As we reflected on the past year with the Annual General Meeting held last Friday, we were also pleased to welcome three new Directors to the Board of the Western Australian Association for Mental Health.

We welcome Richard Oades (CEO, Pathways Southwest), Debbie Childs (CEO, Helping Minds) and Lorna MacGregor (CEO, Lifeline), and acknowledge those who have stepped down this year - Debra Zanella (Ruah Community Services) and Victor Crevatin (Director, St Patricks Community Support Centre) – and thank them for their stewardship of our organisation. We also recognised the exceptional contribution of David Kernohan, who was awarded Honorary Membership by the Board - only the fifth person in our 51-year history to be recognised in this way.

I’m happy to report that recruitment of a new Chief Executive Officer for WAAMH is underway and on track to be completed by Christmas, with a new incumbent in the role by early 2018.

I also urge you to make full use of your WAAMH membership by providing your valuable input to shape the future of community mental health in WA at the Member Forum on Primary Health Reform taking place on 5 December and by providing feedback on our draft Pre-Budget Submission to the WA Government by 27 November – see below for details.

The WAAMH Annual Report was released at the WAAMH Annual General Meeting last Friday, detailing an increase in membership, important work to support the reform of the Criminal Law (Mentally Impaired Accused) Act and a significant rise in the number of mental health professionals and consumers trained in the past year, up 48 per cent to an amazing 3100 people!

Despite only one in five people currently being able to access the community mental health support they need, the State Government cut $5.8m of community services in the recent State Budget.

WAAMH’s draft Pre-Budget Submission sets out what needs to change and we are currently seeking your input. The submission makes recommendations to:

• Shift the focus to consumers and families
• Strengthen and grow the community workforce
• Fix our disjointed system
• Spend all funds raised from a Graylands land sale on mental health reform.

We want to ensure we represent the interests of all WAAMH members, so have your say by emailing cmckinney@waamh.org.au or phoning Chelsea McKinney on 6246 3003 by 5pm, Monday 27th November. 

Our next exclusive member forum will provide detailed information about Primary Health Reform and the activities and initiatives of the Primary Health Networks (PHNs) from national, state and lived experience perspectives, with a focus on building psychosocial supports and regional experiences. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of representatives during an interactive panel discussion. Our presenters include:

• Amanda Bresnan, Executive Director of Community Mental Health Australia and PHN Mental Health Advisory Panel member
• Learne Durrington (Chief Executive Officer), WAPHA
• Linda Richardson (General Manager, Place-Based Commissioning & Engagement), WAPHA
• Centrecare Kalgoorlie
• Representatives with lived experience

Date: Tuesday, 5 December 2017
Time: 9:30am-1pm (registrations from 9am, morning tea provided)
Cost: Unwaged Individual Members Free | Waged Individual Members $10 | Organisational Members $40.
Venue: Bendat Community Centre, 36 Dodd St Wembley or via videoconference for rural and regional members
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER NOW.

WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA), the peak planning and commissioning body for primary health care services in WA, intends to commission the provision of Early Psychosis Youth Services within the Perth South Primary Health Network.

The new service will provide supports which will assist the young person and their family in the community. This may include linking young people to educational and vocational programs and other group based and individual psycho therapeutic services, inclusive of alcohol and other drug treatment services.

A briefing session for potential service providers will be held on Monday 20 November from 2.30-4pm in Tactic Room 5, Aloft Perth, 27 Rowe Avenue, The Springs, Rivervale. Registrations are essential. Register here.

The RFP will close on 7 December 2017. For further information, including details of how to submit a Request for Proposal, visit WAPHA’s etendering portal. 

A new headspace centre for Mandurah is one step closer, with the tender process to run an early intervention mental health service for 12 to 25 year olds now open. WA Primary Health Alliance is seeking applications from potential service providers to run the service from July 2018. The tender period closes at 4pm on Wednesday 29 November 2017 with the successful service provider to be announced in early 2018. For more information, potential service providers should visit the etendering portal.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE NOW
WAAMH is delighted to present the 2018 Wellbeing Calendar, a collection of 15 outstanding entries from the Embrace Nature Photography Exhibition held at the WA Mental Health Conference and Awards 2017 earlier this year. Entries were invited from the public and over 130 stunning entries celebrating the convergence between nature, creativity and wellbeing were received from all over WA.
WAAMH congratulates all the photographers who participated in this exhibition and thanks the exhibition sponsors Richmond Wellbeing and Southern Cross Care (WA) for their support of the project.

There's still time to participate in the National Mental Health Commission's online consultation on the development of a monitoring and reporting framework. The framework will bring a national perspective to mental health and suicide prevention and consider national reforms through the lens of consumers and carers, and their experiences. The consultation period ends on 17 November.

Looking forward to seeing the many WAAMH members who have registered for the WA Tenancy Conference from 27-29 November. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors - Ruah Community Services, Foundation Housing and North Metropolitan Health Service, Mental Health.

Home Truths – an evening with Michael Leunig
Join beloved cartoonist and quirky social commentator Michael Leunig for a night of heart-lifting entertainment and reflection, raising urgently needed funds for mental health and affordable housing services. Table tickets have sold out, but there is still a limited number of theatre-style seats available ($35/$28) along with $10 seats in our "Big Screen" Room... but be quick! Gather your friends and book now for this one-night-only event. 

WAAMH has identified the need for a toolkit to strengthen WA’s commitment in moving towards a model for collaboration. ‘The Design Station, A guide to collaborative design processes’, helps strengthen the development and delivery of community services.

Due to overwhelming demand, WAAMH will be running another 12-week Recovery Stories training workshop. This project is a great opportunity for participants with a lived experience to:

• Build confidence and have fun
• Develop communication and public speaking skills
• Refine your own personal stories to suit audiences
• Learn advanced storytelling and audience engagement skills
• Discover ways to use your personal experiences to help others
  CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION 

WAAMH member organisation the Aboriginal Males Healing Centre Strong Spirit Strong Families Strong Culture Inc (AMHC) is conducting this conference in Newman from 29-30 November.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

BOOK HERE FOR WAAMH TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS

23 Nov 2017
Introduction to Governance & Board Participation
This engaging and practical course is an essential introduction for any new or prospective board members, along with staff members wanting to better understand the governance role.

29 Nov 2017
Managing Depression and Anxiety - ALBANY
Anxiety and depression are serious but manageable conditions which effect one in two Australians over their lifetime. This accessible and revealing workshop explores the causes, types and symptoms of depression and provides evidence based information about the types of treatments available and where to get help. 

30 Nov 2017
Perinatal Mental Health
Mental wellbeing through conception, pregnancy and early parenting. This insightful workshop explores the factors which influence mental wellbeing in the perinatal period and what helps new families. A key focus of the training is the interdependence of parent wellbeing and infant mental health and how the attachment relationship can be protected when a parent is unwell.

5 Dec 2017
Understanding Psychosis
This practical and accessible workshop is designed to help mental health workers, and others who may have contact with people experiencing psychosis.

6 Dec 2017
Mental Health Communication
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.

19-20 Dec 2017
Mental Health First Aid - ALBANY
The 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.

WAAMH member organisation Behaviour Zen is running one-day events in January on managing behaviours. See more information and booking links below:

• Supporting Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder 
   
• Developing emotional regulation skills of individuals with anxious, oppositional and aggressive behaviours 
   
• Assessing-preventing-managing challenging behaviours
   
• Teaching students affected by trauma 
   
• Developing self regulation skills in the early childhood (0-6 year olds)