Where has the year gone? It's hard to believe we are nearly at the end of August already! It's been a busy few months here at HelpingMinds with lots of exciting news and achievements, it's really made the year fly by! 

In case you missed it, we recently announced that we will now be expanding our service delivery to include the Northern Territory! This represents our first office beyond WA, and is a pivotal time in our 42-year history. I am sure that our founders will be proud of how far we have come since our humble beginnings in 1976.

I recently attended the International Mental Health Conference on the Gold Coast, where HelpingMinds staff member Denise gave a special presentation on her lived experience and work as a peer support worker. It was a very special experience for Denise and you can read more about it and watch the video below. Above is a picture of Denise and I enjoying the sunshine on the Gold Coast. 

We've also had great news from our regional offices who have been busy receiving grants and award nominations - more on that later. 

I am very proud of our staff who have been working hard to achieve our mission to support individual and family recovery and to make a positive difference in the community and mental health sector by delivering quality services, education and advocacy.

Debbie Childs
CEO, HelpingMinds  

We are pleased to have completed our first Reconciliation Action Plan.

Our reconciliation journey to date has been driven by many staff who are committed to supporting a positive means of engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients.

We would like to strengthen those relationships with confidence that we are working in a respectful, inclusive and effective manner and that we are being open to learning new ways of working that benefit our clients, our partners and our staff.

For more information on our reconciliation plan, head to our website.

 

The media release from the Health Minister's office says that the funding "will help people for whom the NDIS was not designed, but who will benefit from specialised but less intense psychosocial services, such as individual and group assistance and rehabilitation, ensuring these people don’t miss out on crucial support." 

We look forward to hearing more and seeing how this funding will benefit people living with a mental health condition.

You can read the full media release here. 

The Department of Communities is undertaking a review of the Carers Recognition Act 2004 and they want your feedback!

There is still time to have your say. The closing date for the feedback has been extended to 31 August 2018. The Department invites carers, community members and other stakeholders to have their say 

The Mental Health Commission also has a range of expressions of interest for Advisory Groups that may interest people with lived experience as a mental health carer or as someone living with a mental health condition.

What is the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme)?

The NDIS is a National Scheme designed to provide support to Australians with a disability as well as their families and carers. Eligible participants will receive a personalised plan that focuses on their specific goals.

My loved one has a mental health diagnosis, can they access NDIS supports?

In theory yes. There is a list of requirements that has been set up by the NDIS that needs to be met. We understand that every person's story is unique, and it may not be obvious from the set criteria if you are eligible. HelpingMinds can give free, confidential advice to help you find out if you or a loved one could qualify as an NDIS participant.  

Will the NDIS help me?

HelpingMinds has been running NDIS in 2 locations for the last 3 years, 90% of clients have confirmed a notable improvement in their lives since using the NDIS scheme. 

Does the NDIS cover my region?

The NDIS scheme is rolling out across Western Australia over the next 2 years with the entire state expected to be supported by 2020. Even if your region is not expected to receive support soon, please get in touch as we can still assist you with advice and your application before the official roll out. 

Click here to see the timescale of the NDIS roll out across WA

Where else can I get information?