Experts Map Future of Mental Health in Australia - Council of Non-Government Organisations (CONGO) gathers in Canberra
A gathering of more than 140 experts from the mental health and community sectors are meeting on Tuesday 21 May (tomorrow) in Canberra to discuss the future of mental health reform in Australia.
Hosted by the Mental Health Council of Australia and the National Mental Health Commission, the meeting will focus on outlining the NGO sector's ambitions for improving the lives of people who experience mental illness, and their carers, over the next 10-20 years.
What: CONGO (Council of Non-Government Organisations)
Where: Rydges Lakeside, London Circuit, Canberra
When: Tuesday 21 May 2013
Who: Attendees include Frank Quinlan, Robyn Kruk, Tom Calma, Ian Hickie, Jack Heath, Jonathan Nicholas, David Meldrum, Karen Burns, David Templeman, and John Fennelly (amongst other leading experts)
Media Contact: Chris Wagner to organise interviews with participants and footage/pictures – 0434 378 939
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Click here for a copy of the agenda for CONGO 2013.
Members Policy Forum and Council of Non-Government Organisations on Mental Health
Members Policy Forum
The Mental Health Council of Australia invites all full members to our upcoming Members Policy Forum on 20 May, 2013 in Canberra. In an election year at the Federal level, and following COAG’s recent decisions regarding the progress of national mental health reform, the Forum is an important opportunity to discuss the sector’s priorities in a range of areas.
The Forum will hear presentations and updates from people involved in a number of key initiatives, including the National Disability Insurance Scheme. It will also consider the outcomes of the MHCA’s State Consultation Workshops, to be conducted throughout April.
The MHCA would also like to take this opportunity to gather your feedback on the MHCA’s strategic direction over the next five years. In addition, we hope to identify key priorities for the MHCA to pursue in its advocacy work over the coming 12 months.
A detailed agenda will be made available closer to the Forum.
You can register to attend via the link below.
Council of Non-Government Organisations on Mental Health
The MHCA and the National Mental Health Commission will be co-hosting a second meeting of the Council of Non-Government Organisations on Mental Health (CONGO) in Canberra on 21 May 2013 for members and stakeholdersto progress the development of appropriate and meaningful mental health indicators and targets at the national level.
If you attended the inaugural CONGO meeting in October 2012, you will know that there is great willingness across the non-government mental health and social services sectors to work together on shared problems. At the first meeting, it was also clear that setting clear targets for change at the national level was a shared priority. You can view the Communique from that meeting here.
At the second CONGO meeting, we hope to gather your views on which national indicators and targets would show whether governments and service providers are making a genuine difference in the lives of people with mental health difficulties. We will also be inviting several academics and thought leaders to contribute.
We hope you can join us for this important meeting. You can register to attend via the link below.
Members and Stakeholders Dinner
A Members and Stakeholders Dinner will be held on the evening of 20 May for delegates attending either or both of these important full day meetings. You can register to attend this event via the link below.
Register for MPF. CONGO meeting and Dinner
** Please register to attend the MPF, CONGO meeting and Dinner here. **
“A stronger economy, a smarter nation and a fairer society” needs a longer term investment in mental health reform
The Mental Health Council of Australia has described tonight’s federal budget as a missed opportunity to continue to build on much needed investment in mental health reform.
“If Australia hopes to achieve the Treasurer’s goal of building “a stronger economy, a smarter nation and a fairer society” then we need a longer term funded plan for investing in mental health reform,” Mental Health Council of Australia CEO Frank Quinlan said tonight.
“Australians living with mental illness are still experiencing stigma, are still struggling to find appropriate services and are still falling through the cracks.”
A copy of the full media release can be found here.
Media Contact: Chris Wagner – 0434 378 939
MHCA State and Territory Consultations May 2013
In the lead up to the Federal Budget and a Federal Election in 2013, and following COAG’s late 2012 decision to establish indicators to monitor the progress of national mental health reform, the Mental Health Council of Australia (MHCA) conducted consultation workshops with members and stakeholders in all states and territories during April to ascertain short and long-term priorities for the sector. Workshops were held in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth and Alice Springs.
Mental Health Conference Funding Program – April/May 2013 Funding Round
The next funding round for grants to support mental health and suicide prevention related conferences and events to be held before 31 December 2013 will be opening shortly. Applicants may apply for up to $20,000 plus GST.
For more information about the Mental Health Conference Funding Program or to download a copy of the fact sheet/application form please click here. Applications close Friday 31 May 2013.
For further information please contact the MHCF Program Manager, Mardi Savill This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone on 02 6285 3100.
