What is the Mental Health in Multicultural Australia (MHiMA)project?
The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing provides funding to Mental Health in Multicultural Australia to provide national leadership in mental health and suicide prevention for individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Why is this important?
Access to appropriate mental health care support services reduces the incidence or impact of mental health issues on the individual, their families and carers and the broader community. Activities funded under the project support access to services by individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and provide increased service quality and effectiveness for this client group.
Who will benefit?
Individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds will benefit.
What does the Mental Health in Multicultural Australia project deliver?
Mental Health in Multicultural Australia delivers the following outcomes:
- promotion of development of culturally competent mental health services;
- increased support and information for culturally and linguistically diverse mental health consumers, their families and their carers;
- increased awareness in multicultural communities of mental health issues and reduced stigma associated with mental health illness; and
- development of resources, information and training for mental health professionals.
How does it work?
A new partnership of the Queensland Transcultural Mental Health Centre, the University of Melbourne’s Centre for International Mental Health, the Victorian Transcultural Psychiatry Unit, and the University of South Australia’s Mental Health Nursing Group, Human Rights and Security Cluster will deliver the Mental Health in Multicultural Australia project.
The project is supported by a partnership of acknowledged national experts from a number of states to further develop the long-term mental health support for multicultural Australians and refugees.
It is funded to deliver the outcomes listed above, with a requirement to introduce and develop the "Framework for the Implementation of the National Mental Health Plan 2003-2008 in Multicultural Australia" (the Framework), which is in the process of being updated to align with the Fourth National Mental Health Plan (2009 – 2014). It is anticipated that the updated Framework will be available by end 2011.
What funding is attached to this project?
The Australian Government is providing $2.97 million in funding over a three year period from 2011 to 2014.
When did the project start?
A transcultural mental health program has been funded by the Australian Government since 1995.
Further information
Further information is available at: http://www.mmha.org.au
Page currency, Latest update: 08 August, 2011