Mental health carers tasmania september 2013 enewsletter

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Supporting carers, relatives and friends of people with mental ill health.

EnewsletterMessage from Executive Officer

The launch of Mental Health Carers Tas has been exciting with many commenting on the positive new name and branding. Thank you!

This edition reports the events during Mental Health Week and Carers week. Most of these events would not have been successful had we not received significant in kind support from many individuals and organisations.

You are being asked to provide any comments for us to include in our submission on the Tasmanian Carer Recognitions and Support Framework.

We are excited to begin the statewide Wellness and Resilience project with the first workshop in December.

Through a request from one of our members at the AGM we are preparing a submission regarding Advanced Care Directives and issues that impact on Carers and Consumers. We intend to submit to all Tasmanian Government politicians and the National Mental Health Commission. We would like to hear your experiences and suggestions you have. You can either send an email to me or call and we can meet.

Enjoy this edition, Wendy Groot.

Message from the President

Welcome to the first newsletter published under our new name, which was approved at the Annual General Meeting on October 6th. I am delighted to have been re-elected as the President for another year and am confident that, with the support of the Board and the energy and effectiveness of our EO and staff, Mental Health Carers Tasmania will go from strength to strength over the coming 12 months.

I am very pleased to congratulate the Board members on their election and welcome three new Board members:

– Katrina Wickham, who has extensive training and project management experience. She has considerable experience and skills in quality assurance, risk management and occupational

health and safety. She is the Project worker – Quality Assurance with Aspire, A Pathway to Mental Health.

– Simon Froude, who has extensive executive, non-executive director and CEO experience. He has particular skills in marketing, public relations and communications. He is the General Manager – Tasmania for the Royal Flying Doctors Service of Australia.

– Trudy Heins, who has particular skills and experience in finance, and a strong understanding of the challenges for NFP Boards. Trudy runs her own business and is also the station sales manager for Edge radio. Trudy has accepted the executive role of Treasurer for the coming year.

The other members of the Board are:

– Elida Meadows (Vice President), currently Policy Officer with the Mental Health Council of Tasmania, with a strong commitment to addressing the needs of carers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds;

Kate and Wendy at Road2Recovery

Message from the Executive

Officer

Hello and welcome to this edition.

This month our newsletter focuses on two very important aspects of our work:

1 Raising awareness of mental health and well-being during Mental Health Week and Carers Week: both are in October and there will be many events and activities that will be of interest to you.

The invitations and information regarding the range of events are over the page. I look forward to seeing you at these.

Wendy Groot

1 St John’s Ave, New Town TAS 7008North (03) 6349 1121South (03) 6228 7448North West (03) 6441 5280 Tuesday–Friday: 9am– 2pm24 hour answering machine

‘Succeeding Together’

We are a member of the Mental Illness

Fellowship of Australia

We are funded by the Department of Health and

Human Services

2 Listening to you: your issues, concerns and ideas.

This year we have successfully held a number of regional focus and advisory group conversations. Thank you to those who have participated in those discussions. The contacts are growing and the input is invaluable to our capacity to reflect the grass roots, lived experience and perspective of Tasmanian carers.

The key purpose of these conversations is to provide advice and guidance to the Board in the implementation of the directions and activities of MHCTas and to influence our future decisions.

They also create the opportunity for people to engage with government, non-government, community sector organisations and local community initiatives to “raise” the voice of carers.

This eNews invites you to be involved in two new initiatives:

1. The senior staff of Mental Health Services (south) are keen to meet with carers to hear from you and to let you know what has been happening in the Department, including the implementation of the new Mental Health Act which begins on 1st January 2014.

2. Three regional conversations will be held where you can have input into a new Mental Health Carers Tas Community Suicide Action Plan which will focus on suicide prevention and early intervention.

More information regarding these is within this enews.

Some specific examples about our communication and engagement priorities are:

- Creating opportunities to participate have input into peer support programs and workforce development

- Providing opportunities for “conversations” between mental health consumers, carers and advocates, service providers and State and Federal Government policy makers

- We regular seek representatives to have input into review of policy and services, planning, development and evaluation of services.

If you would like to know more about these opportunities I am available to meet with you, give me a call or send an email. Enjoy Mental Health Week and Carers Week and I look forward to any reflections or feedback from you.

— Wendy

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How to prevent depression and clinical anxiety in your teenager

beyondblue have supported the development of a NEW e-booklet How to prevent depression and clinical anxiety in your teenager: Strategies for parents prepared by The University of Melbourne and Orygen Youth Health Research Centre.

The e-booklet offers parents practical advice to help protect their adolescent children from depression and anxiety.

Some of the key strategies in the guidelines encourage parents to:

- develop and maintain a close relationship with their children

- stay involved in their children’s lives while encouraging them to develp increasing independence

- support their children through any challenges they face

- minimise conflict in the home

The guidelines can be accessed at www.parentingstrategies.net/depression.

Also to help families, the beyondblue website now has a dedicated Parents and Guardians page for information and accessing resources to help young people who are showing signs of depression or anxiety.

If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Jury, Youth Mental Health Project Manager: [email protected].

Have your say

HELp SET pRiORiTiES TO buiLd MENTAL HEALTH ANd RESiLiENCE iN OuR COMMuNiTy.

Mental Health Carers Tasmania knows that suicide prevention is all about getting in early, before there is a crisis.

Developing a plan that identifies the issues, the priority areas and some actions to get started with is an important step in improving mental health and resilience in our community.

You are invited to come along and be heard at a workshop in Ulverstone, Launceston and Hobart to contribute to the development of the Mental Health Carers Tasmania Community Action Plan for Suicide Prevention. Your ideas, experience, knowledge and opinions will inform the important process of developing the community action plan, and will help set our priority areas for building mental health and resilience in our community.

Victoria Vyvyan, the Tasmanian Suicide Prevention Community Network Facilitator, will be facilitating the workshops along with Wendy Groot, the Executive Officer Mental Health Carers Tasmania.

The workshops are open to anyone in the community and we would appreciate your input.

Please come along to:

HObART

Tuesday 5 November 2013 11am to 12.30 pm or 7pm to 8pm at 1 St Johns Park New Town

uLvERSTONE

Thursday 31 October 2013 from 3pm to 4.30pm or 7pm to 8pm at the Foyer Space Ulverstone Wharf Precinct

LAuNCESTON

Thursday 7 November 2013 from 11am to 12.30pm at the LINC 51 York Street

If you require further information please contact:

Wendy Groot at Mental Health Carers Tas on 6228 7448 or [email protected]

Victoria Vyvyan at Relationships Australia on 1300 364 277 or [email protected]

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Meeting room

Mental Health Carers Tasmania has a large well equipped meeting room available for any community groups, sector meetings, workshops, forums. Kitchen facilities

are available along with easy access and ample car parking. Please call 6228 7448 for details or email [email protected]

please do our survey

We are conducting a survey, and your response would be appreciated. Copy and paste this link to the survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=185T2FmHTpfSzdAq5qMd1Q_3d_3d Thanks for your participation!

Royal Hobart Hospital update

A lot is happening at the RHH so I thought I might take this opportunity to provide you with an update.

The mental health services which are operated within the RHH are collectively known as the Department of Psychiatry (DoP) and include the Department of Psychological Medicine (DPM) and the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and the Clozapine Clinic. I apologise for the acronyms!

On 1 July 2013, as you may be aware, DPM went smoke free which basically means inpatients can no longer smoke indoors and the former internal smoking courtyard is no longer available. A lot of pre-planning went into this important change and as a result it has gone relatively well, with Nicotine Replacement Therapy now freely available to all inpatients on request. We are also keen to assist individuals who don’t just want to go smoke free whilst in hospital but to give up altogether and we see the Tobacco Free program which is being facilitated via Mental Health Carers Tasmania as an important resource here.

You may also be aware that the RHH Redevelopment project which will involve major building works on the RHH site has significant implications for DoP. In the next phase of these works, DPM will lose part of its existing floor space to allow a new building to be constructed.

Changes have already occurred at the unit level to support this and the feedback from the greater majority of stakeholders is that the unit is now more functional and it is easier to find your way around.

At some point in the next month or so there will be additional changes, including the construction of a new front entrance.Things will remain pretty much the same from this point until late 2015 or early 2016 when both PICU and DPM will relocate from their existing locations into this new building. I will provide further updates well prior to these moves. In the interim please be aware that all mental health related aspects of the RHH

Redevelopment are being planned via a Mental Health Services User Group which includes Consumer and Carer representatives. The Carer representative is Jill Gray and I am sure that she would welcome further requests for information. She can be contacted on Mobile 0458 126 123 or email to [email protected]. I also welcome enquiries from carers or families at any time and ask that these be facilitated via Wendy at Mental Health Carers Tasmania.

I hope you have found this update useful.

Chris FoxArea Manager, Mental Health Services South

Cast your vote to help

Eftpos Giveback 2013 is on now! Support mental health, depression and suicide prevention charities this Christmas to share in $2,000,000. Vote now and make a difference!

Voting is easy!

1. Visit www.eftposgiveback.com.au/vote

2. Nominate Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia as your charity

3. Select ‘Mental health, depression and suicide prevention’ from the options at the top

4. Follow the four steps on the left-hand side.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENT“A C O N V E R S A T I O N W I T H M E N T A L H E A L T H S E R V I C E S＂

If you are a carer or a family member of an individual with mental ill-health and you would like the opportunity to meet with Mental Health Services, you are warmly invited to attend the following forum.

WHAT: “A Conversation with Mental Health Services”

WHEN: Wednesday 16 October 2013

WHERE: Meeting RoomMental Health Carers Tasmania, 1 St Johns Avenue, New Town

TIME: 5.30 – 7.30 PM

RSVP: by Thursday 10th October 2013 (see below)

Dr Jim Blacket, Clinical Director and Chris Fox, Area Manager for Mental Health Services from Mental Health Services South welcome the opportunity to meet with you, provide a brief service update and talk generally about issues of concern.

A LIGHT SUPPER WILL BE PROVIDEDRSVP to: Mental Health Carers Tasmania 62287448 or [email protected]

Queries to: Mental Health Services 6230 7819 or [email protected]

IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU COULD ATTEND!

Recovery is possibleROADS2RECOVERYROADS2RECOVERY

Recovery is possible

Community WalkThursday 10 October 2013Community WalkThursday 10 October 2013 Meet: The Regatta Ground for an 11am walk to Parliament House Lawns

Speeches commence 11.30am at Parliament House Lawns

Activities continue 11.30 am - 1.30 pm

Car parking will be available at the Regatta Ground (10.30am - 2.30pm)

To register your interest please contact Mental Health Carers Tasmania 6228 7448

Mental Health Carers Tasmania (ARAFMI) in partnership with Hobart City Council invites you to join with them to celebrate health & wellbeing and recovery, walking from the Regatta Ground to Parliament House Lawns for free activities, entertainment, food and information.

Thisyear’s theme

will be gold and all are invited to wear that

colour on the day.

Ribbons of Hope wrist bands and balloons will

be available for walkers

Proudly supported by

yOu ARE iNviTEd TO

yOu ARE iNviTEd TO

yOu ARE iNviTEd TO

a special fashion

event

Saturday 12 Oct 11am to 2pm

BoutiqueMagnet Court, Sandy Bay

Come and view the latest fashion collection and enjoy some retail therapy!

20% OF SALES will continue the support of carers, relatives and friends of people with mental ill health.

yOu ARE iNviTEd TO

Connections of Care: Strengthening Family and Community Mental Health

A COMMunity FeStivAl CeleBrAtiOnCome and view the latest fashion collection and enjoy some retail therapy!

20% OF SALES will continue the support of carers, relatives and friends of people with mental ill health.

Come and join us as we celebrate together with those who care for friends, family members, neighbours at two events;

Monday 14th October 10am–2pmAt Beaconsfield Neighbourhood HouseMoring tea and pamper session (Beaconsfield psychologist will be demonstrating breathing/ relaxation techniques + hand/foot massages are taking place)

Tuesday 15th October 10am – 2pmAt Ravenswood Neighbourhood HouseCarers event + Launch of monthly Carers group Morning tea and guest speaker from Advocacy Tasmania Plus various activities including drumming and arts and crafts display

For more information contact Diane Hayes 0439 189 [email protected]

FREE WORKSHOpS

Do you support someone?Over 2.6 million Australians support a family

member, friend or colleague.Although challenging the need to take on this role can lead to personal growth and

a sense of empowerment and an awareness of an individual’s own untapped resources.

MHCTas are running FREE courses across Tasmania in 2013 that aim to increase knowledge, especially of recovery principles, and develop skills, for those providing support. The focus is on maintaining your

wellness and building resilience. Currently a series of 3 workshops are planned at the following locations:

WORKSHOP DATES

Location & venue Recovery for Wellness Managing Stress / building Resilience

Launceston – The LINC, 51 York Street

October 11 10.30 – 3.00

October 18 10.30 – 1.00 / 1.30- 4.00

Ulverstone – Montgomery House, off Carpark Lane

October 10 10.30 –3.00

October 17 10.30 – 1.00 /1.30 – 4.00

Hobart – 1 St Johns Ave New Town October 9 10.30 – 3.00

October 16 10.30 – 1.00 / 1.30 - 4.00

Bookings are required for catering purposes.

Workshop facilitator: Karen is a highly skilled trainer and consultant. Karen has been delivering training for over 10 years to public and private sector organisations, as well as to individuals, throughout Australia.

volunteer facilitators: a possible outcome of the project is for interested workshop participants to become volunteer facilitators and deliver these courses in their locations. A background in training and delivery of courses is not essential as training and support will be provided, a genuine interest and attendance at each workshop is necessary.

For further info or to book a place phone 03 6228 7448 or email [email protected].

— In partnership with Richmond Fellowship and The Hobart Clinic —

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