News
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
NT Police learn about MHACA’s Suicide Bereavement Service during February and March 2016
Around 55 Northern Territory Police Officers attended mandatory information sessions about MHACA’s StandBy Response service over a period of five weeks in Alice Springs recently. Sessions were supported by MHACA staff talking about mental health first aid, StandBy Response team members sharing their experiences and Headspace School Support providing additional information about their role in
Day to Day Living March 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 March 2016. D2DL March 2016 Calendar Please contact us on 8950 4600 for further information, or if you would like to attend an activity.
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Whilst MHACA will be closed Monday as it is a public holiday, this is a reminder that the lived experience and carer's online forums are available and moderated at all times at mhaca.saneforums.org
NDIS SUPPORT COORDINATOR
MHACA’s Support Coordination Team assists NDIS participants with mental health difficulties and a permanent and significant disability to access quality formal and informal support services in their community. The Support Coordinator will have responsibility for establishing and maintaining a positive collaborative relationship with the participant. They have responsibility for ensuring the participant is linked to the services and supports that will allow them to achieve the goals articulated in their NDIS Plan. The Support Coordinator will actively be involved in the development, implementation, monitoring, review and reporting of participants programs with key stakeholders.
Participants are supported and encouraged to have control and choice over how, when and where those supports are provided. Support Coordinators are employed to facilitate this process and help participants and their families seek opportunities to build capacity to enable them to reach greater levels of independence and improved quality of life.
To find the position description and selection criteria go to mhaca.org.au/ndis-support-coordinator/
The “Feeling Sad Or Worried?” animation has been developed by MHACA and encourages community members to reach out if they are experiencing mental health difficulties. It provides contacts for organisations that can provide support in the Arrernte language.
1 in 5 Australians are experiencing mental ill health each year and recent figures (2017-2018 Australian Bureau Statistics) show that 1 in 8 Australians are currently experiencing high or very high levels of psychological distress. It is estimated up to two thirds of people with a mental health disorder do not seek help from professionals.
There are often a number of barriers preventing people with mental health difficulties in seeking help. Many people don’t seek help until a crisis point is reached which impacts on the ability for the person to recover quickly and puts pressure on emergency services.
The key message is to reach out if your are feeling down, sad or worried as a number of supports are available.
The animation was produced by ITALK Studios in the Arrernte language.
MHACA now has an Instagram page. If you are on Instagram show us some love by following us at
www.instagram.com/mhaca0870/
Mental Health Association CA (@mhaca0870) • Instagram photos and videos
www.instagram.com
5 Followers, 5 Following, 6 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Mental Health Association CA (@mhaca0870)Today is the launch of Reimagine today Stage 2, a project which provides support to people living with mental health conditions with the NDIS. MHACA is proud to have worked on the project, on behalf of the Northern Territory Mental Health Coalition. This stage includes:
* A new look website, updated in line with community needs
* new resources co-designed with people from diverse communities
* A reimagine.today app – a spot for people to store information about themselves and keep track of their NDIS access journey, and appointments, etc.
* Skill building resources for people living with mental health conditions
* A Self-Care Hub
Have a look at the new resources at www.reimagine.today
Here is a video that MHACA helped produce:
youtu.be/EdLCGUEXVvo
Congratulations man! You have done a fantastic job with this - the big screen next! 👍🏾
Brilliant job brother! 👏
It is important that all organisations and individuals discussing mental ill-health avoid using stigmatising terminology and language.
The language used when communicating about mental ill-health can play a big role in keeping alive stereotypes, myths and stigma.
Certain language sensationalises mental ill-health and reinforces stigma eg. terms such as 'mental patient', 'nutter', 'lunatic', 'psycho', 'schizo', 'deranged', 'mad'. An example of referred terminology is a person is 'living with' or 'has a diagnosis of' a mental illness.
Find out more at:
mindframe.org.au/mental-health/communicating-about-mental-ill-health/language
Communicating about mental ill-health Lnaguage - Mindframe
mindframe.org.au
The language used when communicating about mental ill-health plays a big role in keeping alive stereotypes, myths and stigma.MHACA is hiring! Finance and Administration Team Leader.
In keeping with MHACA’s vision, the Finance and Administration Team Leader is a key role responsible for supporting the effective functioning of the organisation through the design and delivery of key organisational systems including, finance, human resources, administration, resource management including our vehicle fleet, policy and procedure, quality and safety, and governance support.
The Finance and Administration Team Leader will work under the direction of the Corporate Services Manager to further the objectives of the Association in line with the approved MHACA Strategic Plan. This role also will assist the organisation to manage key tasks, accounts, systems and processes associated with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Responsibilities include managing the office administration; including human resource support to the Association, manage and coordinate a small administrative team and supervise external contracted services; involvement in financial management; ensuring an efficient, effective and safe workplace for all employees. The role will also assist in, and provide advice on, activities designed to meet the business and organisational transitional needs relating to NDIS and be a key contact.
Applications due 12th June.
For a full job description please got to mhaca.org.au/finance-and-administration-team-leader/
Tonight's SANE Australia's Topic Tuesday is a live mindfulness session with a SANE counsellor. Join the group at 6.30pm NT Time, Tuesday 26 May, at mhaca.saneforums.org/t5/Special-Events/Join-us-for-our-online-mindfulness-group-Tues-26th-May-7-8...
Mindfulness practice helps people connect to what is happening in the moment. This reduces stress, making people feel calmer and allowing them to think more clearly🧘. Taking a few minutes out of your day to focus on your thoughts and surroundings can have really positive effects on your mental wellbeing.
If you’ve never tried meditation before, or you’d like to continue practicing, everyone is welcome!
MHACA would like to acknowledge that today is National Sorry Day, the anniversary of Kevin Rudd’s speech to Parliament acknowledging the great harm done to Aboriginal communities, through child removal practices, now referred to as the Stolen Generations.
This website provides a transcript of the apology and information about the Bringing Them Home report.
aiatsis.gov.au/explore/articles/apology-australias-indigenous-peoples
Apology to Australia's Indigenous peoples
aiatsis.gov.au
The National Apology to the Stolen Generations came about as a recommendation from The National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal Children from their Families. It highlighted the suffering of ...