Chief Minister Gallagher has the happy news that the Director-General of ACT Health, Dr Peggy Brown, has won the 2013 Margaret Tobin Award.
The Margaret Tobin Award was established in 2003, as a tribute to the memory of Dr Margaret Tobin and is made to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Fellow who [...]

As the revisions to the Mental Health (Treatment and Care) Act 1994 seem to cover a lot of issues including treatment orders, search and frisking powers and, arrest without a warrant, some people may be interested in being involved in this consultation.
Consultation on the Second Exposure Draft: Wednesday 17 April – Tuesday 28 May 2013.
The [...]

The Chief Minister has announced she now has paperwork confirming the desperate need for a secure mental health facility in Canberra:
Chief Minister and Minister for Health, Katy Gallagher today confirmed changes to plans for the ACT’s secure Mental Health Facility with reviews of planning for a secure mental health facility in the ACT confirming the [...]

Chief Minister Gallagher has opened a new Step-up, Step-down supported accommodation service for mental health treatment:
Ms Gallagher launched the sub-acute youth (18-25) Mental Health Step-up, Step-down supported accommodation service on site in Kambah.
The provision of the mental health step-up, step-down service addresses key priorities identified in the ACT Mental Health Services Plan 2009-2014.
“This [...]

In response to Masquara’s post about the NDIS this morning Joy Burch’s office has sent in this response:
The $5000 per person funding is separate to the $10.6 million from the NDIS agreement signed by the Commonwealth and ACT Governments that has been referred to in several public statements the Government has made recently.
The $5000 figure [...]

So, the term “several thousand” would have to mean “at least 3,000 families, in common parlance. Katy Gallagher has announced that $10 million will be spent on funding “several thousand” families with “$5,000 a year” under the first stage of the NDIS, “from July” with “full rollout by 2014″.
It turns out that the full rollout [...]

Joy Burch has released her Ministerial Statement on what we can expect from the National Disability Insurance Scheme later in the year:
From July 2013, the ACT and Federal governments will invest $10.6 million dollars to respond to the demand for disability and mental health services that we know exists today, and from July 2014 eligible [...]

ACT Policing has arrested a 31-year-old Macquarie man after a stand-off with police earlier today (January 16).
Around 11.40am, police attended the man’s house in Macquarie after he contacted police and made several threats.
At the house, the man armed with a machete confronted officers and made threats towards their safety.
Around 1pm the man surrendered peacefully to [...]

The Canberra Times has details of a terrifying case seeking suitable care in the ACT system.
Here are some highlights:
the Education and Training Directorate has said the boy, who has homicidal fantasies quelled by medication, is not welcome back into mainstream schools
…
The boy spent about eight months on remand after expressing homicidal fantasies after his arrest [...]

Zed and Jeremy ride again with more for mental health:
ACT Opposition Leader Zed Seselja and ACT Shadow Health Minister Jeremy Hanson announced today if elected, a Canberra Liberals Government will improve access to mental health services in the ACT. Mr Seselja said the Canberra Liberals will increase funding by $275,000 each year for the Mental [...]

The Greens’ Amanda Bresnan is seeking the reflected glory of Richard Di Natale (yes indeed, who?) while launching more health policy:
The Greens health election release today includes new funding of:
– $35 million for mental health, to support people living with a mental illness, with a focus on community-based and run services;
– $1.9 million for dental [...]

I am posting this partly as a rant and partly in the hope it will be picked up my a polly and something will be done about it. I intend to write to all candidates for all parties before the election outlining my concerns and experiences so something can be done. I don’t want sympathy [...]

The Health Directorate is kicking off a community consultation on the Mental Health (Treatment and Care) Act.
They promise that at some point you’ll be able to get busy on the Time To Talk website.
In the meantime there are a lot of documents to read.
The Summary of Proposed Changes lists these key amendments:
– If a person [...]

Hello.
I’ve been trying to find the bit of legislation that states that ACT mental health workers may not engage in sexual relations with people under their care. The bit that states that the person under care can not be considered to give consent. Googling “mental health worker sexual consent” or similar keeps coming up with [...]

My wife is a career public servant who has been driven to the verge of mental illness over the last few years by her mid-level role in the APS. It’s placed her, our family and our marriage under great stress, which we are still struggling to work through.
Her brother recently left the APS due to [...]

With the RiotACT readership so richly blessed by special people we thought this might be of interest to some of you:
The MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION ACT
is calling for participants for a new theatre project.
Please pass on to anyone who might be interested:
DRAMATIC RECOVERY
Have you ever experienced any form of mental illness?
Do you like theatre?
Would you like [...]

ANU is letting it be known that their MoodGYM and BluePages depression treatment websites are actually working and also help with drinking.
Dr Lou Farrer, from the ANU Centre for Mental Health Research, part of the ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, trialled the effectiveness of online programs MoodGYM and BluePages with users of Lifeline’s [...]

Feeling blue? Call for people experiencing depressed mood to partake in research project
Researchers at the Australian National University are examining the reliability of assessment methods commonly used in clinical and research settings. This research specifically focuses on self-report questionnaires. Although these questionnaires are relatively easy to administer there is no research examining how variables, [...]

The Open Government website has released an FOI request on suicides in the ACT by people in the care, or formerly in the care of Mental Health ACT between 2006 and 2012.
Majority men, but not overwhelmingly so. And hanging a clear favourite although carbon monoxide very popular.
Ingestion of caustic substance sounds like a particularly drawn [...]

Well with my life seriously sucking right now I went to ask for help. Over the past 6 months I’ve fronted up at the hospital to ask for mental health help. Each time I’ve been interviewed, assessed, asked lots of questions, and sent home then not called back again till weeks later. This time I [...]

Jeremy Hanson has seized upon the latest Australian Institute of Health and Welfare numbers on the mental health workforce:
This week’s Australian Institute of Health and Welfare mental health workforce report shows that the ACT has the lowest number of mental health nurses per capita in the country. ACT Shadow Health Minister Jeremy Hanson said [...]

Chief Minister Gallagher was in full blown pollyanna mode this morning announcing the Adult Mental Health Unit will be finished in “about a month”.
As announcements go “we’ll be done soon” don’t really rate.
“We’re going to build it”, “We’ve started building it”, and “We’ve opened it” are things you can sink your teeth into whereas [...]

I was wondering what peoples expierences with Headspace ACT, the youth mental health service are?
I have been provided with the great task of helping my younger sister (16) get some support.
Any ideas? Or opinions of the service mentioned above?

I am was wondering if there was any Bipolar support groups or similar in Canberra.
I have had a google and cannot seem to find anything, it would be for a friend who is in the 30ish age bracket so groups for youth wouldn’t be suitable.
Thanks heaps

ANU has announced some success with their MoodGYM and BluePages online programs treating depression:
Dr Lou Farrer, from the ANU Centre for Mental Health Research (CMHR), trialled the effectiveness of online programs MoodGYM and BluePages when used in conjunction with telephone counselling services provided by Lifeline.
Dr Farrer said there was an immediate drop in symptoms of [...]

The Health Directorate is asking for public feedback on their Consultation Draft Stage 3 Model of Care for new Adult Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit at Canberra Hospital.
Stage 3 represents the final stage in the development of the Model Of Care (MOC) and describes the clinical and support system to assist a person and [...]

I have been aware for quite some time that mentally, up top I am not quite with it. No, I’m not a mentally deranged lunatic or totally mentally handicapped, but yeah, I’m not Einstein either. I have issues with attention span, memory, thought process, the concept of time in general and I’ve got symptoms of [...]

Katy Gallagher has announced, wait for it, “a formal consultation process around staffing levels for the new Adult Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit (AAMHIU)”.
“The Health Directorate has begun a workforce consultation process which will involve discussions with health staff and consultation with health unions under Enterprise Bargaining Agreements.
“The new Adult Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit [...]

As seen on Canberra Avenue this morning.
We understand it’s Mr Bayliss of Furniture On The Roof and handstands in court fame.
Feel free to send in your caption suggestions.

3 Days, 4 Stages, Over 75 Bands and DJs, Camping, Bars, Markets, Swimming areas.
Located on the grounds of Goolabri Resort and Golf club, literally only 9mins from Dickson.
Camping will be available for free for ticket holders. If Camping isn’t your cup of tea , then buses will be running to and from the [...]

Chief Minister Gallagher has announced the results of the Personality and Total Health (PATH) Through Life Project, which will surprise few:
Stressful life events, high job insecurity and strain, and financial hardship were among the most significant contributing factors to poor mental wellbeing, according to a new report launched today by the Chief Minister and [...]

As much as I hate trial by media once again I have to report an appalling case of Canberra Hospital dropping the ball when it comes to providing mental health services.
A young family member recently overdosed on illicit drugs in a Canberra nightclub and was taken to hospital by ambulance. The next morning he [...]