Mental Health ACT - Community based & regional services
Operating from the four regional health centres, the multi-disciplinary teams in each centre provide assessment and treatment for adults and children with mental health needs. Rehabilitation services include clinical programs, pre-vocational programs and supported community involvement.

Adult regional teams

Belconnen Mental Health Unit
Phone 6205 1110
Fax 6205 0988
Level 3, Swanson Plaza,
Swanson Court, Belconnen.

City Mental Health Unit
Phone 6205 1338
Fax 6205 1160
Address: Level 2, City Health Building,
Corner Moore and Alinga Streets, Canberra City.

Tuggeranong Mental Health Unit
Phone 6205 2777
Fax 6205 2900
Tuggeranong Health Centre
Anketell Street, Greenway.

Woden Mental Health Unit
Phone 6205 1488
Fax 6205 2650
Phillip Health Centre
Corner Corinna and Keltie Streets, Woden.

Information for Carers:
Commonwealth Carer
Resource Centre
For information, counselling appointments and to order a free Carer information kit
1800 242 636*

Commonwealth Carer
Respite Centre
For all your respite enquiries
1800 059 059*

Commonwealth
Carelink Centre
For information on available services
1800 052 222*

Mental Health in the Media:
Here are some links to interesting articles about Mental Health and related issues:

· Beaten black and blue
The Sydney Morning Herald [New South Wales, AUSTRALIA] 5 April 2009
"It is particularly important when public figures like Paul Menzies QC and Geoff Gallup speak openly about the black dog, because then its bark will announce and warn of its bite."

· One lawyer’s short story about depression
The Complete Lawyer [U.S.A.] 15 April 2009
"Major depression really knocks your feet out from underneath you (literally). It can be difficult just rolling out of bed. Days and nights are filled with obsessive rumination that acts like a mental whirlpool, driving the sufferer ever deeper into a vortex of hopelessness. Those struggling with major depression know for a fact that their lives will not and cannot get any better. For those made supine by this despair, antidepressant medication can be a literal life saver. Rather than elevating mood, these drugs put a floor underneath one’s mood so the whirlpool is shut off and the experience of an endless psychic descent ceases."

· The fear factor
The Scotsman [Scotland, U.K.] 15 April 2009
"Fortunately, there is help out there and things we can do to improve our mental state. ‘There are some basic steps to take,’ says Richardson. ‘It's important to have some sort of structure and purpose to your day, and to take regular exercise. Talk about your feelings so you're not bottling it up, and if you find you're going round in circles talk to a professional. They can help you challenge negative thoughts.’ "

· Schizophrenia: take a walk on the road to recovery
The Chronicle Herald [Nova Scotia, CANADA] 16 April 2009
"There remains much stigma and discrimination associated with schizophrenia, even when a person living with the illness is very well along in their recovery journey. Stigma can be defined as a negative attitude – characterized by a lack of compassion – towards someone living with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia and psychotic disorders continue to be stigmatized because having a mental illness somehow implies a distinction from being physically unwell, although, as neuroimaging studies have recently shown, the two are intimately entwined. To some, the term ‘mental’ also suggests something besides a legitimate medical condition, something that results from the person’s own doing. That somehow the person should just get over it."

· A life pieced together
The Observer [U.K.] 19 April 2009
"In another sense, though, jigsaws are a red herring. Drabble suffers from depression, and jigsaw puzzles are one of her strategies for dealing with this melancholy. They are a balm; a problem that can always be solved; an escape from words."

Government Announces Inquiry Into Homelessness Legislation

Minister for Housing, Tanya Plibersek today announced that the House of Representatives Standing
Committee on Family, Community, Housing and Youth will hold an inquiry into homelessness legislation.
The announcement follows the Rudd Government’s Homelessness White Paper – which provides an additional $1.2 billion over four years as a down payment on a 12 year reform agenda to halve homelessness by 2020.
A further $6.4 billion from the Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan will deliver 20,000 new social housing dwellings to help achieve this target.
The White Paper noted the Government’s intention to introduce new legislation to replace the Supported Accommodation Assistance Act 1994.
“The Rudd Government has made addressing homelessness a national priority and the White Paper delivers an additional $1.2 billion over four years for homelessness services,” Ms Plibersek said.
“Improved legislation will help deliver consistent national standards, ensuring people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness receive quality services and adequate support to meet their needs.
“The White Paper noted that while the SAAP Act sets out important principles that have guided the response to homelessness since 1985, the national focus on homelessness provides a good opportunity to strengthen this legislation.
“I have asked that the Committee give particular consideration to the principles which should underpin services for Australians who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and the role legislation could play in improving services.
“The ABS estimates that on any given night, there are 105,000 homeless people in Australia. Reducing homelessness will take a sustained effort by all levels of government, business, charities and the community.
“Australians experiencing homelessness face a greater risk of physical and mental problems than their peers. We cannot allow these vulnerable Australians to miss out on quality services and support when they need it most. I urge interested parties to make thoughtful submissions to the inquiry.”
The Committee will report by December 2009 to allow consideration of outcomes of the Australian Government’s National Human Rights Consultation, which is due to report at the end of August.
Submissions addressing the terms of reference are being sought by the committee by Friday 14 August
2009. Terms of reference and Committee guidance for making submissions can be found at:
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/fchy/homelessness/index.htm
Media contact: Darrin Barnett 0428 119 703
Thursday June 18, 2009

Glimpses – A compilation of uncensored real life experiences with Mental Illness

I continue to put together the manuscript of personal experiences with mental illness for free distribution to Carers, Consumers, Educators and Clinicians, in hope of increasing awareness and reducing stigma surrounding mental illness AND it would be great to include your story.
The manuscript is called Glimpses and an updated version is distributed electronically quarterly (if new stories have been received). Several Universities use this manuscript as a course resource; it is posted on websites nationally and internationally.
I am inviting you to submit your Consumer or Carer story on your personal experiences with: - Anxiety Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Depression Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, PTSD and any other MI I have overlooked. I would especially like some stories from people in their late teens and early 20's.
Glimpses already contains several stories on Bipolar, Schizophrenia and Anorexia, but I will continue adding stories on these illnesses.
The average length of stories so far are 6 to 15 pages. However I do have those that are 3 pages and one that is 32 pages long.
People have told of the lead up to diagnosis, dealing with MH Services, medication issues, identifying triggers, working towards recovery and coping strategies. What and how much you want to share is up to you. Use your whole name, first name or a pseudonym, the choice is yours; but please know that your story, however you present it, could make a difference in how the world sees us. See below for my contact details.

Email, post or fax your story to:-
Nicci Wall
Mental Health Advocate
c/o 43 Browallia Drive
Rose Park
Corio Vic 3214
forwalls@xi.com.au

Global Consensus on Mental Health Survey May 20, 2009
Dear Members and Colleagues of the World Federation for Mental Health
On behalf of Professor John Copeland, President of the World Federation for Mental Health, I am inviting you to participate in a WFMH survey on “A Great Global Consensus for Mental Health.”
The purpose of this Consensus project and survey is to provide evidence to the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies, the World Bank, national governments and local authorities, donors and funding bodies, and the general public of the global mental health community’s agreed on convictions regarding the need for a much higher priority for mental health and mental illnesses at all sectors of government.
WFMH believes that governments and policy makers must be confronted by a united mental health advocacy constituency to demand increased recognition of the personal, family, social and economic burden of mental illnesses, and to make the commitment of effort and resources needed to improve services, reduce stigma and discrimination, and promote the mental and emotional wellbeing of all citizens in every country.
We encourage you to take a few minutes to provide your voice to this effort by completing this survey. Click on the link below:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=kV6vaogzpS7AC_2bdG6la0xg_3d_3d
It is our hope that this survey can be distributed to as many persons as possible, therefore we have included at the bottom of this message a "Forward to a Friend" link so that you can pass it on to your colleagues.
With deep appreciation for your interest and commitment to the cause of mental health,

Preston J. Garrison
Secretary-General & Chief Executive Officer
World Federation for Mental Health
12940 Harbor Drive
Suite 101
Woodbridge VA 22192-2930 USA
+1-703-494-6515, Extension 203
+1-703-494-6518 (Fax)
pgarrison@wfmh.com

"WFMH: 60 Years of Advocacy to Make Mental Health a Global Priority - 1948 - 2008"
2008 World Mental Health Day theme - "Making Mental Health a Global Priority: Scaling Up Services through Citizen Advocacy and Action"

ABS National Health Survey - Mental Health results
The ABS has released information from the National Health Survey.
Further details can be found at,
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4364.0?OpenDocument
Relevant mental health part is cut and pasted below

SUMMARY HEALTH INDICATORS
Results of the 2007-08 National Health Survey (NHS) showed that in both 2007-08 and 2004-05 11% of respondents reported having a long term mental or behavioural problem that was identified by a medical professional. The most commonly reported problems were classified into two groups, anxiety related problems such as phobias (3% of males and 4% of females) and mood (affective) problems such as depression (6% of males and 9% of females).
To complement the data on long term conditions, additional information on mental health was collected from adult respondents using the Kessler 10 Scale (K10), a 10 item scale of current psychological distress. The K10 asks about negative emotional states in the four weeks prior to interview. The results from the K10 are grouped into four categories: low (indicating little or no psychological distress); moderate; high; and very high levels of psychological distress. Based on research from other population studies, a very high level of psychological distress, as shown by the K10, may indicate a need for professional help. For more information on the Kessler Psychological distress scale see Chapter 3 - Health Status Indicators in the National Health Survey: Users' Guide. cat no.4363.0.55.001.
A little over two-thirds (67%) of adults were classified to low levels of current psychological distress, 21% to moderate levels, 9% to high levels and 4% to very high levels. Since the 2004-05 NHS those classified in the high or very high levels has not changed. However those classified as having a low level of distress has increased from 63% in 2004-05. Proportionally fewer males than females, across most age groups shown in this publication, reported high to very high levels of distress. Of those who had very high levels of distress, 60% were female.
Thirty seven percent of adults reported that they had used some medication (pharmaceutical medication and/or vitamins, minerals or herbal treatments) for their mental wellbeing in the previous 2 weeks. Of those using medications for mental wellbeing, 72% reported using antidepressants, 27% used sleeping tablets and 23% used medications for anxiety or nerves. Use of medications for those who reported a mental wellbeing condition was higher overall in older age groups (55% of persons aged 65 years and over compared with 19% of those aged less than 35 years).

Carer respite and support services – Increase funding
$16.7 MILLION FOR MENTAL HEALTH RESPITE AND CARER SUPPORT SERVICES (FED)

The Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, announced the Australian Government is providing an additional $16.7 million over three years for community mental health carer respite and increased family support services for people with a mental illness. Sixteen National Respite Development Fund (NRDF) organisations across Australia will receive new funding to help develop and deliver coordinated, flexible and responsive respite, carer and family support services for people with a mental illness. This funding will contribute to addressing unmet demand for respite and support services for carers of people with a mental illness in targeted areas of high need and for vulnerable groups, including Indigenous Australians. This new funding will provide an additional 125,000 hours of respite and support to 3,500 carers and their families.

No place like Home
Author: By Carmen McIntosh nDEVELOPMENT
Publisher: The Canberra Times

HOME in Queanbeyan, or rather its location, has caused heated debate in the community since it was approved by Queanbeyan City Council two weeks ago. A community driven initiative, the facility will provide accommodation and 24-hour care for people with chronic mental illness. The facility was approved eight votes to one in May.
While most residents appear to support the concept, there has been some opposition to the location on Rutledge Street, with concerns raised about its proximity to schools and the CBD. In a recent online poll conducted by The Queanbeyan Age, 83 per cent of respondents were in favour of the location of Home in Queanbeyan in Rutledge Street, while 16 per cent were not. On May 22 The Queanbeyan Age published letters from two residents who were concerned the facility would result in anti-social behaviour and they expressed outrage that children might be approached by the residents of the facility.
Queanbeyan resident June Ashby said her blood boiled when she read the letters. For a number of years, Ms Ashby has indirectly been involved with St Benedict's Community Centre, which currently serves as a drop in centre for Queanbeyan's homeless and for those with a mental illness. Ms Ashby is a member of the Queanbeyan Activities Centre, a companionship and recreation group for the elderly and retired, which shares its facilities with the St Benedict's Community Day Centre two days a week.
Ms Ashby said those who used the services of the St Benedict's Day Centre were very kind and she had never seen trouble in her time there. ''Some of them are not that savvy where looking after themselves is concerned, but they are no danger, there is not a criminal bone amongst them,'' she said. ''And they are already spread out throughout the community.
''I don't think some of these critics would even know a mentally ill person if they walked along beside them.'' Ms Ashby said she thought it was important to have a place like Home in Queanbeyan to offer people with a mental illness relational support. ''I think it's very important for these people to talk with them and to listen to them and to show them that they are no less human beings than we are,'' she said.
''I think they need to be treated with compassion by the whole community.'' Home in Queanbeyan will begin construction later this month. It will host a business breakfast on June 24 to generate support for the project, which will be followed by a turning of the sod ceremony, symbolising the official start of construction.