News
Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health Draft Report Release
The Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health Draft Report was released 31st October. The Productivity Commission estimated that mental illness costs Australia $180 billion annually. It noted that the rate of mental health presentations at emergency departments has risen by about 70 per cent over the past 15 years. The draft report has “documented long-standing
NDIS Support Coordinator
NDIS Support Coordinator ABOUT MHACA MHACA is a specialist psychosocial recovery and mental health promotion organisation with a strong presence and reputation in the community. We strive to make a difference in the lives of people with a mental illness by supporting participant-driven mental health recovery and assisting communities and organisations to actively improve their
Group Activities Calendar November
The MHACA Group Activities program is a community based program which aims to improve the quality of life for individuals with mental illness by offering structured and socially based activities. Group activities also provide an opportunity for participants to develop personally and professionally as Peers. Download the Group Activities Calendar November 2019 To participate in
Group Activities Calendar October
The MHACA Group Activities program is a community based program which aims to improve the quality of life for individuals with mental illness by offering structured and socially based activities. Group activities also provide an opportunity for participants to develop personally and professionally as Peers. Download the Group Activities Calendar October 2019 To participate in
Suicide Prevention Coordinator
Applications close September 30th. Download the position description. The Suicide Prevention Coordinator will work under the direction of the Health Promotion Unit Manager to coordinate the development and delivery of evidence-based, effective and culturally safe initiatives to support those affected by or vulnerable to suicide. The position holder will play a key role in the
Group Activities Calendar September
The MHACA Group Activities program is a community based program which aims to improve the quality of life for individuals with mental illness by offering structured and socially based activities. Group activities also provide an opportunity for participants to develop personally and professionally as Peers. Download the Group Activities Calendar September 2019 To participate in
Suicide Story Evaluation – Strong Evidence of Impact
Suicide Story is a program that was developed by the Mental Health Association of Central Australia (MHACA) in conjunction with Aboriginal people from the Central Australian and Barkly regions, following a spate of suicides in those areas in the early 2000’s. MHACA has been delivering this community capacity building approach to remote communities across the
Day 2 Day Living Calendar – July 2019
Day 2 Day Living (D2DL) is a community based program which aims to improve the quality of life for individuals with mental illness by offering structured and socially based activities. D2DL also provides an opportunity for participants to develop personally and professionally as Peers. Download the D2DL Calendar July 2019 For more information or to
NDIS Transition Leaving People With Severe Mental Illness Behind
A report recently released by Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA) highlights some of the difficulties and barriers which are being experienced by people with a psychosocial disability in applying for the NDIS. MHACA is one of two organisations in the Northern Territory that have contributed data to the research being conducted by CMHA in conjunction
Day to Day Living Calendar March-May 2019
Day 2 Day Living (D2DL) is a community based program which aims to improve the quality of life for individuals with mental illness by offering structured and socially based activities. D2DL also provides an opportunity for participants to develop personally and professionally as Peers. Download the March – April – May D2DL Calendar For more information
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Check out the latest news and upcoming events in November from MHACA mailchi.mp/effb14efbe1b/latest-news-and-upcoming-events-from-mhaca
Our Turn to Speak is a national survey that seeks to understand the life experiences of people living with severe and complex mental health issues in Australia.
So far, over 1000 people have taken the SANE Australia
national survey. Have your say! Head to the website below and find out if you are eligible to participate.
nationalstigmareportcard.com.au/
Thank you for sharing ❤️
Let's Talk About Sexuality - A FREE Workshop For Adults With A Disability.
This workshop has been designed to support adults (18+) with a cognitive disability or people on the autism spectrum to have greater understanding of sexuality and relationships.
What will we learn about at the workshop?
• What is sexuality?
• Parts of the body and how it all works
• All about sexy stuff
• Steps to building a respectful relationship
• Safety and protection
• And the rules and the laws to do with sex and relationships
Thursday 28th November - For FEMALE identifying participants. Please RSVP at events.humanitix.com.au/lets-talk-about-sexuality-females or email ndis@mhaca.org.au
Friday 29th November - For MALE identifying participants. Please RSVP at events.humanitix.com.au/lets-talk-about-sexuality-males or email ndis@mhaca.org.au
The Sexuality and Disability Workshop is a professional development workshop designed to assist respite/support workers and service providers support people with a disability to increase their understanding of sexuality, sexual health and relationships.
RSVP your place at events.humanitix.com.au/sexuality-and-disability-workshop or contact ndis@mhaca.org.au
Individuals on the autism spectrum or those with intellectual disability develop the same as any of us when it comes to sexuality. However, their unique communication and learning styles can take what is already a complex concept and make it even more perplexing!
THE WORKSHOP INCLUDES:
What is Sexuality?
What are the rights of people with a disability?
Our attitude and values?
Sex and the law
How to talk about sexuality?
Strategies for education
What to do if someone discloses sexual assault?
Morning tea and lunch will be provided.
#sexuality #disability
Tomorrow Man facilitates workshops for boys and parents in schools, and, men in sporting clubs, workplaces and communities. They explore how men can look after themselves, their mates and families better while carving out their own version of the Aussie man.
Join them for:
A NIGHT WITH THE BLOKES IN ALICE SPRINGS
6:30 PM TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2019
MINNAMURRA HALL AT ST PHILIPS COLLEGE
ULPAYA ROADALICE SPRINGS, NT,
RSVP at:
www.tomorrowman.com.au/events/blokesnightalicesprings
A Night with the Blokes in Alice Springs — Tomorrow Man | Redefining Masculinity
Join us for a couple of hours of honest and engaging conversation about the state of man in 2019 and what version of masculinity we want for tomorrow.A great article exploring the challenges for Aboriginal people with a disability living in remote communities to access and understand the NDIS.
MHACA's NDIS Transition Team is supporting Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to test their eligibility for the scheme however there has been some specific challenges for people with serious mental health conditions to access the scheme. Also for people in remote communities who don't have English as a first language the process can be difficult to understand, despite there being some good success stories.
If you know of someone with a serious mental health difficulty who needs support with applying to the NDIS contact the MHACA Transition Team ndis@mhaca.org.au 89504600
"In the Northern Territory, 52% of NDIS participants identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Nationally, the figure sits at 7.3%....
....Advocates also say there is a gap in understanding about what participants in remote communities want from the NDIS. For many, the goal will likely be staying on country and participating in ceremony, hunting, music and other cultural activities."
....While people living on country don’t expect the same level of services as those in bigger cities and accept that living remotely comes with certain realities, the dysfunction of the NDIS is making the gap even bigger for people living with disability."
#ndis #disability #mentalhealth
www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/05/the-land-the-ndis-forgot-the-remote-indigenous-com...
The land the NDIS forgot: the remote Indigenous communities losing the postcode lottery
More than half of Northern Territory participants in the disability scheme are Indigenous – and for those who live on country, isolation, culture and environment are compounded by bureaucratic hurdl...Register now for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid training 18th & 19th November which is being facilitated by MHACA. For further information or to register email training@mhaca.org.au or call 89504600
This training will teach people how to assist an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander adult who may be experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis until appropriate professional help is received or the crisis resolves, using a practical, evidence based action plan. The ATSI Mental Health First Aid training is held over 14 hours and on completion you will have the option to become an Accredited Mental Health First Aider.
#endthestigma #mentalhealth
We are inviting MHACA participants to come and be part of the visioning for next year's activities. Tomorrow - Wednesday 6th November 10am-1pm here at MHACA, 14 Lindsay Ave.
Are you addicted to your phone and screens? Is it impacting your life? You are not alone. Writer and mental health advocate Jill Stark explores the issue in Beyond Blue's In Focus series 'Am I Normal'. She says on a bad day she picked up her phone 112 times. Research tells us that Australians are spending an average of 46 hours a week glued to screens.
MHACA staff recently learnt more about this issue at the Rural and Remote Health Symposium in Adelaide from Jill Sweatman, Managing Director, Sweatman Consultancy Pty Ltd. Her presentation 'What Gaming and Social Media is Doing to Young Brains' was incredibly enlightening and concerning.
Jill has started a private Facebook group called My Positive Technology for parents and those people who are concerned about this issue.
Here's some tips for breaking your phone fixation from Jill Stark's article:
Turn your phone to grey-scale mode. Research shows the absence of colour makes social media apps less appealing and harder to find.
Take a break. Switch off your phone and take a break to exercise, meditate or spend time in nature.
Introduce Tech Breaks. Set an alarm and only check your phone every 15 minutes for one minute at a time, gradually increasing the break as you become more comfortable.
Turn off notifications.
www.beyondblue.org.au/personal-best/pillar/in-focus/am-i-normal-phone-fixation?
#mentalhealth #technologyaddiction
