News from the CEO: 2021
CEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Wishing you all the best for the festive season
16 December 2021
What a big year it has been! Thank you to all of those who have sent such encouraging and positive feedback as we celebrate last week’s events – the Annual General Meeting and the 2021 Grace Groom Memorial Oration featuring the Hon Julia Gillard AC – both at the National Gallery of Australia; plus the Members Policy Forum at Old Parliament House – it’s also a good time to reflect on 2021.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Wrapping up a big week
10 December 2021
At our AGM and annual Grace Groom Memorial Oration on Wednesday this week, there were a hundred guests. All in the same room at the National Gallery. It was such a welcome, warming opportunity to catch up with friendly faces and meet some new ones.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Matt Berriman will bring youth, vision and lived experience to the role of Chair
3 December 2021
What a week it’s been, and next week will only get better for Mental Health Australia. For those who missed it, on Wednesday we announced that Mr Matt Berriman will take over from Ms Robyn Kruk AO as the new Chair of Mental Health Australia following the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 8 December in Canberra.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Celebrating International Day of People with Disability
26 November 2021
International Day of People with Disability is next week, on Friday 3 December. It’s an important day to celebrate the contributions and achievements of people with disability.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Equity of access to vaccines – lessons from COVID-19
19 November 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed pre-existing inequities in Australia’s health system. People living with mental illness have increased risks of hospitalisation and long-term effects from COVID-19, but vaccination rates for people with mental illness have lagged behind the general population.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: We’re here, we see you
12 November 2021
When I was a new mum, the most important person to me outside my little family was Judy. She was the local maternal and child health nurse. She was wise and experienced. She was busy. She saw lots of babies, toddlers and parents every day.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Select Committee’s final report further evidence to build system reform
5 November 2021
This week the next piece of the reform puzzle was made public. The Select Committee for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention released their final report. Mental Health Australia welcomes this final report and congratulates the Committee on finalising its recommendations.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: From one big month to another…
29 October 2021
It’s almost November, that time we tend to ask ourselves, “where did the year go?”
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Why climate action in Australia matters for mental health
22 October 2021
With the Glasgow Climate Change Conference set to begin next week, it’s great to see climate change action is high on the global, and national agenda.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Celebrating a Big Week
15 October 2021
National Carers Week is in the middle of Mental Health Month. This year’s theme for National Carers Week is ‘Millions of Reason to Care’, aiming to highlight the continuous work of more than 2.65 million carers around the country.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Guest Blog - Embarking on an era of Co-design, Co-production, advice, support and collaboration
8 October 2021
Ahead of World Mental Health Day on Sunday 10 October, we asked Keir Saltmarsh, Co-Chair of the National Mental Health Consumer Carer Forum, to write a guest blog from a lived experience perspective. Thank you to Keir and all the members of NMHCCF for their continued drive and passion to provide a national voice to create a system that is truly person-led.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Looking forward to Mental Health Month – and true systemic reform
1 October 2021
As today marks the start of Mental Health Month, with World Mental Health Day just around the corner on Sunday 10 October, our theme this year is to look forward, look up, and look out for each other - all with the aim to “Look after our mental health, Australia”.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Unacceptable
24 September 2021
Abusive action this week from understandably frustrated and angry people in the context of public health imposed restrictions triggers a new level of concern in our community.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Community mental health services – for every family in every community
17 September 2021
We are currently marking time in new ways – how many new cases today? When and how restrictions will be eased is linked to how many are vaccinated… single dose, double dose, jabs, masks and more.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: “You don’t need to be amazing to start, but you need to start to be amazing…”
10 September 2021
For those who watched the Paralympic Games from Tokyo over the last few weeks, you would have heard this quote a lot during the ads.
Read moreCEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Attitudes and impact
27 August 2021
Attitudes and impact. In the ‘90s and 2000’s I worked in child and adolescent mental health settings as an occupational therapist and family therapist.
Read moreWeekly CEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Spring and sunshine brings hope and a message of thanks
27 August 2021
As spring beckons here in Canberra and the daffodils start to do their thing – a symbol of new beginnings and rebirth – our challenge in the mental health ecosystem at the moment continues to grow, and we need to keep going.
Read moreWeekly CEO Update from Mental Health Australia: How will history help us deal with this latest humanitarian crisis?
20 August 2021
IMany of us will never forget the image of a lone protester standing in front of tanks outside of Tiananmen Square in Beijing on June 5 1989. It is a photo that is etched into our minds forever and sadly the devastating videos and images from Kabul airport this week have become just as iconic.
Read moreWeekly CEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Our Advice to Governments – we must continue to prioritise mental health reform
13 August 2021
In recent days we have written to the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and will be writing joint letters with state peaks to state and territory First Ministers outlining our Advice to Governments in relation to the impending National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement.
Read moreWeekly CEO Update from Mental Health Australia: The Mental Health Olympics - just what we needed!
30 July 2021
When Peter Bol finished a gallant fourth in the 800m final at the Olympics on Wednesday night I had goose bumps. When the TV coverage crossed to his 70 plus family members watching on from a crowded lounge room in Perth I had more.
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