THE WAAMH Board has agreed on a strategy for the 2017 state election campaign which aims to seek commitments from the major parties and candidates on priority issues, and to engage members and the general public. We will be actively consulting with our members about the priority issues in the lead up to the election. 

Thank you to all new and current members who have promptly renewed their membership for 2016/2017. Your membership of WA's mental health peak body in this election year has never been more important.

WAAMH is thrilled to announce Vice-Captain of the Perth Wildcats, Greg Hire, as the 2016 Mental Health Week Ambassador. Greg will feature at the week's Opening Ceremony Perth Wildcats game and at events throughout the week. See below for more information on the Mental Health Week program of events that will increase community awareness about mental health.

We are also delighted to announce that The WA Mental Health Conference will be held again in 2017 with the dates and venue announced below.

Rod Astbury
Chief Executive Officer
WA Association for Mental Health

WAAMH are pleased to announce Vice-Captain of the Perth Wildcats, Greg Hire, as the 2016 Mental Health Week Ambassador. Hire will play in the Mental Health Week Opening Ceremony Perth Wildcats game on Saturday 8 October, promoting physical activity and belonging to a team as positive measures to protect our mental health, to a crowd of 14,000 people including unwaged mental health consumers and carers. 

Hire will also feature at events throughout the state-wide awareness week.

Events for Mental Health Week 2016 include:

• 8/10/16 Opening Ceremony: Perth Wildcats Game
• 9/10/16 Elizabeth Quay All-ages Family Fun Day
• 10/10/16 World Mental Health Day Murray Street Mall Awareness stall
• (runs during whole week) Jamie's Ministry of Food Course
• 10/10/16 &12/10/16 Workplace Wellness sessions
• 11/10/16 Nyoongar People’s Experience of Mental Health Event
• 11/10/16 Parenting Forum hosted by Dr Helen Street.
• 13/10/16 A Suicide Prevention Day including a Sector Leader Forum and Touched by Suicide Creative Art Workshop
• 14/10/16 Arts Celebration Night
• 15/10/16 Closing Ceremony: Comedy Night at State Theatre Centre

Grants will be available for community organisations to run their own events. More details on this will be available soon on the Mental Health Week website here. 

WAAMH President Alison Xamon, who is also on the Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention which advises the State Government, has long lobbied for the establishment of specialised services for children who have been bereaved by suicide. With the support of the Mental Health Commission, this has finally resulted in the creation of the Children & Young People Responsive Suicide Support service (CYPRESS) being led by Suicide Bereavement Service Arbor, and is Australia's first long-term service for Children Bereaved by Suicide.

CYPRESS will begin operating in Perth next month and offer children bereaved by the suicide of a parent or significant person counselling, psycho-education and group sessions with other children similarly affected. To read the recent article on CYPRESS, click here.

Alison will also play a key role in the Mental Health Week Suicide Prevention Day on 13 October 2016, as a part of the suicide prevention, ‘Together We Can Save Lives’ focus for the week. The day will feature an industry-leader forum for the mental health sector and a 'Touched by Suicide' Art Workshop for members of the public to produce artwork in memory of a family member or loved one.

"I hope that bringing attention to the urgent matter of suicide prevention during Mental Health Week will help the community better understand the issue and further help inform recommendations for government from sector leaders and those with lived experience of losing a loved one to suicide,” Ms Xamon said.

THE state election presents an important opportunity for WAAMH, our stakeholders and partners to secure election commitments and influence the longer-term policy directions in WA for the benefit of people with mental health issues their families and carers.

The WAAMH Board recently approved the election strategy, which will seek to maintain a strong mental health voice in the period to the election date and to work with other representative bodies on issues that are common between sectors but which consumers and carers experience as one or as a whole.

WAAMH will also actively engage its members in its campaign, including through the re-scheduled community mental health leadership forum coming up on 21 September (see below event details in Events section).

For more information, click here. 

MENTAL Health Week 2016 (8 to 15 October 2016) is set to be an exciting line-up of awareness raising and stigma reducing events, with something for everyone. This year we have chosen Mentally Healthy WA's Act-Belong-Commit with a focus on suicide prevention, 'Together we can save lives' as the theme for the week.

Suicide is a complex issue with multiple interrelated factors. There are, however, strong relationships between suicide, traumatic life events and mental illness. Mental health promotion programs such as Act-Belong-Commit contribute to suicide prevention by keeping people mentally healthy, building individual and community resilience and by preventing mental illness. As part of MHW 2016, we encourage everyone to adopt the Act-Belong-Commit way for better mental health and wellbeing.

Other ways to get involved, include:

• Register your event: Tell us about what you're planning for Mental Health Week so we can feature it on the events page.
• Order resources: Ensure your promotional activities and events are equipped with the right material.
• Attend an event: See what events are on around WA and get along with friends and family!
• Plan an activity: We can help you get started with tips and ideas for workplaces, schools and general community events
• Apply for a grant: Grants will be available for community organisations to run their own events. More details on this will be available soon on the Mental Health Week website.
• Sponsor: Some event sponsorships are still available. For more information, contact Helen Cromie, Mental Health Week Coordinator on  hcromie@waamh.org.au

More at: mhw.waamh.org.au or find us on Facebook or via the hashtag #MHW2016.

• Jamie's Ministry of Food - ECU
• Better thank OK: Parenting Forum - Anglicare WA
• Arts and Mental Health Network Arts Exhibition - Southern Cross Care (WA)
• Workplace Wellness Sessions - The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists
• Elizabeth Quay All-ages Family Fun Day - City of Perth
• Suicide Prevention Day - WA Primary Health Alliance
• Closing Ceremony: Comedy Night - Perth Theatre Trust

WAAMH, with the support of the WA Mental Health Commission, is delighted to announce that we are hosting the WA Mental Health Conference in Perth at the Perth Concert Hall on 13-14 July 2017.

To find out more, click here

WAAMH's IPS Development Unit has rebranded as IPS WORKS. A new website is now available at www.ipsworks.waamh.org.au

In 2011, WAAMH made IPS implementation a priority for sector development which led to the establishment of the IPS Development Unit, the only one of its kind in Australia. This was in response to abundant evidence that most people who live with a mental health condition want and are able to work.

PHILLEEN Dickson, IPS Program Manager at WAAMH, will present on 'IPS Works – Recovery Through Employment' at The Mental Health Services (TheMHS) Conference in New Zealand this month. Philleen will also co-present a paper with Peter Gianfrancesco, NSW State Manager of Neami National, on 'The right to work! Innovative program breaks down barriers to employment'.

For more information about TheMHS Conference, click here.

WAAMH has been working closely with consumer and carer partners over the last couple of years to improve our lived experience partnership (LEP) practice across governance and leadership, policy development, and integration into our practice.

The need for sector and individual capacity building has been a recurring theme in this work, with WAAMH receiving strong input on specific development needs that will best enable consumers and carers and organisations to partner effectively. Based on this, WAAMH received a grant to run the Increasing Member Participation: Advocacy and Coproduction Training (IMPACT) project this year which will deliver advocacy training for emerging consumer and carer advocates and co design training for organisations and people with lived experience.

For more information, visit here.

CERTIFICATE IV in Mental Health is a nationally recognised training course specialising in Community Mental Health Recovery and Psycho-social Rehabilitation. The accredited six-month course has been very popular again in 2016 and participants of the two classes offered this year will complete their course this month.

Enrolments for the next Cert IV course, scheduled to commence in February 2017, will be opening soon. To register your interest click here or to find out more about the course click here.

WAAMH has been involved in the Peers in Psychiatric Hostels Project, an innovative partnership involving Consumers of Mental Health Western Australia (CoMHWA), DADAA and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

The partnership utilised the expertise of peer facilitators, peer workers, hostel residents, the four agencies and project consultants to co-produce, co-design and deliver an innovative model of peer support to assist individuals living in four psychiatric hostels in the Perth Hills trial site to engage with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

More information can be found here. 

THE vision of establishing a Recovery College in WA is closer to fruition with the establishment of the Recovery College Steering Group, which is auspiced and supported by WAAMH.

The steering group, chaired by WAAMH Board member Pam Gardner, comprises 13 members, many of whom are people with lived experience. The steering group was established to advance work undertaken by consultants who developed a business model and plan for a WA Recovery College. The steering group will establish the Recovery College WA as a legal entity and oversee the establishment of its governance structure and operations.

THE Western Australian Association for Mental Health's (WAAMH) last WA National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Community of Practice blog addresses key learnings for service providers about peer groups.

Read the latest blog here and share your comments.

THE WAAMH sponsored WA NDIS Communities of Practice Project has concluded and a final report is currently being prepared.

The Community of Practice was a structured learning process for stakeholders involved in the provision of psycho-social disability support in the WA NDIS trial sites in Cockburn-Kwinana and Lower South West. The Community of Practice involved 12 forums for interested stakeholders in each site to circulate and gather information, discuss key issues and facilitate reflection and learning.

The Ministerial Advisory Council on Disability (MACD) is seeking feedback on what Western Australians expect from the WA NDIS. People and organisations can provide ideas, comments or feedback by phone, in person, email, via workshops or through written submissions.

Feedback on the first two discussion topics: Planning; and Information, Linkages and Capacity Building is due by Friday 2 September 2016. Provide your feedback here.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has released guides on the consumer rights of people accessing the WA NDIS. Consumers right for WA NDIS services and equipment include:

• the right to be treated fairly
• the right to be given accurate information before you purchase a service
• the right to cancel a faulty service
• the right to a repair, replacement or refund if something goes wrong

Click here for more information.

Explorability is an advocacy service which now supports individuals with a primary psychosocial disability in the WA NDIS trial sites, including to provide advocacy support during the diagnostic or eligibility process for the Disability Services Commission, WA NDIS or NDIA.

The service is open to individuals who self-identify as meeting the eligibility of a disability, (formal diagnosis is not needed).

Referrals to Anna van de Water, Senior Advocate,  senioradvocate@explorability.org.au or via telephone on 9330 6370.

More information can be found here.

Recovery Rocks Community is a volunteer run community of people who have experienced mental health challenges, either their own or their loved ones, choosing to live a life of recovery and well-being.

Recovery Rocks acknowledge each other's strengths and achievements, sharing hope and support on each other's journeys. Through mutual help via peer support, the community share vulnerabilities and strengths and find value in each other’s help. People of all ages, diverse backgrounds, beliefs and experiences who have an interest in mental health recovery are welcome to join Recovery Rocks.

For more information, or to make contact, read their newsletter here. 

Many people experiencing mental health issues also experience homelessness. A lack of affordable and stable housing for people experiencing mental health issues, as well as inadequate funding for community support services for people experiencing mental health issues, result in people being discharged from hospital or the justice system into unsupported and unstable housing environments. WAAMH CEO, Rod Astbury recently commented on homelessness in the Fremantle Herald, here. 

Homelessness Week is a national event held in the first week of August each year and calls on Australians to raise awareness of people experiencing homelessness and the issues these people face. The 2016 theme was #homelessnesscounts, which highlighted that the lives of people experiencing homelessness are important. 

Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA), the coalition of the eight state and territory community mental health peak bodies, of which WAAMH is a member, has appointed Amanda Bresnan as its inaugural Executive Director.

Amanda comes to CMHA from the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses and has held senior policy and executive management positions with other national peak bodies as well as being a member of the ACT Legislative Assembly from 2008-12. Her appointment will enhance CMHA’s ability to represent the community sector in collaboration with its sector partners’ at a national level.

To read more view the press release here or CMHA's website here. 

The Mental Health Commission has new arrangements for paying consumers and carers for their participation set out in the Consumer, Family, Carer and Community Paid Partnership Policy.

WAAMH has finalised a Lived Experience Partnerships Payments Policy as one of several policies we are developing to strengthen our partnerships with consumers, carers and family members. The policy describes the types of partnership activities that will be paid and the rates that apply.

With increasing recognition of the mental health needs of gender diverse, trans gender and intersex young people, it’s important that mental health service providers ensure gender questions on referral and other forms enable people to disclose diverse sex and gender identities.

From Blues to Rainbows provides a summary of the research and recommendations to respond to sexually and gender diverse young people.  Black Rainbow Australia's Facebook page also features up to date news and view on Indigenous gender diversity.

The United Nations has passed a resolution on mental health and human rights to combat widespread discrimination, stigma, violence, social exclusion, unlawful or arbitrary institutionalisation and over medicalisation that fails to respect people’s autonomy, will and preferences. The resolution stresses that nations should take active steps to integrate a human rights perspective into mental health and community services.

The resolution is available here and more information, here.

WAAMH has established the Mental Health Community Leadership Network to:

• Inform members on the mental health reform agenda
• Share knowledge and deepen understanding
• Facilitate thinking together
• Connect members’ reality on the ground with WAAMH’s strategic view to inform WAAMH’s activity going forward.

The Mental Health Community Leadership Network will provide an opportunity for members to directly influence WAAMHs priorities and is open to full Individual and Organisational members of WAAMH.

Save the date for the first meeting which has been rescheduled. 

Date: 21 September 2016
Time: 9:00am to 12:30pm
Location: City West Lotteries House 1 Delhi St West Perth

More information will be available soon. To become a member visit here.

A powerful, easy to learn mental technique designed to bring improvements to your life which can support your personal healing.   
Where: Workzone Building, Level 1, 1 Nash Street, Perth.
When: 24 August 2016
Cost: Members $195 / non-members $245
Register here.

A practical and accessible workshop designed to help mental health workers, and others who may have contact with people experiencing psychosis.
Where: Workzone Building, Level 1, 1 Nash Street, Perth
When: 14 September 2016
Cost: Members $195 / non-members $245
Register here.

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.
Where: Workzone Building, Level 1, 1 Nash Street, Perth
When: 20 & 21 September 2016
Cost: Members $395 / non-members $445
Register here.

This course can assist service providers and front-line staff to respond appropriately to threatening, violent, aggressive and other unexpected or inappropriate behaviour.
Where: Workzone Building, Level 1, 1 Nash Street, Perth
When: 27 September 2016
Cost: Members $195 / non-members $245
Register here.

Thrive is a one-day introduction to understanding mental wellbeing and maintaining our psychological health. Packed with tips to build resilience, manage emotions, reduce stress and achieve balance, think of this workshop as a health kick for your mind!
Where: Workzone Building, Level 1, 1 Nash Street, Perth
When: 13 October 2016
Cost: Members $195 / non-members $245
Register here.

Click here to view a list of all WAAMH's upcoming events.

Learn Advanced Communication Skills based on the principles and techniques of NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP). Topics covered include; 

•  Advanced Rapport Skills
• Calibration
• Meta programs
• Changing Dysfunctional Beliefs

Cost: $50 half day / $80 full day
Contact: Anna Richards 0426 200 550.