Northern Territory Mental Health Coalition e-bulletin

Latest News from the Coalition

AMA Calls for Bipartisan Commitment to Fund NDIS

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) released a position statement on the NDIS and called on the Federal Opposition to support an increase on the Medicare levy to fund the scheme.

The AMA position statement also contained recommendations around mental health and psychosocial disability. Click here to read the full story

THOUSANDS WORSE OFF IN NDIS - reported in The Australian today

The $22 billion NDIS is failing the nation's most vulnerable people, leaving as many as one in five, many with intellectual and mental disabilities, reporting that the flagship scheme has left them worse off. Flinders University researchers, presiding over the longest and most rigorous study of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, have declared it is now "unreasonable" to expect the scheme to be delivered on time, while reporting that about half of all participants have had support cut or experienced no change in support under the new system. Rick Morton,The Australian, click here to read the full story.

Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA)

Community Mental Health Australia, promoting the importance and benefits of community mental health and recovery services across Australia. Visit the website here

Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA) is a coalition of eight state and territory peak community mental health organisations. CMHA, through its state and territory bodies, has direct link and contact to community mental health organisations delivering services to the community. The NT Mental Health Coalition is a founding member of the CMHA. CMHA continues to lobby and advocate on behalf of the community mental health sector.

AbleInsight NDIS Service Provider Benchmarking Survey
AbleInsight was appointed by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to independently manage the National Disability Service Providers Benchmarking Survey. CMHA is a member of an Expert Advisory Group that has been formed to oversee the operation of the Survey. Information on the survey is available here There is no cost to participate in the survey and the data collected will be de-identified.

A Summary Report has now been independently produced by AbleInsight and is the first public report from the newly established Disability Service Providers’ Bench marking Function. The first Summary Report has been prepared using data from the Collection 1 Survey, conducted from October to December 2017, in respect of data relating to services provided in the financial year ended 30th June 2016. Collection 1 brings together the contributions of 48 disability services providers and establishes a baseline result that can be used as a comparator in future years. You can download a copy of the Report here

Close the Gap Refresh
Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA) made a submission to the Close the Gap Refresh. The process was conducted by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet with the time frame being ten years since Closing the Gap began. CMHA is a member of the Close the Gap Campaign Steering Committee and supports input by the Close the Gap Campaign to the Close the Gap Refresh. The submission is available on the CMHA website

SAVE THE DATE
The 2^nd Annual Mental Health and NDIS Conference will be held in Melbourne on 31 October and 1 November. The conference is jointly hosted by Mental Health Victoria (formerly VICSERV) and CMHA. More details will follow and be available on the CMHA website. Click here

NDIS News

NDIS 4th Quarter Newsletter
Click here for information

Service Provider Workshops - Doing it Differently with NDIS
Big changes are coming to psychosocial and disability support. Do not miss this opportunity to attend a free workshop for NDIS service providers and make sure you are prepared for the changes ahead.
Click here for Darwin workshop 18th May 2018
Click here for Alice Springs workshop 17th May 2018

NDIA Updates
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) have released a series of co-designed 'snapshots' to assist people understand the requirements of the access process in relation to psychosocial disability, and demystify the access process. They include:
1.   General information about how the NDIS can support your mental health
2.   Impairment and mental health in the NDIS
3.   Recovery and the NDIS
4.   Functional capacity and mental health issues
5.   Other services supporting your mental health

The NDIA have announced nine recommendations from the Independent Pricing Review conducted by McKinsey & Company that will be prioritised for implementation with the Price Guide update in July 2018. More details here.

NDS Resources Update - Resources, tools and products for the disability sector. Click here

Other

NTCOSS Social Services Directory – NOW ONLINE!
NTCOSS has now moved it’s hard copy social services directory to a new online directory accessed directly from the homepage of the NTCOSS Website. Organisations listed are being encouraged to claim their listings to ensure their data is accurate and updated, all listings are free. Help is also at hand, for claiming or adding new listings. The online directory now allows searching by category, keywords or region giving quicker access to the services you are looking for. NTCOSS are still in user testing phase and are constantly making improvements. Your feedback and suggestions are important, call Jenny on 8948 2665 or email jenny@ntcoss.org.au you can also complete a quick online survey – Click here.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership in Mental Health (NATSILMH) are launching two important documents for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional well being, mental health and suicide prevention, to mark National Close the Gap Day 2018. The first is NATSILMH’s Health in Culture - Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration Implementation Guide. Click here

The second is NATSILMH’s Health in Culture – Policy Concordance. Click here
The value of the Policy Concordance is that it will now be possible to ascertain what documents as diverse as the Fifth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan, the Social and Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Framework, the Cultural Respect Framework, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan and the Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration, among many others, require of Australian Governments, PHNs and the mental health system overall. The Concordance aims to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the mental health space and our communities by providing this important accountability tool.

The Mental Health Coordinating Council (MHCC) has developed two easy-to-use resources to support mental health and human services ensure that any event or activity that they facilitate, such as a conference, workshop, seminar, consultation, training or meetings, follow trauma-informed principles. These resources aim to promote a supportive culture that encourages collaboration and trust between the host organisation, presenters and attendees.

Events, Conferences & Training

SCHIZOPHRENIA AWARENESS WEEK 20 - 25 MAY 2018
Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia NT wish to advise of their events during Schizophrenia Awareness Week; 20 - 25 May (coincides every year with World Schizophrenia Awareness Day on 24 May) For information on MIFANT events click here

TeamHEALTH are holding an art competition for the week and want you to be involved. The aim of the art competition is to raise awareness, reduce stigma and create a sense of community spirit and collaboration through creativity and art. The exhibition will run from 21 May - 25 May and will be displayed at The Foreshore Café at Nightcliff, voting will be people’s choice. The launch event will be held at this venue on Friday 25 May with morning tea provided, and the winners announced. Click here for flyer, for Entry Form & Conditions of Entry click here
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Private Mental Health Consumer Carer Network (Australia) Limited - A National Organisation to Support Mental Health Peer Workers. If you are a peer worker or if you work in mental health with peer workers the Consumer Carer Network wants to hear from you.
Consultations in Darwin - Thursday 10 May, arrive at 8.45am with a 9am to 12pm.
Conference room, Barbara James House, 9 Mirambeena Street, The Gardens. Click here to register or free call 1800 982 128.

Creative health roadshow
The Institute for Creative Health will be in the NT during May working in collaboration with the NT Creative Health Leadership Group to present the NT Creative Health Roadshow.

The forums, are free of charge, are being presented in Darwin, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek. They are designed for anyone who is interested in the role of arts in health and wellbeing - health professionals, community development workers, artists, councillors etc. for more information and to register Click here

Compensation and Social Work in the Northern Territory Seminar Friday 25 May 2018
AASW (NT) Australian Association of Social Workers is delighted to announce that Melissa Meyers, Associate and regional office leader of Maurice Blackburn's Darwin office will be offering social workers and community/health professionals this valuable development opportunity. The presentation will guide participants through how to assist clients who have experienced a personal injury and are making a claim for compensation.

Venue: Meeting Room, Nightcliff Community Centre, 18 Bauhinia Street, Nightcliff Darwin
Date: Friday 25th May 2018,
Time: 12.00pm to 2.30pm - lunch provided from 12pm - 12.30pm.

Cost: $40 for members, $50 for non-members and $20 for students.
For more information email AASW NT Branch or phone: 08 8981 0276. For information about AASW click here

44th International Mental Health Nursing Conference
'Mental Health is a Human Right'. 24-26 October 2018, Cairns Queensland. For more information and to register click here

National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Conference 18 - 5th November 2018 - Save the date.
Adelaide Convention Centre 7-9 November 2018. The theme of this Conference, ‘Responding to Complexity’, acknowledges the range of issues including chronic health problems; injuries from assaults; homelessness; criminal offences and incarceration; and social disruptions including family and cultural breakdown that accompany harmful alcohol and other drug use. Further information can be accessed from the conference here

The National Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference and the World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference will be held 20 - 23 November in Perth WA. Further conference updates to follow on the Centre of Best Practice Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention website. Click here to view.

National Disability Conference Initiative 2018-19
The Australian Government is inviting applications through an open process to apply for the Disability, Mental Health and Carers Program – Disability and Carer Support - National Disability Conference Initiative. The initiative provides funding of up to $10,000 for disability-related conferences with a national focus planned for the 2018-19 year. For more information click here

Employment

Mental Health Association of Central Australia (MHACA) is a community based, not-for-profit mental health organisation based in Alice Springs. MHACA offers several support services and educational programs aimed at enhancing the mental health and well being of people living with mental illness. For current vacancies click here

Anglicare NT offers a range of career opportunities in the community and social services sector in a diverse range of fields such as children and youth, family relationships and counselling, out of home care, refugee and migrant, corporate services, financial counselling, mental health, disability and home care, social enterprises and specialist homelessness services. There are several positions available, click here for more information.

TeamHEALTH - If you want to make a difference and support people in our community to help them reach their goals in their recovery journey, then TeamHEALTH is the place to be. Join the passionate and diverse team and unite in providing care and delivering mental health support to Territorians. Offices are located in Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine, Nauiya (Daly River), Gunbalanya and Maningrida. For current vacancies click here

CatholicCareNT - provides unique career and personal opportunities that include travel and the experience of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in both local and remote community settings. For information on vacant positions click here

Menzies School of Health Research - Menzies Alice Springs is looking for Indigenous people with cross-cultural skills and community networks to work with Menzies researchers on a new study. The study is called, Wellbeing Intervention for Chronic Kidney Disease (WICKD). It aims to address the mental health and well being of Indigenous people on dialysis. For more information contact Menzies by clicking here