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Mental health & well being

Media Releases and Announcements

Progress updates

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Media Releases and Announcements

Rural WA – eheadspace Online Counselling Service for young people

The Australian Government, in partnership with the Western Australian Government, is conducting a 12-month pilot of drought reform measures in part of Western Australia.

The eheadspace Online Counselling for Rural Young Australians initiative under the Farm Social Support Program is aimed at young people in the WA pilot area.
The pilot will test a package of new measures developed in response to the national review of drought policy. The measures are designed to better support farmers, their families and rural communities in preparing for future challenges, rather than waiting until they are in crisis to offer assistance.

The anonymous, free and confidential eheadspace service will be in place from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011 at www.eheadspace.org.au

For further information on the drought pilot, visit www.daff.gov.au/droughtpilot or call the Drought Assistance Hotline on 13 23 16.

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Support for people with a mental illness and their carers – 21 April 2010

The Australian Government is delivering on its commitment to support people with a mental illness and their carers, with a $32.3 million funding extension for local services across Australia.

Helping Indigenous people with a mental illness – 21 April 2010

Indigenous people living with mental illness, grief, and trauma will have greater access to much needed support through new and expanded Australian Government Personal Helpers and Mentors (PHaMs) services.

$80 million to help Australians with a mental illness – 8 April 2010

Australians with a severe mental illness will continue to have access to intensive, one-on-one support through an $80.3 million over three years funding extension to the Personal Helpers and Mentors (PHaMs) program.

New mental health services for refugees – 3 March 2010

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The Australian Government is providing $5.4 million for new services and workers to give humanitarian entrants with a mental illness access to one-on-one support through the Personal Helpers and Mentors (PHaMs) program.

Help At Hand for Homeless Australians with a Mental Illness – 17 February 2010

The Australian Government today unveiled details of a $10 million boost to the Personal Helpers and Mentors (PHaMs) program, to give homeless Australians with a severe mental illness greater access to one-on-one support.

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Discussion Paper – A Mentally Healthy Future for all Australians

The National Advisory Council on Mental Health (NACMH) has produced a discussion paper titled A Mentally Healthy Future for all Australians (PDF 2189 KB). This discussion paper has been prepared for the consideration of Government. It will contribute to the mental health reform directions being progressed under the National Mental Health Policy and the Fourth National Mental Health Plan and will be useful in assisting the Commonwealth to determine its implementation priorities from the Fourth Plan. The NACMH is an independent expert advisory group established in 2008 to inform the Minister of Health and Ageing on national mental health reform issues. Minister Roxon has produced a media release on the public release of the discussion paper.

Comments for this discussion paper have now closed. Thank you to all those people who contributed.

Framework for Perinatal Initiative agreed

On 13 November 2009, Australian health ministers agreed to the Framework for the National Perinatal Depression Initiative 2008-09 to 2012-13.

Through the Initiative, Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments are making a significant financial commitment to improving outcomes for women with perinatal depression. The Framework provides a policy basis for the Initiative. It outlines how all Governments will improve the prevention and early detection of antenatal and postnatal depression and provide better care, support and treatment for expectant and new mothers experiencing perinatal depression.

Key elements of the framework are:

• routine and universal screening for perinatal depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression scale;
• follow up support and care for women assessed as being at risk of or experiencing perinatal depression;
• workforce training and development for health professionals; and
• community awareness.

Following agreement of the National Framework, the Australian and State and Territory Governments are now working towards progressing the Initiative as set out in the Framework. More information about the National Perinatal Depression Initiative is available.

Fourth National Mental Health Plan

On 13 November 2009 the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference launched the Fourth National Mental Health Plan: an agenda for collaborative government action in mental health 2009-2014. The launch of the Fourth Plan represents a commitment to ongoing national mental health reform and identifies key actions that can make meaningful progress towards fulfilling the vision of the National Mental Health Policy 2008.

yourHealth

Our Australian health system is YOUR health system. Find out about the recommendations to the Government. Help make it work better - send in your ideas through the yourHealth website.

The Mental Health of Australians 2 – a report on the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing

The Mental Health of Australians 2 presents a comprehensive summary of the results of the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

The 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing is the second major epidemiological survey of its kind undertaken in Australia, with the first conducted in 1997. The survey is a general household survey of the adult population aged 16-85 years and focuses on the more common or high prevalence mental disorders, namely affective disorders (including depression), anxiety disorders and substance use disorders.

The report provides information on the prevalence of mental disorders, their severity, associated suicidality, and comorbidity with other mental disorders and physical conditions, as well as what services people use for their mental health problems.

PDF printable version of The Mental Health of Australians 2 (PDF 853 KB)

Initial results of the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing were released on 23 October 2008 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The report is available via the ABS website (http://www.abs.gov.au).

Hard copies of The Mental Health of Australians 2 can be ordered from National Mail and Marketing by calling (02) 6260 2770 or sending an email to nmm@nationalmailing.com.au.

AHMC release of the National Mental Health Policy 2008

The National Mental Health Policy 2008 represents a renewed commitment by all Health Ministers and Ministers with responsibility for Mental Health to the continual improvement of Australia's mental health system. The Policy works towards ensuring that Australia has a mental health system that detects and intervenes early in illness, promotes recovery, and ensures that all Australians with a mental illness have access to effective and appropriate treatment and community supports to enable them to participate in the community fully.

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Progress Updates

COAG National Action Plan on Mental Health - Progress Report 2006-07

This is the first in the series of annual reports for monitoring implementation of the COAG National Action Plan on Mental Health (2006 - 2011). Prepared under the auspice of Australia's Health Ministers, it describes the progress made in 2006-07, the commencement year of the Action Plan.

Summative Evaluation Report of the Third National Mental Health Plan

The evaluation of the National Mental Health Plan 2003-2008 (the Third Plan) was conducted by independent consultants Charles Curie and Graham Thornicroft in 2008.

Disclaimer: The recommendations and views presented in this report reflect the findings and conclusions of the consultants by the consultants and do not necessarily reflect the views in whole or part of Governments or individual stakeholders. A Reference Group established to support the consultants provided factual input to the paper.

Summative Evaluation Report of the Third National Mental Health Plan (PDF 232 KB)

Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Progress Report - DEEWR March 2010 (PDF 11 KB)
Programs reported on by this progress report:
Helping people with a mental illness enter and remain in employment

Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Progress Report - FaHCSIA May 2010 (PDF 37 KB)
Programs reported on by this update:
Community Mental Health Evaluations
Personal Helpers and Mentors (PHaMs)
More Respite Places to Help Families and Carers
Community Based Services to help Families Cope with Mental Illness
New Scheme of Income Management

Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

Better Access initiative - Mental Health Skills Training
The 2009 -10 Budget included changes to the Better Access initiative. From 1 January 2010, a new Medicare item will be introduced for general practitioners who have not undertaken accredited Mental Health Skills Training. Outline of training requirements

Progress report on DoHA initiatives April 2010 (PDF 105 KB)
Programs reported on by this progress report:
Better access to psychiatrists, psychologists, and GPs through the MBS
Expanding suicide prevention programs
Funding for telephone counselling, self-help and web based support programs
Improved services for people with drug and alcohol problems and mental illness
Improving the capacity of health workers in Indigenous communities
Increased funding to the Mental Health Council of Australia
Mental health in tertiary curricula
Mental health services in rural and remote areas
New early intervention services for parents, children and young people
New funding for mental health nurses

If you are unable to download the PDF documents, please send an email to: mentalhealth@health.gov.au for an alternative copy to be sent to you.

Page currency, Latest update: 06 July, 2010