MAY is shaping up to be one of the biggest month's of the year for mental health, with both the state and federal budgets likely to carry major implications for the sector.

WAAMH considers the 2014 state budget as a crunch budget for mental health, with the government needing to invest in the Ten Year Mental Health Service Plan to keep faith with those in the sector who enthusiastically contributed  to the consultations around the plan. WAAMH's press release on the state budget can be found here.

May is also a big month for many events, conferences, forums and seminars.

There is Schizophrenia Awareness Week, Meeting for Minds Forum, Rachel Perkins speaking at WAAMH's sector events, The University of Western Australia's free and fully booked mental illness and stigma seminar, a Mindful Employer Workshop and the largest annual psychiatry conference in Australia also hits Perth. And these are all just next week.

Our next Mental Health First Aid couse and Making Individual Placement and Support Happen forum both start May 15.

Further training courses are mapped out for the next two months, alongside some brilliant forums brought to you by our Sector Development team.

All of our courses and events, plus other mental health events in WA can be found at www.waamh.org.au/events

Rod Astbury
Executive Director
Western Australian Association for Mental Health
 

BOOKING deadline to feature in our State of Wellbeing - Mental Health in WA's Schools and Workplaces supplement closes at the end of the week.

Contact Eithne at The West Australian at eithne.healy@wanews.com.au to arrange your promotional spot in the lift-out.

Because WAAMH is partnering with The West on this lift-out, we are able to offer very affordable and reduced advertising options for community and not-for-profit organisations. If you have a message, program or service you want to publicise to a broader audience, don't miss out!

Prices start at $811. Booking deadline May 9.  Pricing list here.

WAAMH has a calendar full of training opportunities over the next few months.

Download Training Calendar Flyer to see our courses in May - June 2014.

Don't miss out on our FREE seminar on June 17 to learn about Certificate IV in Mental Health. More details.

Other courses WAAMH offers are:
Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health Responses
Behavoural Interventions
Understanding Recovery
Co-existing Disorders

 

PLACES are still available for our forum on May 26 - Is your Organisation ready for the NDIS funding model?

We invite you to join us for this unique international insight from Peter Gianfrancesco into personal budgets, psychosocial disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.  Peter will present perspectives on organisational readiness from his UK experience. 

Register to attend.

About Peter Gianfrancesco
Over the past 12 years Peter has been the CEO of Norwich Mind, one of the most innovative and well regarded CMO’s in the UK.  He has successfully led the organisation during the implementation of the personal budgets scheme and has developed considerable experience and expertise into what it takes to organisationally thrive in this context.

Josh Fear and Liz Ruck from the Mental Health Council of Australia will begin to flesh out the key challenges for mental health services, consumers and carers within the national context  and  WAAMH provide an update on what is happening locally.

Download Leadership Development Flyer for all sector events this month

Register for events or find out more.

#LeadbyExample

AFTER a successful NDIS and My Way: Mapping the Territory Sector event held in February, WAAMH promised to provide feedback to the sector from the World Café process held that day. 

As the title of the event suggested, the intent of the day was about mapping the territory of the NDIS and My Way trial sites by providing information to the sector from a range of perspectives and to consider the issues for services and people with a psychosocial disability in relation to the trial sites. 

This workshop also contributed to the intelligence gathering for WAAMH, Consumers of Mental Health WA (CoMHA), CarersWA and Mental Health Carers and Friends Association WA Inc. (Arafmi) in relation to the implementation of NDIS and My Way in the trial sites.  The report contains a summary of questions and answers which were framed as part of the World Café group question activity.

Download Sector Feedback Report.

LEARN all about implementing Individual Placement and Support in your Mental Health Service or Disability Employment Service.

WAAMH is bringing you two experts to educate and enlighten you about how this competitive employment model helps people diagnosed with a mental illness find meaningful employment and regain their sense of independence, confidence and purpose.

This free session, with food and refreshments included, is a must for anyone who'd like to be involved with implementing IPS.

Register now.

Download Flyer.
 

MAKING Individual Placement and Support Happen is a prime opportunity for a closed training session with Head of Social Inclusion and Recovery, and Senior Scientist for the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research Dr Geoffrey Waghorn.

He will explain how to build IPS capacity within your disability employment and mental health services, to improve employment outcomes for service users.

If you know of someone working within a Mental Health Service passionate about recovery or a Disability Employment Service who wants to improve their placement rate, then please refer them to this invaluable course.

Register and more details here.

Download Flyer.
 

THERE is still time to register your interest in attending a free information session next Tuesday, May 13, hosted by The Royal Commission into Child Sex Abuse in partnership with WAAMH.

The session will be an opportunity to discuss the scope and operation of the Royal Commission, learn more about the services and professional development opportunities, and address any concerns.

RSVP by May 9 to stakeholders@childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au

 

FITTING with the increasing role mental health awareness is playing in workplaces, it's appropriate that TheMHS conference 2014 has locked down Health Workforce Australia as its major sponsor for another year.

Registrations are now open for TheMHS Conference in August and the program will be released within weeks.

Keynote speakers Pat Bracken and Melody Riefer have also been announced.

www.themhs.org

WE provide annual grants of up to $300 for individuals and $450 for organisations to invest in quality of life projects or social activities.

Download a form and apply today. 

Applications close May 30, 2014.

These grants help as many applicants as possible to improve their quality of life each year, through enjoyable, relaxing and sociable activities which enhance their positive experiences.

Be creative - why not participate in something fun or try a new activity!

ARE you caring for a family member or friend and need time to take care of yourself?

Perth Home Care Services and Regional Home Care Services are providing grants for short breaks, life planning assistance, practical support and training and development opportunities for people caring for someone with a mental illness.

These are available to people in Perth and the Wheatbelt.

For more information, go to www.phcs.org.au

WAAMH is proud to be one of the sponsors to partner with the Positive Schools conference again this year.

Supporting the wellbeing and mental health in Australian primary and secondary schools and colleges, this year the conference is examining the relationships between mental health, creativity and technology, for building engagement, motivation, sustained wellbeing and flourishing school communities.

Look out for articles on mental health in schools featuring in our State of Wellbeing lift-out in The West Australian on May 23, ahead of the conference.

More details to come on WAAMH's School Poster Competition too.

Event details: May 29-30, The Rydges Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle

Download the program

Registrations open.

PEOPLE working in primary care are invited to complete the first annual survey about their awareness and use of online mental health resources.

The survey will inform the development and evaluation of promotional and training initiatives.

Views from a wide range of primary care allied health workers and nurses are needed,  including psychologists, social workers, practice nurses, mental health nurses, counsellors, occupational therapists, community health workers, peer support and other allied health workers.

Read more or participate in the eMHPrac survey.

This survey is being conducted by the Centre for Mental Health Research at the Australian National University and led by Professor Kathy Griffiths.

A CALL for submissions from the National Children's Commission, comes after staggering statistics show young Australians, including teenagers are more likely to die from suicide than car accidents.

Commissioner Megan Mitchell has requested submissions for her examination into intentional self-harm and suicidal behaviour.

“This examination will look into why children engage in intentional self-harm and suicidal behaviour, as well the barriers which prevent them from seeking help,” Mitchell said. "I urge interested individuals, government, private, and non-government organisations, to make submissions on the key issues."

Mitchell said intentional self-harm was the leading cause of death among Australian children and young people aged 15 to 24 in 2012 and in 2011 to 2012, there were 10,009 hospital incidents involving intentional self-harm among children and young people in the same age bracket.

The survey is part of a wider project examining a review of current research, targeted consultations and roundtables with experts, and hearing from children and young people.

To make a submission, go to https://www.humanrights.gov.au/intentional-self-harm-and-suicidal-behaviour-children

Submissions close Monday 2 June 2014.