What is the Multicultural Mental Health Australia (MMHA) Program?
The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing provides funding to Multicultural Mental Health 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 program 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 Multicultural Mental Health Australia deliver?
Multicultural Mental Health 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?
The Multicultural Mental Health Australia consortium, led by Sydney West Area Health Service 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".
What funding is attached to this program?
The Australian Government is providing $2.8 million in funding over a three year period 2005-06 to 2007-08.
When did the program start?
Funding to the Multicultural Mental Health Australia program commenced in 2006.
Further information
Further information is available through the MMHA website at www.mmha.org.au.
Page currency, Latest update: 07 July, 2008