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THE Western Australian Association for Mental Health (WAAMH) congratulates Mark McGowan’s Labor Party on its election to government in Western Australia on the weekend. WAAMH has a productive relationship with Mr McGowan and his shadow ministers and we look forward to continuing this relationship over the next four years.
We are especially pleased with Labor's commitment to reform the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Accused) Act in its first year in office, to retain a Mental Health Minister and the Mental Health Commission, and to focus the efforts of the Commission on delivering on the Ten Year Mental Health Alcohol & Other Drugs Plan.
However, we are not seeing in Labor’s mental health election platform the shift in investment toward prevention and community services signalled in the plan, despite the evidence that this is a more effective use of scarce resources. We will focus our efforts on achieving this shift during the current term when the half way point of the plan will be reached.
WAAMH acknowledges the substantial progress made in mental health reform by the Barnett Liberal government in the past eight years. WA was the first jurisdiction in Australia to establish a Mental Health Commission and the introduction of the Mental Health Act and completion of the Ten Year Plan are achievements the outgoing government has a right to be proud of.
Rod Astbury
Chief Executive Officer
Western Australian Association for Mental Health
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ADVOCACY & REPRESENTATION
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National Inquiry – NDIS services for people with psycho-social disability.
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WAAMH contributed a WA perspective to Community Mental Health Australia’s submission to the Joint Standing Committee Inquiry - the provision of services under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for people with psycho-social disabilities related to a mental health condition.
WAAMH’s contribution focused on the WA NDIS bilateral agreement. The CMHA submission included the following concerns:
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Impact of the NDIS pricing structure on qualified mental health staffing
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The impact of consumers who will not be eligible for the NDIS and who currently access federally funded mental health programs which will be transferred into the NDIS
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Cost shifting between state and federal governments
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The lack of transparency in the bilateral agreements which provide no information on funding contributions for both the NDIS and state mental health services.
An attachment to CMHA’s submission shows that Mental Health Minister Andrea Mitchell was, at 30 January 2017, unable to say what state mental health funding would be committed to the NDIS.
The Inquiry has received more than 100 submissions, - the high volume indicates the importance of NDIS access for people with psycho-social disability. It will report by 22 June 2017.
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LGBTI Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Strategy
THE National LGBTI Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Strategy is a plan for strategic action to prevent mental ill-health and suicide, and promote good mental health and wellbeing for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people and communities across Australia.
This strategy includes recommendations across the breadth of approaches in Australian mental health work including promotion, prevention, intervention, treatment and maintenance.
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Celebrating 50 years of Mental Health Week
IN 2017, Mental Health Week will celebrate 50 years of promoting mental health awareness and helping reduce stigma in WA. WAAMH is very proud of this achievement and to commemorate, we are launching a new logo for use this year.
To stay up to date with Mental Health Week news, please subscribe for updates, visit our website, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.
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SECTOR DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING
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Mental Health Award nominations are open!
THE WA Mental Health Awards will celebrate individuals, organisations and groups that have made an outstanding contribution to mental health in WA. Information about the Awards, including all categories and how to make a nomination, is available at waamh.org.au/awards
Nominations close Friday, 12 May 2017.
To help you write a winning nomination, WAAMH is offering FREE Nomination Writing Workshops in Fremantle on 30 March and Perth on 18 April.
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WA Mental Health Conference and Awards 2017
EARLY bird registrations close this Friday.
Have you booked your place at the WA Mental Health Conference and Awards 2017?
Places are filling fast and this week is your last chance to secure your spot at the heavily discounted early bird prices, including scholarships for students and people with lived experience.
Early bird registrations close 17 March 2017. Final registrations close 28 June.
Click here for more information and to register.
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Thanks to new Gold Sponsor
WAAMH's conference team is delighted to welcome the latest Gold Sponsor of the WA Mental Health Conference and Awards,
Hope Community Services.
While most of our sponsorship packages have now sold out, there are a few remaining opportunities, including opportunities to sponsor a WA Mental Health Award. Click here for more information about sponsorship.
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Mental health training courses
Understanding Personality Disorders - 29 March 2017
THIS practical and accessible workshop is designed to help mental health workers, and others who may have contact with people experiencing these illnesses.
Mental Health Communication - 10 April 2017 - PERTH
WHETHER you are a specialist service provider in the Mental Health Sector or someone dealing with the general public, a strong suite of communication skills for engaging with people experiencing mental health difficulties is essential.
Positive Psychology Tools - 12 April 2017
POSITIVE Psychology is the scientific study of human flourishing, and offers a suite of practical tools to help everyone live an optimal life.
Mental Health First Aid - 19 & 20 April 2017
THIS two-day interactive course is designed to equip you with the skills and resources to recognise and respond appropriately to someone experiencing a mental health crisis, until professional help arrives.
Co-Design Training - 16 & 17 March 2017
HELD across two days, this course will assist participants to understand and implement co-design. Looking beyond surface change, co-design identifies some of the partnership and collaborative practices that have the potential to transform the way in which mental health services are delivered.
The training will be facilitated by professional trainer and family leader in the mental health area, Margaret Doherty. A series of training days will run from March to June 2017, so register to secure your spot now.
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Hepatitis C treatments: be a part of the hepatitis C solution
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HEPATITIS C can be eliminated in Australia, and the mental health sector, allied health, and social services can all make an important contribution to this goal.
New hepatitis C treatments are here, and they are providing an effective, tolerable, and accessible cure for people living with hepatitis C.
Australia is leading the world regarding hepatitis C treatments accessibility by making them available through community-based GPs with no restrictions on potential patients, however the uptake rate in WA is comparatively low to other states.
Well informed mental health staff, along with allied health and social services can be instrumental in raising their clients' awareness about the new hepatitis C treatments, and ultimately making Australia hepatitis C-free.
To find out more about how your organisation can help, please contact Matthew at Hepatitis WA to book your free, in-house Workforce Development educational workshop on 9227 9802 or wdo@hepatitiswa.com.au
Elimination is the goal. Treat it beat it!
Find out more at: www.hepatitiswa.com.au
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Lived experience subsidised TERP registrations now available!
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PEOPLE who have a lived experience of engaging with mental health services harbour valuable information about improvements that can be made to services.
Don’t miss the opportunity to have your voice heard, share your insight and stand up for the rights of consumers, carers and family members across Australia!
The Towards Elimination of Restrictive Practices 11the National Forum will be held in Perth on the 4 - 5 of May 2017. Spaces are limited, so register your interest in attending the forum. There are subsidised registrations available for people with lived experience as a consumer, carer or family member.
For more information or to keep up to date with the latest news, please visit the TERP page on the WAAMH website, and follow the forum on Facebook and Twitter.
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Consumer and Carer Hubs in Mental Health to be established at WA PHNs
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AS part of the national project, Consumer and Carer Co-Design Initiative - which enables consumers and carers to co-design and co-produce community-based mental health services with Primary Health Networks (PHNs), service providers and practitioners - Civil Society of Australia is establishing Consumer and Carer Hubs in Mental Health across each of the 31 PHNs around Australia.
You can join the pool (or hub) in your region by filling in this form.
In WA, there will be three hubs based across regional WA, and North Metro and South Metro in Perth. A map locator for every Australian hub is available at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/phn-locator
Each membership hub will comprise of consumers who join directly, or who join through affiliation of their organisation, and will be responsible for four main functions:
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Contribute to design and development of consumer-centred care on a regional basis
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Purchase services and assemble them in individualised formats
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Conduct consumer-led evaluation
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Initiate innovation
Hub operators
The management of each Consumer and Carer Hub will be undertaken by a licensed Hub Operator, which may be a consumer association, community organisation, health services organisation or network, or management company.
Organisations are invited to express an interest in acting as a Hub Operator by using this form.
Consumer groups and organisations that wish to affiliate with a Regional Hub should express their interest by using this form.
Find out more about the project here.
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Registrations open for Rights & Recourse forum
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THE Mental Health Rights & Recourse forum is being held 2 June 2017. The forum will explore the rights of consumers, carers and service providers across the mental health landscape and the recourse from lead agencies.
Keynote Speakers:
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Dr Nathan Gibson - Chief Psychiatrist, Office of the Chief Psychiatrist (WA)
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Debora Colvin - Chief Mental Health Advocate, Mental Health Advocacy Service (WA)
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Michael Hawkins - President, Mental Health tribunal (WA)
Price:
Members: $25
Non-Members: $35
Click here for more information and to register.
The Mental Health Rights & Recourse is provided by the WA Association for Mental Health in partnership with the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist, Mental Health Advocacy Service, the Mental Health Tribunal, Consumers of Mental Health WA, HelpingMinds, MHM2 and Health Consumers Council.
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