Mental Health Carers Voice

October 2022

MHCV Team Update

Hi valued carers,

Happy Mental Health Month folks! We hope you've had the opportunity to look after your own mental health and wellbeing this month. For those that haven't yet, be sure to check out the 5 Ways to Wellbeing to find some simple ways you can prioritise yourself this month. Here's extending a big thank you to everyone that was part of ACT's Mental Health Week (8-16th), particularly the spectacular coordinating team at the Mental Health Community Coalition ACT and their community partners (including Carers ACT!). It was a pleasure to get involved in the planning of Mental Health Week and see it all come together.

The 16th of October also kicked off National Carers Week, the time of year we all get to recognise and celebrate Australia's 2.65 million carers (although every week is carers week in our eyes). Carers ACT hosted a range of exciting events to celebrate and we were glad to see so many carers participate and enjoy themselves.

MHCV have been pretty busy this month attending various events and consultations. Mental Health Carers Voice being busy...during Mental Health Month and Carers Week - surprise, surprise! Some of these events and consultations included:

Hosting a stall and presenting on how we can care for carers during Mental Health Week's Online Expo.
Organising a Priori-tea wellbeing workshop for the staff at Carers ACT.
Attending the Mental Health Month Award Ceremony as part of the Advisory Committee. The event was attended by various distinguished guests including Minister Davidson and Dr Elizabeth Moore.
Attending the launch of the Mental Health Policy Unit Visual and Decision Analytics (VIDEA) Lab.
Finishing up consultations on the Youth Mental Health Systems Modelling for University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Institute.
Raising the carer perspective at the Alcohol and Other Drug Services Commissioning Design Phase Workshops

Please note that we still have a couple of spots left for the DoNOHarm training we will be hosting on the 1st of November. If you are interested in joining this free training on safe story-telling (with morning tea provided) click here and sign up before it's too late.

As always, your voice is vital to the work we do and if you have anything you wish to share please feel free to contact us via email mhcarers@carersact.org.au.

All the best,

Catherine Joseph and Catherine Vonarx,

The Mental Health Carers Voice Team

Contents:

Carer News & Information
Reports & Research
Carer Feedback & Consultation Opportunities
Carer Services & Resources
COVID-19 Update for Carers
Upcoming Events

Get Involved

Want to be more involved in Mental Health Carers Voice's work? You can:

Sign up for our consultation list by updating your subscription settings here.
Check the consultations page on our website for upcoming opportunities.
Like us on Facebook for regular updates and opportunities.
Join our Advocacy and Policy Advisory Group, a group of mental health carers who draw on their lived experience to drive our work. Learn more.

Results of 2022 National Carer Survey released during Carers Week

With more than 2.65 million unpaid family and friend carers living in Australia, and over 50,000 living in the ACT – National Carers Week, from 16–22 October 2022 is dedicated to acknowledging and celebrating the outstanding contribution carers make to Australian society. In Australia it is estimated a total of nearly 2.2 billion hours of care are provided every year by family members and friends. The replacement value of unpaid care in Australia is estimated at over $1.5 billion per week, while carers lose on average $392,500 in lifetime income due to care commitments.

Carers ACT, CEO, Lisa Kelly said “Through the 2022 National Carer Survey we’ve heard comments like ‘caring has a huge negative impact on work life’. These comments, coupled with the findings on loss of income, super and professional opportunities really demonstrate that as a community we need to do better to support carers. Anyone can become a carer at any time, and no one should have to experience this level of disadvantage and distress in order to provide care to a loved one when needed”.

The Survey received a total of 6,826 valid responses from carers across Australia, including 113 from the ACT. This included a strong response from diverse and hidden groups of carers – including young carers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) carers and sexuality and gender diverse carers, which will enable a better understanding of the experiences and support needs of these groups.

Key findings from the 2022 National Carer Survey include:

Nationally, the average age of respondents was 59.8 years, and 3 in 4 respondents were female.
The most common group of people being cared for by respondents was people living with disability, followed by those with a chronic health condition or living with a mental illness.
Nearly half of respondents provided care to someone aged 65 years or over.
Nationally, respondents spent an average of 104 hours providing care per week, with 49% providing care 24/7. The average length of time respondents had been caring for was 12.9 years.
Around half of the carers who responded were experiencing high or very high psychological distress, and felt highly socially isolated.
Large numbers of carers reported not being asked about their own needs when accessing aged care, NDIS, and mental health services with or on behalf of the person they cared for.
1 in 2 respondents experienced financial stress and 1 in 7 experienced financial distress.
The average wellbeing of carers remains significantly lower than for the general population in Australia.

Read the full media release from Carers ACT here. The full Carers Australia 2022 National Carer Report can be found here.

Executive Summary released for Monash University report on mental health carer experiences of COVID-19

The National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum (NMHCCF) and Monash University have released the Executive Summary of their final report on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the experiences for mental health family and carers.

Earlier in the year, several mental health carers from the ACT attended the consultation the MHCV hosted for this project at our Carers ACT office. We are pleased to see that your valuable contributions have helped shape a pathway to enable joint national advocacy for mental health carers post the pandemic.

Read the Executive Summary for an overview of the project findings and recommendations here. The Final Report will be released later this year.

Framework for ACT Mental Health Workforce Strategy released

Minister Davidson has recently released the ACT Mental Health Workforce Strategy strategic framework after consultation with organisations in the ACT mental health sector, including MHCV. This will act as a guiding framework for future initiatives relating to the ACT mental health workforce.

You can check out the Framework here.

NDIS Review Update

An independent review into the National Disability Insurance Scheme has been announced by Minister Bill Shorten. The review comes as an election promise from the Labour government amidst predications that the NDIS will cost more than $50 billion by 2025–2026.

Minister Shorten pointed out that the assessment will use consultation processes to focus on improving how the scheme is being implemented, rather than cost-cutting.

Report To The Nation 2022

In partnership with Ipsos, Mental Health Australia has released its first Report to the Nation in 2022. Through a quarterly "pulse-check" and identification of key issues, this national survey will offer independent annual insight into the mental health and wellbeing of Australians. It will also serve as a platform for further advocacy on issues related to mental health and wellbeing.

The report found that mental health carers were more likely than others to have themselves been diagnosed with a mental health condition. On average, they also rated their own mental health lower than non-carers (an average of 6.4 compared to 7 out of 10).

You can read the full Report to the Nation here.

Principles for Forensic Mental Health in Australia: A National Stakeholder Consultation

With the support of the National Mental Health Commission, this report investigates stakeholder views related to national principles for forensic mental health. Australia’s National Statement of Principles for forensic mental health1 (2006 National Statement) sought to provide a foundation for a cohesive forensic mental health service system. Findings from a national consultation shows there is widespread support for a set of contemporary national principles to guide the way forensic mental health services are delivered across Australia.

Read the full consultation report here.

NDIS Engage-In Research Project

A new research partnership between the University of Sydney and People with Disability Australia (PWDA) has found people with mental health diagnoses (psychosocial disability) living in institutional settings face “significant barriers” to accessing the NDIS. The new study also highlighted the urgent need for new, ethical, and effective advocacy approaches.

You can check out the full media release by the PWDA here and read the full research project report here.

Mental Health Advisory Council positions

Emma Davidson MLA, the Minister for Mental Health and Justice Health and Dr Elizabeth Moore, Coordinator-General, Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing invite expressions of interest for the appointments to the positions of Chair and Members of the Mental Health Advisory Council. The Mental Health Advisory Council (MHAC) was established under the Mental Health Commission Act 2012 (the Act). The Council is a statutory advisory body to the Minister for Mental Health and the Coordinator-General for the Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing and, as such, does not have any decision-making authority.

Under legislation, the Mental Health Advisory Council has the following functions:

Advising the Minister and Coordinator-General on:
a. emerging or urgent mental health issues
b. mental health service reforms
c. mental health policy
d. mental health legislative change
e. anything else in relation to mental health and social and emotional wellbeing as requested by the Minister.

Job Description

Members are appointed by the Minister for Mental Health based on their individual expertise and to reflect the diversity of the ACT community. The Council brings together knowledge, skills and experience in promotion of mental health, mental health care services and addressing mental illness.

These positions will commence in March 2023 and appointments are for a three-year term.

Persons applying for appointment to the MHAC must be registered under the Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011.

How to apply

To ensure the collective membership of the MHAC holds all the skill sets required to provide strong impartial advice to the Minister, applicants should provide a current resume, a statement addressing the required personal attributes and skill sets, and the name and contact details of a professional referee.

Expressions of interest are to be submitted via email to mhacsecretariat@act.gov.au. Applications will be kept on a register for 12 months and the Minister may use this register to appoint new members should vacancies occur.

For enquiries contact the Secretariat at mhacsecretariat@act.gov.au. Closing date for applications is Friday 4 November 2022.

Northside Hospital Initial Feedback

The ACT Government is continuing to plan for a new hospital in the north of Canberra. This hospital will meet increasing demand for public hospital services in Canberra's north and future proof our health system.

Help shape the early planning and design of a new Northside Hospital by giving your feedback about what you need from a new Northside Hospital. Your feedback will be used in this early planning and design stage to consider options for the new hospital. Your views will also help inform potential funding decisions by government. Decisions about detailed design and construction approval will happen in later stages of this project over the next few years.

You can have your say by joining the activity on the YourSay page, or by coming along to one of the in-person engagement activities listed on the page. ACT Government is also holding a virtual drop-in session on Wednesday 16 November from 5.30 to 7.30pm. Register for the virtual workshop here.

Yale University’s LET(s) Lead Academy

The Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health (PRCH) in partnership with the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum (NMHCCF) and the Mental Health Lived Experience Engagement Network (MHLEEN) is recruiting up to 15 emerging leaders with lived experience of supporting someone with mental health distress to participate in the LET(s) Lead Academy, a transformational leadership development program.

They are looking for candidates with personal lived experience of caring for someone with mental health distress who want to make positive changes in their community and are interested in transformation social change.

Please visit the NMHCCF Website for more information including a flyer for more about this transformational program and submit your application before the 14th of November 2022 9:00 pm.

National Connections2022 Survey

If you were unable to attend an event during Connections2022, the National Mental Health Commission would like to invite you to complete the National Connections Survey.

This Survey is an opportunity for all Australians to have their say on the changes needed for mental health and suicide prevention system reform.

Accreditation scheme for the National Safety and Quality Mental Health Standards for Community Managed Organisations

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) is seeking feedback on the Accreditation scheme for the National Safety and Quality Mental Health (NSQMH) Standards for Community Managed Organisations (CMOs).

The NSQMH Standards for CMOs will be released in November 2022. The NSQMH Standards for CMOs describe a nationally consistent safety and quality framework that all community managed organisations providing mental health services can apply when delivering mental health care. Where implemented, consumers and carers should be able to be confident they are accessing a mental health service that is safe and of high-quality.

We invite you to attend the online information webinar and provide your feedback via a written submission.

The consultation period is open now until 11.59pm (AEDT) Friday 9 December 2022. If you have any questions about the consultation process, please contact the mental health team at: mentalhealth@safetyandquality.gov.au.

Carers ACT IT Digital Support Service for Carers

Carers ACT’s IT Digital Support Service is available in November 2022 to any carer who would like to learn more on how to use your own smart phone, laptop or tablet. You can also ask any question on your device/s.

The one-on-one sessions are available to help you increase your skills on how to use your device, build your confidence, and to find out about some of the different functions that may benefit you – all in a safe, friendly, and easy way. The service will be provided by trained volunteer digital mentors.

Some of the topics we can help you with are:

Getting started with your device
Online security
Getting organised online & the App store
Technology for entertainment, health, interests and learning.

To book for a free 60-minute session at Holt, please click here. More details will be sent to you about available times.

Office of Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategic Approach and Mental Health Action Plan Webinars

The Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing is hosting three short webinars during November to introduce the Strategic Approach and Mental Health Action Plan. Join to hear about the Office's vision and next steps for Mental Health in the ACT.

If you would like to attend, please click on the event links below. These links will allow you to pre-register and add these important dates to your Outlook calendar.

Read more here on ACT Workforce Strategy Framework, the Strategic Approach and Mental Health Action Plan. If you are unable to attend the webinars and would like to re-watch you can check out the video links on the Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing page here at the webinars section.

Mental Health Conversations with Dr Moore

Join the insightful conversations of Office of Mental Health and Wellbeing Co-ordinator General Dr Elizabeth Moore as she chats to various industry leaders about the mental health and wellbeing of Canberrans.

The collection of online conversations can be found on ACT Health's Vimeo account.

Mind Your Health Website

SBS has launched the Mind Your Health website, featuring articles, podcasts and videos in multiple languages. The website aims to share the rich diversity of cultural knowledge and experiences across communities, as well as share pathways to support good mental and physical wellbeing for all Australians.

Check out the resources on the Mind Your Health website here.

Mental Health Foundation (ACT) Annual Guitar Festival for Mental Health

Mental Health Foundation (ACT) will be hosting annual guitar festival for mental health, acknowledging and celebrating the lived experience of mental ill-health.

Duncan n. Sargeant lives with schizophrenia, depression & anxiety. He is also a highly accomplished musician, songwriter and storyteller. Each year Duncan and friends host 3 concerts across the final weekend of Mental Health Month to promote good mental health. He uses his platform to bust myths, break down stigma and promote help seeking with funds raised used to support others with a mental ill-health.

Catch the final concert on Sunday the 30th October – “3 Guitars, No Vocals” located at Wesley Music Centre, Forrest @3pm. You can book your tickets here.

Recommended COVID-19 measures in the ACT

The ACT Government continues to encourage you to:

Keep up to date with your vaccinations, and get a booster if you are eligible.
Continue to test for COVID-19 if you have symptoms, and follow isolation requirements if you return a positive test or are a close contact of a positive case.
Work from home if you have any COVID-19 symptoms or you are a close contact of a positive case. Canberrans at greater risk of serious illness should speak to their employers about working-from-home arrangements.
Masks are mandated in high-risk settings and for high-risk individuals outside their homes.

For more information visit the ACT Government COVID-19 website.

Events Coming Up

DoNOHarm Training

1 November, 10 AM

Carers ACT Holt

Mental Health Northside Carer Support Group

1 November, 5 PM

Carers ACT Holt

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