News
MHACA Beanie wins at Alice Springs Beanie Festival 2016
CONGRATULATIONS To our Participants and Staff on winning the Inaugural Nancy Hall Mad Cap Prize at the 2016 Alice Springs Beanie Festival! Thanks to Jude Mapleson for guiding us to our win.
MHACA staff complete Certificate IV in Mental Health
Congratulations to our staff – Sharon Harris, Shannon Toombs, Samantha Alampi, Be Ward, Daniel Tavai and Mike Cassidy – for successfully completing Certificate IV in Mental Health at Charles Darwin University. At MHACA we are committed to excellence and proudly support staff and participants to achieve their goals and aspirations. Pictured below are Ashesh Patel
Changed services at MHACA due to Storm Damage
Our premises have suffered damage from the storms that hit Alice Springs on Friday 17th June 2016. MHACA continues to offer limited services as a result. From Wednesday 29th June MHACA will open its Day to Day Living activities and Drop In Centre at its premises from 9am to 2pm Monday to Friday. Our Support
Day to Day Living June 2016 Calendar Now Out!
MHACA offers a fantastic range of activities as part of our Day to Day Living program. Click on the calendar link below to see what’s on offer in June 2016. D2DL June 2016 Calendar Please contact us on 8950 4600 for further information, or if you would like to attend an activity.
Schizophrenia Awareness Week Wellness Walk
Some shots of our Wellness Walk on Sunday 22 May 2016. We had about 80 people walk with us. Thank You all for your support.
Day to Day Living May 2016 Calendar Released!
MHACA offers a fantastic range of activities as part of our Day to Day Living program. Click on the calendar link below to see what’s on offer in May 2016. D2DL May 2016 Calendar Please contact us on 8950 4600 for further information, or if you would like to attend an activity.
MHACA Awarded Gold Mental Health First Aid Skilled Workplace Accreditation!
MHACA has been awarded a Gold badge for the Small Workplaces category, for having maintained a ratio of 40% of staff with a current Mental Health First Aid Certificate! We’re proud to report that currently 16 of our 21 staff have completed Mental Health First Aid in the last three years.
MHACA delivers a Suicide Story Workshop in Tennant Creek
Suicide Story was delivered in Tennant Creek earlier this year. A record number of people completed the program, with 24 people receiving certificates of attainment. Everyone who participated in this workshop found it to be worthwhile. According to Tennant Creek based Facilitator Valda Shannon ‘It really lit my fire being at this workshop among my
Day to Day Living Calendar for April 2016 released
MHACA offers a fantastic range of activities as part of our Day to Day Living program. Click on the calendar link below to see what’s on offer in March 2016. D2DL April 2016 Calendar Please contact us on 8950 4600 for further information, or if you would like to attend an activity.
International Women’s Day – Tuesday 8 March
MHACA attended a fantastic International Women’s Fair Day event on the Alice Springs Hospital Lawns on Tuesday 8 March. An initiative of Tangentyere Council and the Alice Springs Women’s Shelter for International Women’s Day, the fair celebrated the talents and hard work of women from Alice Springs and town camp communities. The MHACA stall asked
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If you're struggling mentally at the moment or are feeling down seeing your GP is always a good first action to take. This is a good article that describes the process of seeing a GP and what is involved in getting a mental health care plan. Whilst it has some focus on Victoria, the information is still very relevant to here in the NT.
theconversation.com/want-to-see-a-therapist-but-dont-know-where-to-start-heres-how-to-get-a-menta...
Want to see a therapist but don't know where to start? Here's how to get a mental health plan
theconversation.com
It can be daunting trying to work out how to get help with your mental health.Comment on Facebook It can be daunting ...
Be nice and actually helpful if it wasn’t capped at 10 sessions.
Have a look at the new WellMob website which provides online social, emotional and cultural wellbeing resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.
wellmob.org.au/
This week has been Homelessness Week. MHACA is a member of NT Shelter and supports a fairer housing deal for all Territorians. Find more information at ntshelter.org.au/
Help to improve access to mental health support services in the NT. You are invited to take part in a survey looking at ideas for a website that will help guide Territorians to the appropriate mental health support networks and services based on their needs. The NT PHN is looking to engage with Territorians who have experienced mental health challenges and/or have cared for someone struggling with their mental health.
Take the survey at www.ntphn.org.au/consumer-survey-mental-health?fbclid=IwAR3m5DUc2oFm-QF8j7mUejLI8FqnxuSlq13bTssLz...
The Mental Health Association of Central Australia (MHACA) has announced the launch of a pilot project called ‘Collaborative Living on Arrernte Country’ (CLOAC) in response to an identified urgent need for an intensive supported housing program for people with severe and enduring mental illness.
MHACA estimates there to be at least 30 people with significant mental illness who are homeless or insecurely housed in Alice Springs. These individuals face significant barriers to securing long term accommodation options including lack of appropriate housing options, exclusion from the market and unclear and inconsistent referral pathways.
The new intensive support and housing program is an exciting development for people experiencing homelessness in Alice Springs. It will be delivered in collaboration with clinical mental health services, the Department of Housing, Anglicare NT and the Central Australian Affordable Housing Company (CAAHC), with the support of the NT Department of Health.
The program will support people who require an intensive supported living arrangement but are not suited to an NDIS Supported Independent Living style of service. The trial will begin in September 2020 and will run for two years with the aim of supporting approximately ten participants during that time.
This week is Homelessness Week. Join MHACA, Alice Springs Youth Accommodation and Support Services Inc, Women's Safety Services of Central Australia, and NT Shelter at the community BBQ on Flynn Church Lawns, 12-2pm Tuesday 4th August.
Homelessness Week is the annual awareness-raising week to highlight the 116,000 Australians who are homeless on any given night. The theme for 2020 is ‘Everybody needs a home’. More information at ntshelter.org.au/homelessness-week/
#HW2020
Tenancy Support Worker
Applications close 4pm Monday 10th August
MHACA is a specialist psychosocial recovery and mental health promotion organisation with a strong presence and reputation in the community.
In keeping with MHACA’s vision, the Tenancy Support Program is responsible for the delivery of client-centred case management for individuals and families, with a focus on achieving sustainable tenancies.
This service is specifically tailored to those living with significant mental health issues, who are eligible for public housing in terms of income but are not eligible for other available tenancy support services to help sustain their tenancy or gain new accommodation.
The Tenancy Support Worker works closely with their immediate team, the Pathways to Recovery staff and the Programs Manager to implement the Tenancy Support Program and assist program participants to obtain and maintain tenancies with MHACA, Department of Housing, private rental or other housing providers.
For a full job description and how to apply please go to mhaca.org.au/tenancy-support-worker/
Healthy Bodies Support Healthy Minds! We had a great Participant Pamper Day at MHACA. Participants shared a healthy lunch whilst receiving some lifestyle tips from Marilyn Kleeman from Inspired Health and Wellbeing, then received haircuts, nail manicures and seated massages. Participants also received a pamper pack. A big thankyou to Mombasa Day Spa and Hair Lounge, and Steve and Cocoa for the massages.
