HAPPY New Year to all our members and subscribers!

2014 is shaping up as another year of momentous change for the sector, with the expected passing of the new Mental Health Bill, the launch of two NDIS trial sites in WA, the outcome of the 10 year mental health services planning process expected in the first half of the year, progress of the amalgamation of DAO and the Mental Health Commission and a major change agenda from the Federal government.

WAAMH will be holding a forum in collaboration with CoMHWA, Arafmi and Carers WA on the integration of mental health into NDIS and My Way next month and there are many other workshops and forums in the first quarter of the year.

Next month, we welcome submissions for the second round of the Capacity Building Grants we are administering on behalf of the Mental Health Commission.

WAAMH, in collaboration with WANADA, will also be launching the joint Mental Health/AOD services directory on 12th February.

Keep an eye on our website events page for what's happening.

We are always open to submissions and pictures, so if you have some news that could benefit the mental health sector, please let us know.

We hope you enjoy the January edition of eNews.

Rod Astbury
Executive Director
Western Australian Association for Mental Health

YOU are invited to the official launch of Joint Mental Health Alcohol & Other Drugs Service Directory.

Date: 12th February
Time: 9am - 10:30am
Cost: Free
Location: The Rise, 28 Eight Avenue, Maylands

The Western Australian Network of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies (WANADA) and the Western Australian Association for Mental Health (WAAMH) have worked together to develop a Joint Directory of AOD & Community Managed Mental Health Services.

This is the first directory in WA which contains both mental health and AOD services. A link to the invitation is here.

THE Mental Health Services Conference (TheMHS) has relaunched its website. Go to www.themhs.org

Call for Papers NOW OPEN for TheMHS 2014 in Perth.

We want sessions that enable conference participants to leave with a strong sense of insight, ways of providing leadership, and have practical ideas for their ‘tool kits’. We want interactive presentations that will show us how to:

•  Work across sectors and stakeholders
• Share the care
• Share the ideas

• Share the research

• Provide and make informed choices

• Be equal partners

• Make change happen
• Do it differently

We acknowledge the seriousness of the topics and issues but we want the event to be enjoyable and for people to have fun together celebrating our strengths but also acknowledging our grief.

2014 is the 100th anniversary of the start of World War 1 and the 75th anniversary of the start of World War 2, and we wish to extend a special invitation to those connected with the Defence forces – both current and veterans groups – to submit abstracts.

WAAMH is offering grants to assist community-managed mental health organisations build their capacity to deliver person-centred, outcomes-focused service and supports.

In light of this, we are hosting a free information session and workshop for organisations wishing to learn more about how to apply.

The session will:

• Outline the application process.
• Explore the concept of capacity building with an outcomes focus.
• Work through the development of a program logic model. The program logic model is central to the application process, so organisations wishing to apply for a round 2 grant are encouraged to attend.

Please RSVP by Wednesday 29 January 2014 by emailing svelarde@waamh.org.au Refreshments will be served so please include any dietary requirements in your email.

Location: WAAMH Head Office, The Conference Room, City West Lotteries House, 2 Delhi Street, West Perth
Parking: There is no onsite parking for visitors at City West Lotteries House, however there is paid street parking and car parks in the vicinity.
Cost: free

The flyer for this event is available for download here.

WAAMH in association with CoMHWA, Arafmi, Carers WA and the Mental Health Commission will host a sector event focussing on the integration of mental health into NDIS and My Way.

MINING giant BHP Billiton has thrown its support behind one of our members.

BHP has allocated funds to Carers WA Arafmi to support its education and stigma reduction program, Changing Minds.

The funding will help bring the Changing Minds program to high school students in Port Hedland and dispel myths about mental health in the North West of WA, Arafmi said.

LGBTI Health has three workshops coming up, designed specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex [LGBTI] people:

February 13: Rainbow Blues
February 14: The Suicide Closet
March 31: Equal not same: Towards LGBTI Inclusive Practice

For more details, please see the WAAMH events page.

CHILDREN of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI) is seeking volunteers to participate in an evaluation of two booklets developed as part of its Let's Talk resources.

If you are a parent with a mental illness and would like to provide feedback, please read the flyer and email vlcoo1@student.monash.edu

Payments will be provided and more information is available  on the COPMI National website of http://www.copmi.net.au/booklets 

AS outcome measurement and what it means for community-managed mental Health organisations (CMMHO) comes into focus in the next 12 months, there are three pieces of work completed or nearly completed to ensure CMMHO’s have up to date resources at their fingertips:

• Outcome Measurement of Community Based Mental Health Services in Western Australia: Literature and Concept Summary

This paper was commissioned by WAAMH, prepared by Inclusion Matters and developed as a resource to support development of the outcome measurement process for CMMHO.

• National CMO Outcome Measurement Project Final Report

This is an authoritative document for outcome measurement in the CMO sector.  Of the many ways organisations demonstrate their service provision quality, few methods are as recognised and effective as the use of well-designed outcome measurement tools.

To address the desire for guidance on what outcome measures exist and may be suitable for use in the sector, the Commonwealth Department of Health commissioned the Australian Mental Health Outcomes and Classification Network and the alliance of CMO peak bodies Community Mental Health Australia to investigate CMO outcome measurement, and the product is this report.

• A Guide to Developing Outcome Measurement for Community Managed Mental Health Services

Available to CMMHO in April 2014, this is a collaboration between WAAMH, CoMHWA, MHM2 and the Mental Health Commission.

The guide will provide a toolkit of resources to enable planning and implementation in outcomes measurement. It builds on earlier concept development and literature review documents developed by WAAMH to include a revised mapping and analysis of sector drivers, issues in outcomes measurement, types of outcomes measure and example tools and measure.
 

NOMINATIONS are open to people working, or active, in the community and mental health sector to apply for a $20,000 research grant from SANE Australia.

The Hocking Fellowship grant aims to promote better mental health of Australians through advancing public understanding of mental illness.

The research should reflect this and highlight areas to improve treatment and support, or how those affected, including family and friends can be empowered to help themselves.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: stigma reduction, e-mental health, workplace mental health, mindfulness, and child sexual abuse and mental illness.

More information can be found at http://www.sane.org/hocking-award and enquiries can be sent to hocking.fellowship@sane.org

Submissions close February 28.

THE National Mental Health Commission is seeking nominations from people of all backgrounds with lived experience of mental health issues as a consumer or carer, to mentor and develop the next generation of national mental health leaders.

Follow the link for more details: www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/our-work/seeking-national-mental-health-leaders.aspx

Further, the NMHC is seeking support for its National Seclusion and Restraint Project by signing the Seclusion and Restraint Declaration.

This includes: “I believe that seclusion and restraint of people with mental health problems is a human rights issue. I believe that the use of seclusion and restraint is not therapeutic. I believe that the use of seclusion and restraint is distressing to everyone involved. I know that there are alternatives to seclusion and restraint. I believe that staff including nurses, doctors, peer workers, allied health workers, police, ambulance officers, community sector workers, wardens and others must receive adequate support, resourcing and training that support these alternatives. I believe we need consistent, national data.”

For information go to:
http://www.socialequity.unimelb.edu.au/seclusion-and-restraint/.

Declaration, go to:
http://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/our-work/national-seclusion-and-restraint-project/the-seclusion-and-restraint-declaration.aspx

LADIES are invited to join the Womenshealthworks choirs for a day workshop. Bring a friend or make a new one!

Date: Saturday 8 February 2014
Time: 9am – 4pm
Venue: Salvation Army building 20 Jenolan Way, Merriwa
Cost: $5 (BYO lunch, beverages provided)

RSVP: Julie@womenshealthworks.org.au

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