It’s time to listen to the voices of Indigenous Australians.

Join Mental Health Australia and say Yes to a constitutionally enshrined Voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on 14 October.

We are collating collective statements of support for the Voice from our member organisations on our website, and encourage your organisation to join us.

Share your position of support for the Voice before 5 October to be involved. Email a link to your organisation's pledge to nikki.hogan@mhaustralia.org 

The diary next week

• On Tuesday I will be meeting with representatives from the NDIA to discuss the outcomes of the Disability Royal Commission. 
• I am also continuing my meetings with members, and will be joining the ACT Mental Health Consumer Network on Tuesday to hear their priorities. 
• On Wednesday I will be joining the Oceania Mental Health Advisory Committee's webinar on Mental Health Workforce in the Pacific Region: Horizons and Hurtles. For more details, and to register for this webinar, see the attached flyer. 
• On Thursday I am attending the next Mental Health Reform Advisory Committee meeting, supporting the government’s response to the Better Access evaluation and broader mental health reforms. 

Government releases Disability Royal Commission's Final Report

Mental Health Australia welcomes the Disability Royal Commission’s Final Report and the Albanese Government’s tabling of the Report in Parliament earlier today. This is a momentous milestone and culmination of persistent disability community advocacy over many years, and four and a half years of the Royal Commission’s work. Mental Health Australia now looks forward to the Australian Government’s response to the 222 recommendations. The Report makes very clear that transformational change is required to realise the rights of people with disability to live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. We are all responsible for creating a more inclusive Australia.

Open Letter to the Australian Public

Mental Health Australia has joined more than 125 health organisations in support of a constitutionally enshrined Voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 
 
We believe that the proposed Voice will enhance government decision-making about matters that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, ultimately improving health outcomes. 

Partner with us for World Mental Health Day - 10 October

Mental Health Month and World Mental Health Day on 10 October is just around the corner. To partner with Mental Health Australia for this year’s campaign, email communications@mhaustralia.org.

Through October we'll send tips, ideas, and key facts to help you improve your mental health, and promote good mental health awareness at work, at home and within your communities.

Mental Health Australia's "Look after your mental health, Australia" 2023 campaign website is live!

Never forget there is hope and help amidst suicide increase

Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has revealed 3,249 Australians died by suicide in 2022, compared to 3,166 in 2021 with Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Northern Territory impacted most. 

Newly released ABS data reinforces the importance of Australia’s suicide prevention sector

Lifeline Australia Chief Research Officer, Dr Anna Brooks, said this week's release of the ABS's latest cause of death data, which reveals there were 3,249 lives lost to suicide in 2022, outlines a tragedy that reinforces the critical role of families, workplaces and communities in reducing the number of deaths caused by intentional self-harm. See attached media release.

New suicide data reaffirms Beyond Blue’s call for urgent mental health system reform

The continuing impact of unacceptably high suicide rates across Australia demonstrates a need for urgent reform to the mental health system, Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman said. New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), released today, shows that 3,249 people in Australia died by suicide last year.

Over $5 million for research to improve physical health of people living with mental illness

Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Emma McBride, said three research teams will share in over $5.1 million in targeted funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to investigate ways to improve the physical health of people with mental illness. 

ACNC secrecy provisions reform - new and ongoing investigations

The Australian Government has released exposure draft legislation that amends the secrecy reforms in the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012 (ACNC Act) to allow the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) to make increased disclosures regarding new and ongoing investigations. The draft Bill amends the ACNC Act to allow for disclosures regarding ongoing ACNC investigations, subject to a safeguard of a public harm test.

Extending support for Melbourne Institute’s HILDA survey into Australian families

The Albanese Labor Government is providing $29.5 million to the Melbourne Institute to continue its research into Australian households. The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey is a longitudinal study collecting information about economic and personal wellbeing, work and education experiences and family life from over 17,000 Australians each year. HILDA is the only study of its kind in Australia.

Sunshine Coast home to new free mental health service

Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Emma McBride, said work will soon begin on a Head to Health centre to provide free mental health care and support for residents of the Sunshine Coast. The new service will complement a network of Head to Health services currently being established across Queensland. 

Australian Digital Health Capability Framework and Quality in Data and Connecting Care Guideline 

The Australian Digital Health Agency in collaboration with the Australasian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH) is releasing the Australian Digital Health Capability Framework and Quality in Data and Connecting Care Guideline for final consultation. 

The Australian Digital Health Capability Framework serves as a practical guide for both organisations and individuals, offering insights into the skills and knowledge necessary for health workforce to effectively deliver healthcare in an increasingly digital environment. Developed in consultation with key stakeholders, this framework aims to align with existing industry-specific frameworks, ensuring that all health and care workers are empowered with digital capabilities. 

Access the Framework here: Australian-Digital-Health-Capability-Framework_v1.0.pdf (digitalhealthworkforce.org.au) 
 
The Quality in Data and its importance in connecting Care Guideline is a resource aligned to the Australian Digital Health Capability Framework (ADHCF) that highlights the importance of data and the quality of data in health and care, and the increasingly significant role it plays in decision making and enabling and connecting care. This guideline is intended for those working in the health and care sectors. 

Access the Guideline here: Data-Quality-in-Connecting-Care-Guideline_V1.0-1.pdf (digitalhealthworkforce.org.au) 

Review and submit your feedback by 13 October 2023 to workforce@digitalhealth.org.au 

Insights Report: The role of Peer Navigators 

The latest report from the Mental Health Commission of NSW, Insights Report: The role of Peer Navigators has been published. 

This project examined the potential role of peer navigators, who draw upon their personal lived experience of mental health issues and connection to communities and familiarity with local services, to help individuals access the right care and supports.

Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding

On 23 August 2023 the Governor of New South Wales established a Special Commission of Inquiry to enquire into the funding of health services provided in NSW, and related matters (“the Inquiry”). The Inquiry has now launched a public invitation for submissions on its Terms of Reference. The Inquiry is calling for submissions no later than 5pm, Tuesday, 31 October 2023. Interested parties may email: contact.HFI@specialcommission.nsw.gov.au if you have any queries.

For submission details and the Terms of Reference see attached PDF.

It's time to transform the way we support children’s mental health and wellbeing.... Sign the petition now

Smiling Mind's Our Kids Count campaign is calling for a Minister For Children to ensure children are adequately represented to address the growing crisis in our kids' mental health and wellbeing, and encourage you to sign or share their petition if you haven't already. 

Updated 'Needing help after someone close to you has died?' factsheet available in 11 languages

The Tailored Programs Branch at Services Australia has updated the Needing help after someone close to you has died? factsheet.

This factsheet lets people know:

• how to notify Services Australia if someone close to them has died
• about payments they may be eligible for
• what to do after someone has died
• about available support.

This resource is available in 11 languages: Arabic, Assyrian, Chaldean, Chinese (Simplified), Dari, Greek, Macedonian, Persian (Farsi), Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese.

You can find this factsheet at servicesaustralia.gov.au/death-loved-one and then click on Translate in the black box on the right margin of the page.

Services Australia also distributed this information to its network of Multicultural Service Officers for sharing with their community contacts. Please share this information with your colleagues and community networks. If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know and we will pass them on to the team at Services Australia.

Body Kind Youth Survey – Youth Voices Can Make a Difference

Butterfly Foundation is inviting all young people aged 12 – 18 to have their voices heard about body image.  This is a chance to complete the first national survey on body image, the Body Kind Youth Survey, so Butterfly can better understand the body image experiences of young Australians, and get young peoples’ views on what needs to change to create a more Body Kind Australia.  

The online survey is voluntary, anonymous, has ethics approval, takes 15 minutes and requires parental consent for under 15’s.

Support Butterfly to help more young people to be kind to their body by encouraging all young people to take part; there’s even a chance to win one of 20 gift vouchers! 

The survey will remain open for approximately 10 weeks from 11 September 2023.

Have your say in the Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce Review (previously known as the Scope of Practice Review)

The Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce (Scope of Practice Review) is now under way. The review wants to hear from everyone with an interest in the scope of practice of Australia’s health professionals working in primary care.

The review was announced in the 2023-24 Federal Budget and forms part of the Australian Government’s response to the Strengthening Medicare Reform Taskforce.

The review is in its early stages and has recently opened the first round of consultations.

This call for submissions is an important part of the review’s first stage – Establishment, Discovery and Evidence Review (September to mid-November 2023). The perspectives of the widest possible range of people is essential to informing the next steps of the review and the shape of its recommendations.

You can find out more about the review at www.health.gov.au/scope-of-practice-review, including its terms of reference.

Take the 2023 National Workforce Survey for Child, Parent and Family Mental Health and help shape child mental health planning and policy

Emerging Minds is conducting the National Workforce Survey for Family, Parent and Child Mental Health again following the success of the inaugural survey in 2020-21. The survey will inform strategies and policy to meet the needs of health, social and community services workers across Australia, and support improved outcomes for infants, children and families. Complete the survey for your chance to win an iPad. The survey closes on Wednesday, 15th November 2023. 

Share your views on how to better embed value into mental healthcare funding and investment

The Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy (MUCHE) is developing a framework for embedding more value into Australia’s mental healthcare funding and investment environment. 

MUCHE seeks views from all stakeholders on this topic, including mental healthcare providers, consumer and informal carer groups, Primary Health Networks, Local Health Networks, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, mental healthcare peak bodies and academics.

Targeted Regional Initiatives for Suicide Prevention (TRISP)

TRISP is a new suicide prevention program being rolled out across regional NT. $1.26 million in funding will be provided for suicide prevention programs and initiatives through an open tender process. 

Programs need to be locally focused and address the unique risk factors for suicide in each region. You are invited to attend an information briefing about TRISP tender funding on 15 November 2023 at 11am. 

Free Webinar Invitation - Mental Health Workforce in the Pacific Region 

You are invited to join a WEBINAR - Mental Health Workforce in the Pacific Region: Horizons and Hurdles on Wednesday 4 October at 9am (AEST).

Mental Health Australia and other members of the Oceania Mental Health Advisory Committee Webinar Working Group look forward to seeing you at this informative and thoughtful webinar. 

See attached flyer for more information or click on the button to register.

Communicate your news, job vacancies, or upcoming events to more than 5,000 people in the mental health ecosystem weekly.

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 Thursday for your notice to appear in the newsletter.

If you are interested in being featured in our newsletter, please note that promotions in the Weekly CEO Update are one of many exclusive member benefits. Apply for a full or associate membership to take part in advocacy at the national level. For more information or to register your organisation, follow this link.