Planning is well underway for Queensland Mental Health (QMHW) and we're excited to announce that the new theme for 2022 is ‘Awareness, Belonging, Connection’.

Awareness is about understanding the things we need to maintain and boost our mental wellbeing, and knowing when we need to reach out for help and where to get it.

Belonging is about looking out for each other, ensuring we feel safe and supported, and understanding that however we feel, we’re not alone, and that there are others going through the same thing.

Connection is about our relationships with our friends, families and those that we care about, as well as the groups, clubs, and networks around us that we rely on to help keep us happy and healthy, wherever we live, work, or play.
 

Keep reading for further QMHW updates, sector news, and wellbeing resources! We will be featuring different QMHW events in each edition of the eNews (register yours here), as well as information on our partners (get in touch if you're interested in becoming a sponsor).

The recent floods in QLD and NSW may be causing you or your loved ones to experience some level of distress. The stress caused by natural disasters and extreme climate events can affect our wellbeing in several ways, from headaches and difficulty sleeping to poor concentration and feelings of anger, irritability, or helplessness.
 

If you or someone you know are struggling or feeling overwhelmed in response to the recent floods or other current events, please reach out for help.

Lifeline is there to listen, 24/7. They have also designed this self-help resource to help families dealing with extreme climate events.

📞 13 11 14 📱 0477 131 114 💬 lifeline.org.au/crisis-chat

Community Recovery Hubs are now also open for people affected by the flooding in south-east Queensland. To find a Hub hear you, click here. The Hubs are staffed by people who can provide psychosocial support to those impacted by the floods, plus information and referrals to other organisations and local services.

On Thursday 2 December 2021, the Mental Health Select Committee was established to conduct an inquiry into the opportunities to improve mental health outcomes for Queenslanders and report back to the House by Tuesday 31 May 2022. The Committee held public hearings for its inquiry this month in the Wide Bay Burnett and Brisbane. You can watch archived broadcasts of the Mental Health Select Committee here.

Submissions, hearing and briefing transcripts, and archived broadcasts for this inquiry contain information that some people may find disturbing. If the information causes you distress, the committee encourages you to contact any of the organisations listed here.

Upbeat Arts is looking for foundation members for a brand-new North Brisbane Choir. Launching on Wednesday 20 April 2022, the new choir is about connection, acceptance and personal transformation through singing together. This free program is provided with support from Queensland Health for adults with a mental health diagnosis or anyone marginalised or disadvantaged looking for something fun and meaningful. If you’d like to join the fun, you can complete the expression of interest form.

The Big Anxiety will is coming to Brisbane this May. The festival’s main event, The Big Reach, a two-day (26-27 May), paid intensive at Brisbane’s QUT Gardens Point Theatre complex, will feature immersive media, theatre and performance arts, workshops, sideshows, and curated conversations that bring together leading innovators working at the intersection of arts and mental health. The Big Anxiety Open Day will follow this on 28 May and is free to attend. For more information visit https://www.thebiganxiety.org/.

This month, SANE Australia invites you to join their Topic Tuesday for World Bipolar Day on Tuesday 29 March with two special guests from Bipolar Australia. The special event will discuss a number of topics including diagnosis, recovery, treatment, and resources for support. This will be an opportunity to learn more, and also connect with others with shared experiences. Discussion starts at 7pm AEST. You can visit the forums here.

Acknowledgent of Traditional Owners

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands from across Queensland. We pay our respect to the Elders, past, present and emerging, for they hold the memories, traditions, the culture and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the state.

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

Phone: 1300 640 709
Email: info@qldmentalhealthweek.org.au
PO Box 3205, South Brisbane Queensland 4101