With Queensland Mental Health Week (QMHW) all done and dusted for 2022, it's time for us to start preparing for next year. First on the agenda: the dates!

We are very pleased to confirm the dates for QMHW 2023 will be Saturday 7 October to Sunday 15 October. As in previous years, the week will be inclusive of World Mental Health Day on Tuesday 10 October.

To enable a multi-year campaign that will build messaging recognition and maximise impact, the theme will once again be 'Awareness, Belonging, Connection'. So, stay tuned as we update the existing library of resources and build upon them next year.

Again, thank you to everyone who was involved in QMHW this year. There were so many incredible events and awareness raising initiatives and we hope you'll join us in making the week even bigger and better in 2023.

We wish you and your loved ones a safe, happy and healthy festive season, and all the very best for the year ahead!

The holiday season is seen as a time of joy and celebration, but for some of us it can be a challenging time for our mental wellbeing. It can often feel more stressful and overwhelming than everyday life. You may like to use this list from Queensland Health to help take care of your mental wellbeing:

• Recognise stress — Stress can manifest in lots of different ways. If you catch yourself starting to feel stressed, you can try techniques like relaxation, taking a break to do something you enjoy, writing down things you need to do, or doing some exercise.
• You think what you eat — Your diet and your mental health are linked, with researchers finding that food not only has an impact on our mental health when we eat it, but it can alter our gut bacteria, which can affect mood, too.
• Understand how alcohol affects you — As your body gets alcohol out of your system, your blood sugar levels drop, which can cause feelings of worry. Lots of people drink in an attempt to relax but if this comes with added anxiety, you might need to rethink your drinking.
• Take a day off — The silly season can feel like everything is ‘go, go, go’, but you don’t have to go to every activity or party if you’re not feeling up to it. Take some time for you and excuse yourself from the fray for a chance to relax.
• See a professional — If the holidays have bought up concerning emotions or behaviours, or you've been feeling this way for awhile, it might be time to see a professional. If you’ve been experiencing symptoms for two weeks or more, it’s time to talk to a professional about it. Book an appointment with your GP, call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) for 24-hour confidential health advice, or find a mental health service in your area.

If you're looking for more tips to keep on top of your mental wellbeing this festive season, the Black Dog Institute have published some tips to tackle common holiday worries.

The Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs' Community Partnership Innovation Grants (2022-23) program is now open for applications for round two. Up to $3 million in funds is available for communities across Queensland, with one-off grants of up to $300,000 available for projects that support young people, who are or could become offenders, to change their behaviours and improve community connection.

The grants support new ideas and projects that target the unique issues being experienced by local communities, and that are designed in partnership with the local community. Applications will close at midnight on Monday 30 January 2023.

Read more and apply here

This article published on the Australian Institute of Family Studies website explores the nuances of youth mental health, including the increasing incidence of psychological distress, barriers to accessing appropriate supports, and negative attitudes towards mental illness. It discusses how practitioners can incorporate mental health literacy interventions into the school environment.

Read the article here.

The National Mental Health Commission is developing the National Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Strategy. They have released a Draft Strategy and are inviting feedback from a broad range of stakeholders, including:

• people with lived experience of mental ill-health, trauma, distress or suicidality
• families, carers and support people
• people working in the services and settings of focus for the Strategy such as health professionals, social services, business owners, educators, and legal and financial services.

The consultation period on the draft Strategy will close on Wednesday 1 February 2023. 

Read the Draft Strategy and find out how to provide feedback here

The Child & Adolescent Mental Health Conference is being hosted by the Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association from Monday 20 March 20 to Wednesday 22 March 2023 on the Gold Coast. It is designed to provide practical skills, relevant information, personal insight, and strategies for professionals working in child and adolescent mental health and wellbeing.

You can find out more, view the program, and register here.

Funded by the Queensland Mental Health Commission, Queensland Mental Health Week is coordinated by CheckUP and delivered by a strong cross-sector collaboration.

Thank you again to the following organisations for your support in 2022: Arafmi, Council of the Ageing (COTA) Queensland, Department of Education, Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland (ECCQ), MATES in Construction, Mental Awareness Foundation, Mentally Healthy City Townsville, Metro North Mental Health - The Prince Charles Hospital, Mental Illness Fellowship Australia, Mood Food Nutrition, Multicap, Office of Industrial Relations, Open Minds, Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC), Queensland Alliance for Mental Health (QAMH), Queensland Health, Richmond Fellowship Queensland (RFQ), Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section), Thirteen Digital, Twinkl and Universal Media Co.

If you are interested in providing corporate or media support to the initiative, we will be releasing a QMHW sponsorship prospectus in early 2023.

24/7 Crisis Helplines

If you need immediate support, Lifeline (13 11 14) and the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467) are available 24/7. In an emergency, call 000.

Contact CheckUP

Email: info@qldmentalhealthweek.org.au
PO Box 3205, South Brisbane Queensland 4101