health, and social and emotional wellbeing. However, the culture and values of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples still need to be respected and valued across Australia.
Healing Country is not just an idea, it requires deliberate action. It is about changing the political and administrative landscape to empower and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ culture and knowledge in the everyday policies that shape our lives.
What is good for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is good for everyone.
In this time of extensive national mental health reform, Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia is leading the following national policy areas.
- Renewing the 2013 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy for 2021-31 which is due to be released in September 2021;
- Developing an implementation plan for the Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples leadership, inclusion and accountability across all levels of the mental health system, which all Australian Governments have previously committed to in the Fifth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan (2017); and,
- (To be confirmed) Renewing and developing an implementation plan for the National Strategic Framework on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 2017 – 2023.
Implementing the system-wide reform proposed in these the above would align with the targets and outcomes of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and begin to address all the critical long-standing disparities listed in the Indigenous Health Performance Framework, which lists alarming rates of suicide and psychological distress.
Despite Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander Peoples being 3.3% of the Australian Population, we are severely overrepresented in terms of need. Achieving equity and ensuring system and community capacity over the long term to meet this need is required.
In addition, the National Federation Reform Council agreed to collaborate on systemic, whole-of-government reform to deliver a comprehensive, coordinated, consumer-focussed and compassionate mental health and suicide prevention system to benefit all Australians. This will be achieved through a new National Agreement on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention to be negotiated through the Health National Cabinet Reform Committee by the end of November 2021.
It is vital that the mental health, social and emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples remain a priority across all developments and are aligned with the three major policy directions we are leading, and the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
Alignment, equity, capacity, and longevity are needed to improve good mental health, and social and emotional wellbeing, and reduce suicides. We invite you to join us in advocating for a sustained commitment across all health and human services sectors in Australia.
Tom Brideson
CEO, Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia
Vale John McGrath AM
It is with great sadness that we learnt John McGrath AM passed away during the week at the age of 81 following a long illness. John was a political leader who used those skills to help improve the lives of people with mental illness and their carers. He was a former Chair of the Mental Health Council Australia, the forerunner to Mental Health Australia, and also chaired its Consumer and Carer Committee. He was, amongst many other appointments, one of the founding Board Directors and Deputy Chair of Beyond Blue and Chair of the Mental Health Professionals Network. But these roles are only a small reflection of his work in the mental health sector, as his impact and the lasting legacy he leaves is better measured by the strength of the relationships he nurtured, his empathy for others and his commitment to advocating for change on behalf of others less able to do so. We extend our sincerest condolences to his family and friends.
Lived Experience Title Change
The Secretariat for the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum and the National Register of Mental Health Consumer and Carer Representatives is making an important, and well-considered, change in title descriptors.
This is a move to support and recognise the power of language, as well as ensure we are at the forefront in the shift towards contemporary and inclusive language for those with an experience of mental ill-health.
We understand that the terms ‘consumer’ and ‘carer’ are considered by many to be outdated and narrow, based in the medical model and not representative of the spectrum of experiences.
As such, we are starting to address this change in language by changing our job titles from using the words ‘consumer and carer’ to using ‘lived experience’:
- Lead, Lived Experience Programs
- Manager, Lived Experience Programs
- Lived Experience Programs Officer
Mental Health Australia Job Vacancies - Embrace Project
The Embrace Multicultural Mental Health Project is looking for two new staff to conitnue its work in providing a national focus on mental health and suicide prevention for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. You can follow the links below for more information on the two roles.
Embrace Project Manager – Delivery, Policy & Governance
The closing date for applications is 19 July.
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In-language resources on the current Public Health Orders in NSW NSW Health has produced resources and social media tiles explaining the current NSW stay-at-home order and advice for religious services and places of worship in 52 languages. These resources are available here. Other resources (by topic) for NSW are also available.
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