The diary next week

• On Monday I am attending the Black Dog Institute Digital Mental Health Policy Forum.
• I will be meeting with Catherine Lourey from the Mental Health Commission of NSW on Tuesday. I will also be meeting with Ruth Vine, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health, and The Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association.
• On Wednesday I am attending Mental Health Australia's monthly meeting with the National Mental Health Commission.
• On Thursday I am meeting with the Opengate Institute.

Launch of Mapping Mental Health Care 

To mark World Mental Health Day on Tuesday 10 October, Mental Health Australia launched groundbreaking new data modelling research developed with the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) at the University of Canberra. Findings from the Mapping Mental Health Care research project revealed many communities with higher mental health care needs are disproportionately underserved, putting a spotlight on the urgent need for systemic mental health reform to ensure equitable access to care for all Australians. The Mapping Mental Health Care research highlights demographics of major concern include people living regionally and remotely, younger people, people on low incomes, people who are unemployed, and people in single-parent households.

Launch of National Mental Health Workforce Strategy

Mental Health Australia has continually called for the release and funding of the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy to address the urgent mental health needs across our communities, and we welcome the release of this critical national workforce plan this week.

The Strategy is a vital mechanism for the Australian and State and Territory Governments and the mental health sector to work together to grow the mental health workforce and address disparities in access to services. Mental Health Australia is calling on the government to work with the sector to support its implementation.

Mental Health Australia also calls for greater attention to the diverse range of mental health professionals, including the community mental health workforce who are essential to mental health services, but have largely been overlooked in the Strategy, which reflects gaps in data underpinning the strategy.      

The government must invest in our mental health workforce now to ensure all people in Australia can access essential mental health care in the future. 

Read the Government's media release here.

Vote Yes on 14 October

When we listen to people about the decisions that affect them, we get better results.

For the past 250 years, we haven’t properly listened to the people who have been here for 65,000. It’s time we did.

This Saturday 14 October eligible people over 18 years old can vote in the Voice to Parliament referendum.  

We believe that the proposed Voice will enhance government decision-making about matters that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, ultimately improving health outcomes. 

World Mental Health Day campaign

Tuesday 10 October was World Mental Health Day. As part of our yearly campaign we put mental health in the spotlight to raise awareness, break down stigma, and say, ‘Look after your mental health, Australia’.

Through the month we've been sharing tips, ideas, and key facts to help you improve your mental health, and promote good mental health awareness at work, at home and within your communities. Check out our website and social media channels each day for new tips.

Awareness, belonging, connection as Defence marks World Mental Health Day

Recognised nationally and internationally, World Mental Health Day is a reminder that we all have a part to play in understanding mental health, raising awareness and driving actions that promote and protect everyone's mental health.

50% of Australian workers report being bullied on World Mental Health Day

One in two Australian workers have experienced being bullied, harassed or exposed to conflict or inappropriate behaviour in a new exclusive work survey. The results of the disturbing survey finds just as many report unrealistic workloads, poor training and exposure to traumatic events.

New data on mental health is a wake-up call for urgent reform

New data from Mental Health Australia and the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling at the University of Canberra released Tuesday, World Mental Health Day, shows alarming disparities in the distribution of mental health services across Australia, with severe inadequacies in rural, regional and remote areas. The National Rural Health Alliance calls for increased investment and systemic mental health reform to rectify the disparities shown in the Mapping Mental Health Care research project for people living and working in rural Australia.

Actions in mental health workforce strategy needed now

This Mental Health Week, the National Rural Health Alliance (the Alliance) welcomes the launch of the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy 2022-2032 by the Australian Government. The Alliance is pleased to see that the issues of mental health workforce shortages in rural and remote locations and options to address the specific needs of communities to attract, retain, maximise, support and train a rural workforce are given due consideration in this Strategy.

Workforce strategy must build sustainable pipeline of mental health professionals

headspace welcome the release of the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy 2022-2032 that outlines the need for significant and sustained mental health workforce reform. headspace CEO Jason Trethowan said more mental health professionals would mean better mental health outcomes for young people and families.

National Mental Health Workforce Strategy an opportunity that must be taken

The peak body for psychology in Australia has welcomed the release of the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy, urging Federal and state governments to continue working with the sector to fully realise this nationally important project.

Investment needed to turn mental health workforce plan into reality, say psychiatrists

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has welcomed the release of the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy, and called for urgent investment to attract, train, and retain the psychiatry workforce.

Experts propose a path to improve Australia’s mental health

Australia needs bold, future focused action to change the trajectory of our mental health outcomes, and experts have proposed a three-pronged approach to improve our mental health system. The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences today released a report from a specialist roundtable, chaired by mental health expert and Academy Fellow Professor Maree Teesson AC and award-winning ABC journalist Sana Qadar.

New Mental Health Centre supporting children and families in Victoria

The Allan Labor Government is improving access to support and treatment for children in need of specialised mental health care with Victoria's first child and family centre now open in Melbourne's north east. Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt today attended the official opening of the 12-bed centre operated by Austin Health in Macleod - providing vital residential mental health and wellbeing treatment to children under 11 in an environment that allows them to stay with and be supported by their families.

Workplace mental health in focus for World Mental Health Day in NSW

Minister for Work Health and Safety, Sophie Cotsis, and Minister for Mental Health, Rose Jackson, say this World Mental Health Day the Minns Government is shining a light on the importance of workplce mental health and encouraging  workplaces in NSW to minimize and prevent psychological harm at work.

Strengthening mental health protections in ACT workplaces

The ACT Government has strengthened the Territory's work health and safety laws to better protect workers from workplace psychosocial hazards. A new Code of Practice supports these changes and will assist businesses to meet their work health and safety obligations.

Improving infrastructure for women and young people’s mental health service in the ACT

Minister for Mental Health Emma Davidson said the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Southside will relocate and upgrade to new fit-for-purpose facilities, providing a more modern and safe environment for staff and the people they care for.

New plan to improve veteran health and wellbeing in SA

South Australia's Minister for Veterans Affairs, Geoff Brock and Premier's Advocate for Suicide Prevention, Nadia Clancy say almost 48,000 South Australians who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force will be the focus of a new state-wide plan to improve the health and wellbeing of veterans and their families. The Veteran Wellbeing Action Plan, launched Tuesday, focuses on three priority areas to support veterans - access to healthcare, supporting wellbeing, and building better evidence and data to inform and improve future health outcomes.

More mental health beds to support Melbourne’s west

The Allan Labor Government is giving Victorians the mental health care they need closer to home, with the new Sunshine Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre now complete. Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt today officially opened the Labor Government's new facility at Sunshine Hospital, with the first patients set to be admitted this month.

Trapped: Inside the hidden system locking people up indefinitely

This week Four Corners reveals allegations of the torture and mistreatment of people living with disabilities and mental illness who are locked up indefinitely by the state.  Around Australia an estimated 700 people who have been charged, but not convicted, of crimes are being detained in the forensic system.  In some of the most extreme cases, they're locked up for years in solitary confinement with no release date. 

Public NDIS submissions available to view 

The NDIS Review panel would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to make a submission. Since the start of the Review there have been more than 3,800 submissions from participants, their families and those that support them. These are now being published on the NDIS Review website submission page. Click the button to view the submissions published to date.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: mental health data updates

AIHW: MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

People with mental illness can access a variety of support services, which are funded and/or delivered by both the public and private sectors. Mental health care and support is provided across a range of settings and services, including: specialised hospital services - public and private; specialised residential mental health services; specialised community mental health care services, and primary care services.

AIHW: PREVALENCE AND IMPACT OF MENTAL ILLNESS

Mental health is a key component of overall health and wellbeing (WHO 2021). A mental illness can be defined as ‘a clinically diagnosable disorder that significantly interferes with a person’s cognitive, emotional or social abilities’ (COAG Health Council 2017).

AIHW: CONSUMER OUTCOMES IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE

This page shows information about the mental health-related problems experienced by consumers of Australian public mental health services and whether they show improvement, no change, or deterioration in their clinical status and functioning from receiving care.

AIHW: MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACTIVITY MONITORING QUARTERLY DATA

The purpose of the mental health service activity data reporting is to provide early insights into how the mental health system is providing services and responding to changing population needs and events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and policy changes.

For these updates and more, click the button below to visit the AIHW website.

Department of Health and Aged Care – National mental health consumer and carer peaks – Co-design

On 30 January 2023, the Government announced $7.5 million in funding to establish and operate two new independent mental health lived experience peak bodies:

• one representing consumers; and
• one representing families, carers and kin.

These peak bodies will work to ensure people with lived and/or living experiences of mental ill-health can help shape the policies and programs impacting them. The Department of Health and Aged Care invites people with personal lived and/or living experiences of mental ill-health to share their thoughts on what these peak bodies could look like.

Consumer Peak

Survey and Discussion paper: https://consultations.health.gov.au/mental-health-access-branch/nationalmentalhealthlivedexperienceconsumerpeak/

Family/Carer/Kin Peak

Survey and Discussion paper: https://consultations.health.gov.au/mental-health-access-branch/nationalmentalhealthlivedexperiencecarerpeak/

Surveys close 27 Oct 2023

Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding

On 23 August 2023 the Governor of New South Wales established a Special Commission of Inquiry to enquire into the funding of health services provided in NSW, and related matters (“the Inquiry”). The Inquiry has now launched a public invitation for submissions on its Terms of Reference. The Inquiry is calling for submissions no later than 5pm, Tuesday, 31 October 2023. Interested parties may email: contact.HFI@specialcommission.nsw.gov.au if you have any queries.

Body Kind Youth Survey – Youth Voices Can Make a Difference

Butterfly Foundation is inviting all young people aged 12 – 18 to have their voices heard about body image.  This is a chance to complete the first national survey on body image, the Body Kind Youth Survey, so Butterfly can better understand the body image experiences of young Australians, and get young peoples’ views on what needs to change to create a more Body Kind Australia.  

The online survey is voluntary, anonymous, has ethics approval, takes 15 minutes and requires parental consent for under 15’s.

Support Butterfly to help more young people to be kind to their body by encouraging all young people to take part; there’s even a chance to win one of 20 gift vouchers! 

The survey will remain open for approximately 10 weeks from 11 September 2023.

Have your say in the Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce Review (previously known as the Scope of Practice Review)

The Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce (Scope of Practice Review) is now under way. The review wants to hear from everyone with an interest in the scope of practice of Australia’s health professionals working in primary care.

The review was announced in the 2023-24 Federal Budget and forms part of the Australian Government’s response to the Strengthening Medicare Reform Taskforce.

The review is in its early stages and has recently opened the first round of consultations. Submissions close Monday 16 October.

This call for submissions is an important part of the review’s first stage – Establishment, Discovery and Evidence Review (September to mid-November 2023). The perspectives of the widest possible range of people is essential to informing the next steps of the review and the shape of its recommendations.

You can find out more about the review at www.health.gov.au/scope-of-practice-review, including its terms of reference.

Take the 2023 National Workforce Survey for Child, Parent and Family Mental Health and help shape child mental health planning and policy

Emerging Minds is conducting the National Workforce Survey for Family, Parent and Child Mental Health again following the success of the inaugural survey in 2020-21. The survey will inform strategies and policy to meet the needs of health, social and community services workers across Australia, and support improved outcomes for infants, children and families. Complete the survey for your chance to win an iPad.

The survey closes on Wednesday, 15th November 2023. 

Targeted Regional Initiatives for Suicide Prevention (TRISP)

TRISP is a new suicide prevention program being rolled out across regional NT. $1.26 million in funding will be provided for suicide prevention programs and initiatives through an open tender process. 

Programs need to be locally focused and address the unique risk factors for suicide in each region. You are invited to attend an information briefing about TRISP tender funding on 15 November 2023 at 11am. 

Communicate your news, job vacancies, or upcoming events to more than 5,000 people in the mental health ecosystem weekly.

Mental Health Australia members are invited to send us news, announcements, job vacancies, events or other notices for inclusion in the Weekly CEO Update newsletter. To do so, simply fill out this form by COB each Thursday for your notice to appear in the newsletter.