THE Western Australian Association for Mental Health’s State Election campaign is in full swing. We have sent our election platform to all four major political parties and all have agreed to send representatives to our public election forum scheduled for 8 February.
WAAMH will maintain the momentum up until polling day, publicising a scorecard of party responses to the platform and providing advocacy materials to members and supporters to support their own campaigning efforts.
WAAMH is also collaborating with other community peak bodies in campaigning for social investment as an election priority under the theme, “What If It Was Me?" In the week immediately following the election forum, the campaign will focus on the question, “What if it was me or my family that was touched by mental health and/or alcohol and other drugs issues?” during which we will highlight the real experiences of people needing mental health services.
Please get involved in the state election campaign and encourage all parties to make substantial commitments to social investment and in particular to investment in mental health in the next four years.
I am delighted WAAMH was selected support a trial of the Individual Placement and Support model of youth employment through headspace centres around Australia, in collaboration with our national peak body Community Mental Health Australia.
We are also excited to be organising and presenting the WA Mental Health Awards for the first time, as part of the WA Mental Health Conference in July.
WAAMH will again be offering the opportunity to become members for the remainder of 2016/17 at a reduced price to those who have not renewed their membership of WAAMH or who have not yet applied for membership for the first time. Watch out for further news about this in coming days.
ADVOCACY & REPRESENTATION
State Election 2017
WE are holding a Public Election Forum on 8 February to hear key mental health representatives from the major political parties outline their commitment to mental health.
WAAMH will also raise its most critical concerns for mental health reform informed by our members and advocacy work in our full Election Policy Platform, and the forum will further provide an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions and raise their own concerns with the mental health system.
TO help you advocate for your own change leading into the State Election, WAAMH is hosting a free advocacy for action seminar on Saturday, 11 February to equip you with the right practical skills and tips for successful lobbying.
Have your own views on mental health heard though a live practice and mentoring session with WAAMH's two highly experienced and passionate advocacy staff.
This seminar is for people with lived experience as a consumer, carer or family member, and will be held in partnership with HelpingMinds, Consumers of Mental Health WA and Carers WA.
A FREE workshop introducing a range of specific skills and opportunities for live practice in mentoring for consumers, carers, and family members is being launched next month.
Learn to help others become advocates by sharing your knowledge, expertise and experience, with paid mentoring roles available, following the course.
Experienced consumer / carer advocates are invited to express interest in sharing their advocacy experience with others.
Individuals who complete the Mentoring Workshop will have the opportunity to be remunerated for their knowledge, skills, experience, and time as a small group mentor.
Mentors will conduct four mentoring sessions, over the course of a year, on a small group basis (3-5 people) with a payment of $195 paid for each meeting.
This program is restricted to people who are all of the following:
Consumers, family members or carers (i.e. people who have personal experience of living with a mental illness or their families or carers)
Experienced mental health advocates
You must have advocacy experience be either a professional advocate or have done advocacy as part of another role (e.g. as a peer worker)
Are available all day on Friday 24 February to attend the Mentoring Workshop, plus four x 3-hour workshops during the year, scheduled to suit you.
The workshop will give potential mentors the necessary information to be a good mentor and provide guidelines, tools and skills for the mentoring relationships.
Alcohol and drug use by people with a mental illness
A STUDY has found young people between the ages of 12 and 25 years are considered most at risk of the onset of mental illness, often coinciding with the time that they are first exposed to alcohol and other drugs.
Orygen examined integrating treatments for mental illness and alcohol use to broaden the reach of services for young people with co-occurring mental health issues and drug use, and advocates for earlier intervention for young people to access help.
Resources to support children's positive mental health in the digital age
WITH the overwhelming availability of online information sometimes clouding young people's safe user experiences, KidsMatter has compiled an extensive list of Australian and international resources for health and community professionals to support families and children with safe online use.
WAAMH is a signatory on national mental health peak body, Mental Health Australia's letter to the First Ministers regarding the Fifth National Mental Health Plan.
IPS WORKS preferred provider to support 14 Australian headspace sites
MENTAL health issues can be a real barrier to gaining and keeping employment.
Evidence shows meaningful employment provides us with sense of purpose, social inclusion, and financial independence. These can be vital factors for maintaining good mental health for people, especially youth.
WAAMH's service IPS WORKS has been contracted by the Department of Social Services to provide Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services to 14 headspace sites participating in a national IPS youth trial.
IPS WORKS - which has been supporting community organisations and services in implementing the IPS model for more than three years - is the provider of choice to support the headspace sites in implementing and providing IPS services, training, tools and templates, fidelity reviews and subsequent feedback and advice.
IPS is an evidence-based model of supported employment meeting the needs of people impacted by mental ill-health.
The IPS service model will be adopted by headspace with the support of IPS WORKS to link youth experiencing mental health issues with employers, educational opportunities and the workforce.
The participating headspace sites include: Darwin, Mt Isa, Inala, Meadowbrook, Gosford, Dubbo, Penrith, Shepparton, Bendigo, Hobart, Edinburgh North, Port Augusta, and Albany, with arrangements pending in Broome.
Early bird registrations have opened – don’t miss out!
Early bird registrations for the WA Mental Health Conference are now open – visit the conference webpage for information on prices and how to register.
Early bird registration close 17 March 2017.
Final registrations close 28 June 2017.
WA Mental Health Awards 2017
THE conference will incorporate the launch of the new WA Mental Health Awards, recognising innovation and excellence in mental health practice.
The nomination and selection process will occur in the first half of 2017, culminating in the Awards Ceremony and Gala Cocktail Dinner, on Thursday 13 July at the Conference venue.
WE will shortly be announcing exciting new opportunities to sponsor the WA Mental Health Awards 2017.
Existing sponsorship packages are selling fast but there are still opportunities available. Please see the Sponsorship Opportunities webpage for more information and to download a copy of the Sponsorship Prospectus.
Thanks to our major sponsors.
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
Youth Sponsor
Multicultural Mental Health Forum
ONE week before the WA Mental Health Conference, WAAMH will be hosting a Multicultural Forum at the Bendat Community Centre in Wembley on Friday 7 July 2017, featuring Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner Dr Tim Soutphommasane.
The concept of a pre-conference forum was developed to allow a more in-depth exploration of a specific topic, than is practical within normal conference programing restraints.
Almost half of all Australians were born in another country or have a parent who was born overseas, and culture can play a huge part in attitudes to mental health issues and willingness to seek help. Language barriers, social isolation and discrimination experiences can create further complexities.
Thanks to the support of Event Sponsor Richmond Wellbeing and Government Partner, the Office of Multicultural Interests, this forum will be an inclusive, half-day professional exchange, open to all conference delegates and wider community.
Towards Elimination of Restrictive Practices 11th National Forum
REGISTRATIONS for the Towards Elimination of Restrictive Practices 11th National Forum (formerly Seclusion & Restraint Reduction Forum) are now open.
The forum is in Perth for the first time in its 11-year history and will be held at The UWA Club on 4-5 May 2017.
The theme is ‘Working together, a culture of care’ and the forum aims to facilitate a national commitment to reducing the use of restrictive practices in mental health care.
For more information or to keep up to date with the latest news, please visit the WAAMH website or like the TERP11Forum on Facebook and Twitter.
Mental Health Rights & Recourse
THE Mental Health Rights & Recourse forum is being held on 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.
WAAMH has received feedback from its members, people with lived experience and others, on the need for education and information around consumer, carer, family member and service provider rights accessing mental health services.
In response to this, WAAMH has organised a forum to discuss and explore rights and recourses. This forum is intended to provide everyone with an opportunity to learn and contribute.
Forum includes:
Three Keynote Speakers
Panel Discussion
Networking Event
Show-casing leading industry professionals
Keynote Speakers:
Dr Nathan Gibson - Chief Psychiatrist, Office of the Chief Psychiatrist (WA)
Debora Colvin - Chief Mental Health Advocate, Mental Health Advocacy Service (WA)
Michael Hawkins - President, Mental Health tribunal (WA)
Price:
WAAMH Members: $25
Non-members: $35
The Mental Health Rights & Recourse is provided by WAAMH in partnership with the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist, Mental Health Advocacy Service and the Mental Health Tribunal.
CALENDAR courses in mental health training will begin again for another year from March onwards. Some of WAAMH's courses include Recording Consumer Information; Legal Issues for Mental Health Work; De-escalation Techniques; Understanding Personality Disorders; and Mental Health Communication.
There will be more regional workshops coming up again around mid-May based in Bunbury and Albany. These courses include Mental Health Communication, Co-existing Disorders and De-escalation Techniques.
Certificate IV in Mental Health
REGISTRATIONS for Certificate IV in Mental Health are still open, with several spots remaining. The course starts on February 12. Find out more here.
MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION
Be part of the Mental Health Week 2017 Steering Committee
WE are seeking enthusiastic people, with creative ideas, extensive networks, and dedication to join the Mental Health Week 2017 Steering Committee.
The Steering Committee is responsible for planning the theme, events and promotion of MHW.
Applicants must be able to commit to a one-hour meeting per month, and be hands on in helping with Mental Health Week in the second week of October.
Join a room full of talented, driven and committed individuals who help bring this annual mental health awareness campaign to life for the whole community.
If you like what you see and would like to be part of the action this year, please email HCromie@waamh.org.au so you can be the first to feast your eyes on the Mental Health Week sponsorship options or join the steering committee in 2017.
LGBTI Carer Support
MENTAL Illness Fellowship of WA (MIFWA) in collaboration with the Independent Living Centre, has launched the Well Ways Building a Future 12-session education program, designed to assist families, carers and friends that identity as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Intersex (LGBTI) and are an in a support role for someone with mental illness.
MIFWA is seeking expressions of interest from people in the LGBTI community who are in a caring or support role of someone with mental illness to participate in the program this year.
We wish to acknowledge the custodians of this land, the Wadjuk (Perth region) people of the Nyoongar nation and their Elders past, present and future.
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