CoMHWA
News Update – 5th August 2014
Promoting, Supporting and Coordinating Consumer Voice
Ph: (08) 9321 4994Fax: (08) 9226 3893Post: PO Box 1078 West Perth WA 6872
Email: Office: 13 Plaistowe Mews West Perth (City West complex)
CoMHWA News and Events
Recovery in Hand: Communities of Recovery Workshop
Date: Wednesday 10th September
Time: 1pm – 4pm
Venue: The Rise, Function Suite, 28 Eighth Avenue, Maylands
Come and learn about Recovery Rocks Community and network and connect with others in their recovery. See flyer enclosed for more info.
Mental Health Consumer Representative Training Information Session
CoMHWA is running a free information session for consumers who are interested in becoming a consumer representative, or would simply like to know more about consumer representation. All welcome.
Date: 18th August
Time:
Venue:
Cost: Free. Tea, coffee and light snacks provided.
RSVP: No RSVP needed.
TheMHS Volunteers
Consumers of Mental Health WA (CoMHWA) is currently taking Expressions of Interest for volunteers at The Mental Health Services Conference (TheMHS) Consumer Forum Day on August 26th. Please see flyer enclosed for more info.
TheMHS Consumer Scholarships
CoMHWA is pleased to be able to offer 10 x Day Passes for Consumers wishing to attend TheMHS. For more information see the flyer attached.
Mental Health Consumer Representative Training
CoMHWA is offering Consumer Representative Training for new and upcoming representatives, experienced representatives and service professionals to develop awareness and skills for effective consumer participation in mental health services. To register to attend this training see the flyer enclosed.
CoMHWA Have Your Say Health, Income and Employment
We want to hear from you about your experiences of Centrelink, Centrelink benefits and employment as we prepare our responses to these major issues. There are several options for having your say: Phone, email, or Complete our Survey. We hope you can spare time to contribute your views on these important aspects of recovery.
Editor’s note: If you would like a copy of the survey please contact the CoMHWA office on 9321 4994 and we will post one out to you, alternatively please visit our website.
Speaker’s Bureau- Expression of Interest
CoMHWA is now taking Expressions of Interest for volunteers to join our Speaker’s Bureau. If you are interested in using your lived experience story to inspire others, shape better understanding in our current and future mental health professionals, and raise community awareness that recovery is possible, then please consider registering your interest. Experience not necessary as training is provided.
Editor’s note: If you would like a copy of the registration form please contact the CoMHWA office on 9321 4994 and we will post one out to you, alternatively please visit our website.
Specific Lived Experience Register Now Open- Invitation to Join
CoMHWA has identified that some voices are not getting a chance to be heard, simply because services and people with the right lived experience can’t always find each other. If you have specific lived experience that is often harder to hear, or under-represented, please consider joining the Register. Previous experience as a representative is not required, as training will be provided.
Editor’s note: If you would like a copy of the registration form please contact the CoMHWA office on 9321 4994 and we will post one out to you, alternatively please visit our website.
E-Consultative Network- Invitation to Join
We are seeking consumers who have time to volunteer to offer comment, opinion and feedback through a dedicated, email-based network.The network will allow for ‘fast’ or specific consultations to complement the broader consultations in our newsletter. To become an e-network volunteer, simply send an email to titled ‘Request to join the E-Network’.
These opportunities are open on an ongoing basis and have been published on our website.
COMHWA Board Announcement
CoMHWA is pleased to announce that our Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Tuesday, 28th October 2014, at The Rise, 28 Eight Avenue Maylands. Please arrive and register at 5:30pm, and enjoy light refreshments with us before the AGM commences at 6:00pm.
CoMHWA is seeking to fill Board vacancies of Individual Members, as per our Constitution, which will result from the expiry of term of some current Board Members. We welcome expressions of interest (EOI) from Individual Members to fill these Board vacancies. Please visit the CoMHWA website to view the Board Member EOI.
The Board would like to thank Tina Ward for her valuable contribution as an Associate Member, Board Member, and Office Bearer to CoMHWA. With regret, we accept her resignation from the CoMHWA Board effective Monday 28th July 2014. We welcome the casual appointment of an Associate Member, Sten Soderstrom, to the Board to fill this vacancy.
CoMHWA has performed a review of our Constitution, and has identified a number of changes for you to consider. The Board will be recommending some Constitutional changes to facilitate the effectiveness of our organisation. Approval by Members of proposed changes is required, and we will call an Extraordinary General Meeting later in the year (or possibly early next year) for you to consider and vote on our recommendations.
The Board attended 2 of the 3 modules of Governance Foundations for the Not for Profit Director through the Australian Institute of Company Directors in July 2014. Board Members from the WA Association for Mental Health were also in attendance at the training, and this nurtured a valuable exchange of information and ideas.
CoMHWA is proud WA Mental Health Commission is undertaking a process for our organisation to become a preferred provider, which is expected to be completed by December 2014.
CoMHWA continues to work collaboratively within the mental health sector to achieve shared outcomes for our members and stakeholders. We are entering the process to negotiate the terms of the new service agreement
Consultations
Speak Your Mind ABC Open Project
Date:14July – 31st October 2014
The Speak Your Mind project is an opportunity for people with lived experience of mental health issues to share stories of survival and resilience among those with lived experience of mental health issues. Anyone can contribute their story. ABC Open provides opportunities for people with no prior media experience, especially those from regional communities, to contribute to online media, with assistance from regional media coordinators. Find out more about ABC Open at
Health Care Experiences of People with Intellectual Disability: Research Project
Dr Danielle Newton, Deakin University
Are you a person with an intellectual disability and mental illness or a primary caregiver to someone with an intellectual disability and mental health issues?
Dr Danielle Newton and other researchers at Deakin University would like to invite you to take part in a project about the health care experiences of people with intellectual disability and mental health issues and their caregivers.
This research project isinterested in finding out about your experiences of using health services and your experiences of understanding and using health care information. It is hoped that the informationgathered from this project can be used to improve health care for people with intellectual disability and mental health challengesand their carers.
. The interview would take between 30 minutes to 1 hour. You will be given a $30 Coles-Myer gift card as a thank you for talking to us.
This project has been approved by the Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee (2014-127).
If you would like to take part or would like to know more, contact theproject Research Assistant, Ms Jeretine Tan: T:(03) 9251 7292 E:
WACOSS, CHCWA and Shelter WA: Consultation: Housing and Homelessness
When:Thursday, 7th August 2014
Time: 10am – 12.30pm Registrations from 9:45am
Where:SouthCare Inc. 54 Bickley Crescent Manning (cnrPether Rd and Bickley Cr)
Cost: Free
Further information: Megan WorsdellStrategy Advisor, Housing and Homelessness, WACOSS (08) 94207222
Registration inquiries: WACOSS Reception (08) 9420 7222
The Western Australian Council of Social Service, Shelter WA and the Community Housing Coalition invite you to our 2014 Housing and Homelessness Consultation.
We are calling on you to be a part of the discussion about the emerging issues around housing affordability, the critical gaps in homelessness services and the housing needs of disadvantaged citizens in our community.
This consultation helps set our policy and advocacy priorities for the coming year and will inform our separate Pre-Budget Submissions.
Of Interest
CoMHWAs Consumer Representatives FAQS now on our website
CoMHWA has published 3 new factsheets for Consumer Representatives, Services and Service Funders. Included in these fact sheets is information on payments, representative roles and consumer rights. To view the fact sheets please visit our website:
Knowmore: Free legal help to navigate the Royal Commission
knowmore is an independent service giving free legal advice to people who are considering telling their story or providing information to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Our mission is to help each person who comes to us:
· understand the powers and procedures of the Royal Commission
· understand the legal issues and legal options relevant to him or her
· feel supported to make an informed decision about interacting with the Royal Commission
· be enabled to tell their story or provide information to the Royal Commission if they choose to do so.
Through this work it is our goal to help prevent child sexual abuse from occurring in institutions in the future.
ASCA Professional Support Line 1300 657 380
Publication of the National Mental Health Core Capabilities
Health Workforce Australia is pleased to advise of the publication of the National Mental Health Core Capabilities.
The capabilities are intended to support both good practice and workforce innovation and reform in the mental health sector.The publication can be downloaded from the HWA website at:
The capabilities complement the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce (2013) (practice standards); the National Mental Health Standards (2010) (service standards); and discipline specific standards. The practice standards, service standards and capabilities should work together to support the ongoing development and implementation of good practice, and to guide continuous quality improvement in mental health services.
HWA will cease operations in early August, and will support the transfer of this project over to the Commonwealth Department of Health.
Framework for Mental Health in Multicultural Australia
The Framework for Mental Health in Multicultural Australia: Towards culturally inclusive service delivery has now been published online. The Framework provides a free tool for mental health and drug and alcohol services to evaluate and continue to improve the cultural appropriateness and responsiveness of services and is based on the National Standards for Mental Health Services and the National Safety and Quality Health Services Standards. For more information visit
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership in Mental Health Group
Reproduced courtesy MHCA 25/04/14
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership in Mental Health (NATSILMH) Group is a new body that has coalesced around a core group of senior Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working in social and emotional wellbeing, mental health and suicide prevention. Most are based in, or associated with, the Australian mental health commissions or other national mental health bodies. NATSILMH’s aim is to help restore, maintain and promote the social and emotional wellbeing and mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by advocating and providing advice and leadership in these areas. It also aims to reduce the high rates of suicide among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NATSILMH’s priority work is to lead and provide advice in the above areas for the mental health commissions of Australia.
Events
*Change of Date* Diversity Dialogues Forum: Health, Health Care and Culture - Mental Health: 19 Aug
The Health Consumers' Council and Community West invite you to attend August's Diversity Dialogues forum which will focus on exploring concepts, cultural interpretations around mental health and how these may be able to inform practice in western service provision with regard to treatment and encouraging patient engagement.
The forum is being held on Tuesday 19th August. To RSVP email or Call 9221 3422 by Tuesday 13th of August. For further information please click on the link
Seeking Nominations for the HCC Consumer Excellence Awards
The Health Consumers’ Council Board is seeking nominations from members for their exciting new awards to recognise the unsung heroes behind the scenes in WA Health. Individuals/Groups can be nominated for the 12 Awards.Please click on the link to download the nomination form. Send the completed form to or post to GPO Box C134, PERTH WA 6839.
Brain Injury Awareness Week 10th – 17th August 2014
BangOnABarbie
Headwest WA is holding a Bang on a Barbie fundraiser in Fremantle to raise awareness of brain injury in our community. Listen to Spirit of the Streets choir, enjoy a BBQ, join Scitech with interactive experiments and Knit a Neuron activity.
CoMHWA will be stallholding on the day, so please feel free to come along and visit us!
Venue: Fremantle Town Hall
Date & Time: Saturday 16th August, 12-3pm
Cost: Free
Who can attend: All welcome
Headwest Open Day- Learn about Rehabilitation after Brain Injury
About: Headwest will be holding an open day to discuss Rehabilitation after a Brain Injury.As part of the day, special guest speaker Dr Dade Fletcher MD, FAFRM Head of Service, Rehabilitation, Fiona Stanley Hospital and Head of Department, Rehabilitation Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Shenton Park Campus, will talk about the new State Rehabiltation Service to be opened at Fiona Stanley Hospital in October 2014.
Venue: Headwest, 645 Canning Highway, Alfred Cove
Date & Time: Monday 11 August from 11am-2:00pm
Cost: Free
Who can attend: All welcome. Fully accessible. Morning tea and light lunch provided.
RSVP: By 4th August on (08) 9330 6370 or email
TheMHS Consumer ForumDay and TheMHS Conference Programsreleased
The Mental Health Services Conference (TheMHS) consumer forum (August 26th)is now available on the TheMHS website. To view the program follow: Tickets to the event are $50.
To view the conference program, please view the website:
Editors note: If you would like a copy of the programs posted out to you please contact CoMHWA.
Would You Like To Create Positive Change In Health Care?
The Next Health Consumers' Representative Skills Development Workshop is on Wednesday 20th August 2014. The workshop covers topics including Consumer Participation in the health sector, Consumer Representation on Committees and/or Boards, understanding and applying Systemic Advocacy and report writing.
On completion you will have a better understanding of how to effectively contribute a health consumer opinion and of your rights and responsibilities as a health consumer.
Date: 20th August
Time: 10AM – 2PM
Venue: Unit 6, Wellington Fair, 40 Lord St, East Perth
Cost: FREE
To book please contact or call 9221 3422 by COB Wednesday 13th August,2014
Richmond Fellowship Training
CoMHWA now has an agreement with Richmond Fellowship which means we can now offer consumers complimentary places to selected training sessions. If you see a training you would like to attend, please contact CoMHWA and we will do our best to secure you a place * very limited places available*
Richmond Fellowship Training: Making Real Connection & Who Am I to Help You?
Date: Wednesday 13th August
Time: Part 1: 9AM – 12.30PM & Part 2: 1PM – 4.30PM
Venue: RFWA Training Room, 32 Burton Street, Cannington
Part 1 - Making Real Connection
Part 2 - Who Am I To Help You?
To find out more about individual sessions and bookings visit RF website choose the ‘TRAINING’ tab, contact RF on 08 9350 8800.
Richmond Fellowship Training: Trauma Informed Care & Person Centred Risk & Safety
Date:14th August
Time:Part 1 9AM – 12.30PM & Part 2 1PM – 4.30PM
Venue:RFWA Training Room, 32 Burton Street, Cannington
Part 1 - Trauma Informed Care
Part 2 - Person-Centred Risk & Safety
To find out more about individual sessions and bookings visit RF website choose the ‘TRAINING’ tab, contact RF on 08 9350 8800.
Richmond Fellowship Training: An Introduction to the Recovery Approach & Recovery in a World Context
DATE: 12 AUGUST 2014
Time: Part 1: 9AM – 12.30PM & Part 2: 1PM – 4.30PM
Venue: RFWA Training Centre, 32 Burton Street Cannington
To find out more about individual sessions and bookings visit RF website choose the ‘TRAINING’ tab, contact RF on 08 9350 8800.
Richmond Fellowship Training: The Hearing Voices Approach – Free Information Session
Date: Thursday 24th July
Time: 6PM – 7.30PM
Venue: RFWA Training Centre, 32 Burton Street, Cannington
When we are talking about voices, visions and other sensory experiences, we are talking about people hearing, seeing and sensing things that other people around them do not.
Brought to you by The Hearing Voices Network of Western Australia.A Program of Richmond Fellowship of Western Australia.
Please call 9350 8800 or email for more information or to register.
Well ways MI Recovery Introduction Session
Date: Monday 18th August
Time: 10.30AM – 1PM
You are invited to an introductory session to learn more about Well Ways MI Recovery which will assist you to decide whether or not MI Recovery is right for you.
MI Recovery is a free program for persons with mental illness.
Location: Training Room, Mental Illness Fellowship WA, Level 3/9 The Avenue (cnr Keane St), Midland WA
RSVP: by Tuesday 11th August to Sharon Karas on 9237 8900 or
By email to:
(You must RSVP to attend the Well Ways MI Recovery Introductory Session)
Consumer Workforce Opportunities
Peer Support Officer in the PHaMs Cockburn Team
Arafmi is looking for a PHaMs (Personal Helper and Mentors) Peer Support Worker to use lived experience with mental health and recovery to engage with and assist/support consumers through their recovery journey. The position will be based in our Cockburn office, in a friendly, rapidly growing organisation.