Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc Issue: OCTOBER 2013Exposure/ritual prevention therapy boostsantidepressant treatment of OCD

Adapted by Medical News Today | 16 Sep 2013NIMH grantees have demonstrated that a form of behavioral therapycan augment antidepressant treatment of obsessive compulsivedisorder (OCD) better than an antipsychotic. The researchersrecommend that this specific form of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)- exposure and ritual prevention - be offered to OCD patients who don'trespond adequately to treatment with an antidepressant alone, which isoften the case. Current guidelines favor augmentation withantipsychotics. In the controlled trial with 100antidepressant-refractory OCDpatients, 80 percent of those whoreceived CBT responded,compared to 23 percent of thosewho received the antipsychoticrisperidone, and 15 percent ofthose who received placebo pills.Forty-three percent experiencedsymptoms reduced to a minimal level following CBT treatment,compared to 13 percent for risperidone and 5 percent for placebo.The study, published September 11, 2013 in JAMA Psychiatry, was ledby Helen Blair Simpson, M.D., of Columbia University, in New York City;and Edna Foa, Ph.D., of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.In an accompanying editorial, grantees Kerry Ressler, M.D., and BarbaraRothbaum, Ph.D., of Emory University, Atlanta, note thatantidepressants are effective in treating only a subset of OCD patients.They add that the targeted form of CBT works via different mechanisms"such as retraining the brain's habit-forming circuitry to unlearncompulsive rituals”.Matthew Rudorfer, M.D., chief of the NIMH Somatic TreatmentsProgram, which funded the study, said that in demonstrating howdifferent patients respond best to different approaches, it helps to movethe field toward the goal of more personalized treatment.References: Simpson HB, Foa, EB, Liebowitz MR, Huppert JD, Cahill S,Maher MJ, McLean CP, Bender Jr. J, Marcus SM, Williams MT, Weaver JVermes D, Van Meter PE, Rodriquez CI, Powers M, Pinto A, Imms P,Hahn C-G, Campeas R. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy vs Risperidone forAugmenting Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in Obsessive-CompulsiveDisorder – A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry, Sept. 11,2013.Ressler, KJ, Rothbaum BO. Augmenting Obsessive-Compulsive DisorderTreatment – From Brain to Mind. JAMA Psychiatry, Sept. 11, 2013.

159 Kings RoadPimlico QLD 4812PO Box 979Hyde Park QLD 4812Tel: (07) 4725 3664Fax: (07) 4725 3819Email: townsville@mifnq.org.auwww.mifnq.org.au

Editor: Deborah Wilson, CorporateDevelopment ManagerTel: (07) 4725 3664Fax: (07) 4725 3819Email: cdm@mifnq.org.auCompiled by: Margaret Sleeman,Receptionist© Mental Illness Fellowship of NthQueensland Inc.PO Box 979Hyde Park QLD 4812All rights reserved.Printing & Design:Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc.MIFNQ reserves the right to editarticles for publication.The views expressed in thisnewsletter are not necessarily thoseof MIFNQ.

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Contact UsEmail: livingproof@mifnq.org.auFacebook: Living Proof – PositiveStories of Mental IllnessTwitter: LivingProofQLDPhone: 1800 455 455TownsvillePhilippa Harris, QueenslandEducation & Training ManagerP: 07 4725 3664Street Address: 159 Kings Road,PIMLICO Q 4812Postal Address: PO Box 979, HYDEPARK Q 4812Regional QueenslandAlison Fairleigh, Rural CoordinatorP: 07 4725 3664E: AFairleigh@mifnq.org.auSunshine CoastJudy Kiellerup, RegionalCoordinator (SQ)P: 07 5442 1651Postal Address: PO Box 5080SUNSHINE COAST MC Q 4560

Brain clues reveal risk of psychotic illnessMedical News Today | 9 Sep 2013New research has shown thatpeople with psychotic illness showsimilar brain changes toimmediate family members whopresent no signs of illness. In astudy published today in thejournal JAMA Psychiatry,researchers at Monash University,in collaboration with TheUniversity of Melbourne and the University of Cambridge, UK, foundthat these brain changes represent a marker of genetic risk ofdeveloping psychotic illnesses, such as schizophrenia. Lead researcher,Associate Professor Alex Fornito, Deputy Director of Monash Clinicaland Imaging Neuroscience in the School of Psychology and Psychiatry,said these genetic markers could be targeted in the development of newtreatments that may help to reduce the risk of developing psychoticillness."First-degree relatives of people with psychosis are at increased geneticrisk of developing a psychotic illness," Associate Professor Fornito said."We have found that people with psychosis and their unaffected first-degree relatives, who otherwise present no signs of illness, showsimilar brain changes when compared to healthy people." AssociateProfessor Fornito said even at the earliest signs of illness, patientsshowed altered activity (when compared to healthy people) in aspecific brain circuit that links a region deep in the brain called thestriatum with the prefrontal cortex. This circuit plays an important rolein attention, learning and memory."The fact that we see the same brain changes in this group, in theabsence of any overt signs of illness, points to a neural biomarker ofrisk for psychosis," Associate Professor Fornito said. "Patients whoshowed more severe changes in this circuit also showed more severepsychotic symptoms, providing a direct link between these brainchanges and illness severity." The study examined 19 young peopleexperiencing their first episode of psychotic illness and 25 of theirunaffected parents or siblings. A group of 26 healthy unrelatedparticipants was also recruited to draw comparison. The researchersused magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, to map the activity ofdifferent brain systems.The study also found a change in brain activity that was specific topatients but not their relatives. Associate Professor Fornito said thischange may reflect a 'switch' that determines whether a persontransitions from an at-risk state to full-blown illness. "We know thatactivity in brain circuits linking the striatum and prefrontal cortex areheavily influenced by the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is a majortarget for all medications currently used to treat psychosis," AssociateProfessor Fornito said. "The difficulty is that these drugs have ratherdiffuse effects on the brain, affecting many different systems. They alsooften have unpleasant side effects."Our findings point to a more specific treatment target. We arecurrently investigating whether we can selectively improve activitypatterns in the affected brain circuits using non-invasive magneticstimulation techniques. If successful, using these techniques in at-riskpopulations may help delay, minimise or prevent the impact ofpsychosis onset." Approximately three in 100 people will experience apsychotic episode at some point in their life. Psychotic disorders havebeen estimated to cost the Australian economy over $2 billion eachyear.

Where to Go for HelpKids Helpline Chat OnlineFree, private and confidentialtelephone and online counsellingservice specifically for youngpeople aged between 5 and 25.Telephone Available 24/7 - 180055 1800Eheadspace Chat OnlineProvides online and telephonesupport and counselling to youngpeople aged between 12-25.Available 9AM-1AM AEST - 1800650 890Lifeline Chat Online24 hour crisis support 13 11 14Online counselling available 8AM-midnight.

Page 3 of 28Embedded mental health clinicians 'saving lives'

www.abc.net.auBy Gordon Taylor – 10 Oct 2013Fewer mentally ill people arebeing taken into policecustody thanks to a newinitiative by ACT police.Under the scheme, mentalhealth clinicians workalongside police, advisingthem on how to deal withpeople suffering a mentalhealth emergency. This ishelping to de-escalate situations and has seen a 40 per cent drop in thenumber of mental health patients entering Canberra's justice system."The clinicians can provide advice to the attending officers to reducethe level of attendance or the stigma of the attendance," Deputy ChiefPolice Officer David Pryce said. "They might provide advice on theapproach that police take, they might even speak directly with theperson if that's able to be done."In the past most mentally ill people in an emergency situation wereheld in police custody for their own protection and taken to a mentalhealth facility. But there have been cases where the inability to defuse asituation has had deadly consequences.Two years ago, Nathan Doherty was shot dead by police in Wanniassaafter he threatened them with a knife and a meat cleaver. The 27-year-old had struggled with mental illness for much of his life.In 2001, Jonathan Crowley suffered a psychotic episode and threatenedseveral people with a bamboo martial arts stick.When police officers were unable to subdue him, they shot him in theneck, leaving him a quadriplegic.ACT chief psychiatrist Dr Peter Norrie says the new scheme offersbetter protection to mentally ill people caught up in confrontationswith police. "I have no doubt it's saved lives," he said."It's hard to quantify but I'm certainly confident that it's not only savedlives, it's also markedly reduced distress and produced some reallygood outcomes for people who would have otherwise been in thejustice system."Because of this success, the current three-day a week project will nowbe extended to seven days.The joint initiativebetween ACT Healthand police is a first inAustralia, and has alsoincluded the intensivetraining of hundredsof police on the beat.

In This EditionExposure/ritual preventiontherapy boosts antidepressanttreatment of OCD................................ 1Brain clues reveal risk of psychoticillness ...................................................... 2Embedded mental health clinicians'saving lives' ......................................... 3CEO’s Update ....................................... 4Committee Chatter ............................ 5Targeting isolation and restraint inmental health facilities..................... 6Border Mail awarded for mentalhealth campaign ................................. 8Cairns Hospital staff rally overmental health beds shortage ......... 8New Zealand Ranks Low in Well-Being Index; How to ImproveMental Health, Fight Depression10Lift for mental health as Headspacearrives in Rockhampton................11Youth mental health program to bedeveloped in Isa................................11Apps have potential for mentalhealth benefits...................................12Depressed workers suffer insilence ...................................................13Mental health focus of youth forum.................................................................13Up Up and Away ...............................14MIFNQ Townsville Clubhouse.....15D2DL Townsville Update ..............15Mental health under spotlight ....16Keys to Understanding...................17Flash Mobbing With a Motivation.................................................................18Guide a helpful kit for all...............18Stigma sticks to mental illness inthe workplace ....................................19Removing stigma of mental illnessvital ........................................................20Beyondblue report shows doctorsare at most risk of mental healthissues.....................................................22Free online program to help SMEsmanage mental health....................24Better mental health support......25

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MIFNQ Office LocationsCAIRNS MACKAYSuite 7,129a Lake St, Cairns Q 4870 14-16 Wood St, Mackay Q 4740PO Box 816N Cairns Q 4870 PO Box 729 Mackay Q 4740P: (07) 4041 2543 P: (07) 4951 2955F: (07) 4041 2872 F: (07) 4953 0509E: cairns@mifnq.org.au E: mackay@mifnq.org.auTOWNSVILLE (Head Office) SUNSHINE COAST - Living Proof159 Kings Rd, Pimlico Q 4812PO Box 979 Hyde Park Q 4812 PO Box 5080 Nambour Q 4560P: (07) 4725 3664 P: (07) 5442 1651F: (07) 4725 3819 F: (07) 5442 1651E: townsville@mifnq.org.au E: coolum@mifnq.org.auFREE CALL: 1800 455 455

CEO’s UpdateOctober 6 to 12 is National Mental Health Week and I am pleased to say that a numberof wonderful activities have occurred to raise awareness of mental health issues. OurMackay staff and Clubhouse members have been leading and contributing to anumber of activities that have attracted great interest. On Tuesday 8th I was privilegedto attend a Conversation Café run by MIFNQ and attended by over 55 peoplediscussing the theme of recovery.This event, from 10am until 2pm was an opportunity to explore the concept of recoveryand hear some personal stories and reflections that were quite inspiring. The Choir of Unheard Voices openedthe event and the book and DVD about the Choir was launched. On Sunday the 13th the Choir performed at theHoly Trinity Church as a prelude to the Mackay Roads to Recovery Walk. Also in Mackay Sandi Winner, a memberof the MIFNQ board has organised a Q and A event with a panel of experts being questioned by the audience inthe style of the ABC TV program of the same name. Everyone connected to MIFNQ in Mackay has put in a hugeeffort to raise awareness of mental health no more so than the people who participate in our programs.In Townsville MIFNQ participated in the Family Fun Day on the Strand, coordinated by the TownsvilleIntercultural Centre and later in the week Townsville Clubhouse members organised the Roads 2 Recovery walkalong the Strand culminating in a sausage sizzle. This year’s walk was bigger and better than our inaugural walkin 2012 and I am sure it will grow in years to come. Congratulations to all involved in these events, especially inlight of the amount of work involved. I’m sure you will agree that it is heartening to see such commitment andpassion.SOLAS has been one of our closest allies and partners in the delivery of community mental health programs inthe Townsville region and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Rhonda Clark for many years at the helmof SOLAS as CEO. Rhonda is retiring soon after a long period working in and for the mental health community.She has been an invaluable contributor to the sector at many levels and will be fondly remembered for her strongstand on many issues and her important advocacy for people with a mental illness. I wish her well for the futurein the knowledge that she has left SOLAS in a strong position.Recently I met with the Qld Mental Health Commissioner, Lesley van Schoubroeck along with Adrianne Hicks andBernie Triggs, staff from the Cairns Mental Health Carers Hub. The Commissioner has an important job to do inQueensland and it is very pleasing to see that she is listening to consumers and carers, government andcommunity as she moves around the state. She acknowledges that there is a lot of work to do in enabling betterservices and reducing pressure on hospital services, some of this involves a process to bring about better localdecision making and decentralisation of the sector. In an interview on ABC local radio on October 1 she statesthat “The voices of consumers and carers are not quite a part of the system; the non-government sector is not asbig (in Queensland). She went on to say that the focus needs to shift from beds and treating sickness to gettingpeople back into the community. At MIFNQ we firmly believe that this is the case and support decentraliseddecision making, incorporating consumers and carers into decision making at a local level and ensuring that theirvoices are heard in policy making decisions. We look forward to hearing more about the Commissioner’s strategyand its implementation.Until next time,Jeremy AudasChief Executive Officer

Jeremy Audas, CEO

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MIFNQ Management CommitteePresident Bob JamesVice-President (vacant)Secretary Jenny ChapmanTreasurer Sandra HubertCommittee Members Alf MusumeciDonella PicklesBruce RamptonPromoting Recovery Through Services in the Community

Committee ChatterAnother annual meeting has come and gone, signifying another year completed andanother starting. Your new Management Committee has yet to meet, so there is littlenews since we reported to the AGM.What we can advise is that we have passed yet another hurdle on our way to seeing ournew Townsville building actually begin to be built. The City Council has completed itsplanning process and we have notified the Federal Government accordingly, so theycan start putting money into our bank account for the building and the StateGovernment, so they can give permission to the builder to take over the site.We have great challenges ahead over the next year. As I said in my report to the Annual General Meeting –“We have a new Federal Government which does not even have a Minister for Mental Health and wehave a State Government which has cut primary health services. We have bureaucracies which havemade it harder for small organisations like our fellowship to compete for funding with the big nationalcharities, or even big profit-oriented corporates. Opportunities to build our services also exist, as theNIDS scheme gets underway and clubhouses financed partly by job funding schemes are developed.The changes in government bring threats and opportunities. We must be ready for both.

We are still the best organisation in north Queensland to provide non-clinical support to people withmental health issues and their families and carers. We make sure that the funding bodies and theiradvisors know this and that other bigger organisations know that they need to partner us if they wantto effectively connect with our people.”We have to listen to our governments, talk with them and work hard to ensure that our programs continue to befunded and continue to expand to meet the huge unmet needs of our community. We can take heart from thenew Federal Health Minister, Peter Dutton making mental health the first priority of his first 100 days. All thenews is not bad. We have to look forward to our uncertain future with optimism and a desire and plans toachieve our goals for our community.

Bob JamesPresident

Bob James, President

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Targeting isolation and restraint in mental healthfacilities

www.theconversation.com – 9 Sept 2013Most developed countries havelaws that permit the detentionand treatment of individualswith severe mental healthproblems without their consent.Practices such as restraint andsolitary confinement (oftenreferred to as “seclusion”) aresometimes used to managecertain behaviours.Earlier this year, the UnitedNations special rapporteur ontorture, Juan E. Méndez, calledfor: an absolute ban on all coercive and non-consensual measures,including restraint and solitary confinement of people withpsychological or intellectual disabilities … in all places of deprivation ofliberty, including in psychiatric and social care institutions.While the statement is not legally binding in Australia, it indicates that,from a human rights perspective, these practices are no longeracceptable.Different types of restraintSeclusion is defined in mental health legislation as the deliberateconfinement of a person, alone, in a room or area that he or she cannotfreely exit. Rates of seclusion vary markedly across mental healthfacilities in Australia.The term restraint is more difficult to define as it can refer to: physical restraint: where bodily force is used to control aperson’s freedom of movement chemical restraint: where medication is given primarily tocontrol a person’s behaviour, not to treat a mental healthproblem or physical condition mechanical restraint: where a device (such as straps, safetyvests or mittens) is used to control a person’s freedom ofmovement.A 2009 report by the National Consumer and Carer Forum also refers toemotional restraint, where the individual consumer is conditioned tosuch an extent that there is a loss of confidence in being able to expresstheir views openly and honestly to clinical staff for fear of theconsequences.A priority for mental health careIn 2005, Australian health ministers agreed on National SafetyPriorities for Mental Health. One of the priority areas was reducing theuse of, and where possible, eliminating the practices of restraint andseclusion.The National Mental Health Seclusion and Restraint (Beacon Site)project was established two years later to target these practices inAustralian public mental health services and ran until 2009. Since then,an annual forum has been held to highlight research in this field. Thenext forum will be held in Canberra later this year.

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News in BriefTwitter doubles as ruralmental health tool

ABC Rural – By Virginia Tapp20 Aug 2013

A social media coach says there areimportant mental health benefitsfor farmers who connect withothers via platforms like Twitter.Alastair Rayner holds workshopsto show farmers how to join socialmedia platforms and increase thegeneral public's understanding ofwhat happens day-to-day on afarm.He says while Twitter is largelyused to distribute informationoutside the farming community, itcan also help farmers themselvesby allowing them to overcomeisolated working conditions."The other thing that is reallyimportant is that it is reconnectingpeople."There is a great camaraderie ofpeople sharing ideas throughsocial media. Yes, it is happening ina cyber-environment, but it is agreat way of keeping peopleconnected."I think in terms of rural healthand rural mental health - it is a

really important thing as well."

Individuals with severe mental healthproblems can be detained without theirconsent-Shutterstock

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continued from previous pageLast year, the National MentalHealth Commission released AContributing Life: The NationalReport Card on Mental Healthand Suicide Prevention. One ofits ten recommendationsechoed the 2005 nationalpriority, in targeting thereduction of “the use ofinvoluntary practices and workto eliminate seclusion andrestraint”.In order to carry out thisrecommendation, thecommission has called for allstates and territories: “tocontribute to a national datacollection to providecomparison across states andterritories, with public reportingon all involuntary treatments, seclusions and restraints each year from2013.”Progress towards eliminationWhat progress has been made towards the elimination of thesepractices as urged by the special rapporteur? A recent report by theAustralian Institute of Health and Welfare indicates that the use of“seclusion” for those who have been involuntarily committed to mentalhealth facilities is falling.The service culture is also changing. An article by Joel Margarey in TheAustralian highlighted that the Canberra Hospital reduced its rate ofseclusion by 88% in a year “by including consumer representatives inseclusion incident review meetings”.However, it is very difficult to get a clear picture of what is happening inrelation to restraint practices, partly because of difficulties withdefinition and partly because reporting requirements differ markedlyacross states and territories.Most Australian mental health laws contain restrictions on the use ofmechanical restraints (New South Wales has guidelines). TheTasmanian Mental Health Act 2013 and the New South Walesguidelines refer to physical and chemical restraint and the SouthAustralian Mental Health Act 2009 sets out the principle that“medication should be used only for therapeutic purposes or safetyreasons”. None refer to emotional restraint.Where the use of restraint is regulated, it is done so by reference to theconcepts of necessity and reasonableness. The New South Walesguidelines, for example, state that: “in the use of [physical ormechanical] restraint, staff must be satisfied that the intervention isreasonable and accepted as safe, competent professional practice i.e. theleast amount of restraint/force necessary to respond to the situation[emphasis added].”Similarly, sections 56 and 57 of the Tasmanian Mental Health Act 2013allow for an individual to be subject to restraint if his or her mentalhealth practitioner authorises it as necessary and is satisfied that it is areasonable intervention.

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News in BriefMental Health Study:Substance Abuse and MentalDisorders Kill More PeopleThan HIV, Diabetes

www.au.ibtimes.com/articlesBy Reissa Su|29 Aug 2013A new worldwide study revealedthat more people were eitherdying or getting sick due to mentaldisorders and substance abusethan from AIDS, diabetes andtuberculosis. Australian andAmerican researchers havediscovered that disorders relatingto depression have the largestpercentage of 40 per cent of globaldeath.Young girls and women over 14years of age were usually thevictims. Data taken from the 2010Global Burden of Disease Study(GBD) showed that mental illnessand drug abuse were the ones toblame for non-fatal diseases in thewhole world.The study took data from 187countries and found mental illnessand drug abuse to be the fifthbiggest cause of death.

Mental health is described as astate of well-being in which aperson is able to acknowledge hisor her own capability in dealingwith the normal challenges andstresses that life will bring. Aperson is said to be in good mentalhealth when despite these stresses,he or she is able to be productiveand contribute to betterment ofthe community. Mental health isdisrupted when an individual givesin to stress and becomes incapableof coping.

Not all restraint is physical in mentalhealth facilities-ephotography

Even mild mental health problems couldhave health implications-Reuters

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conclusionThis, of course, raises the question of the circumstances in which suchpractices can be considered necessary and reasonable.Some may argue that an absolute ban may not be the best approach inrelation to restraint and seclusion because the practices maysometimes be necessary to ensure the safety of an individual or thirdparty.Many countries are exploring ways to ensure they are seen as a lastresort. A 2012 Draft Strategy by the Mental Health Commission ofIreland has identified nine interventions that can reduce, if noteliminate, the use of seclusion and (physical) restraint including“patient, family and advocate involvement” and “training andeducation”.Next stepsThe National Mental HealthCommission has engaged aninterdisciplinary team of tenresearchers from the University ofMelbourne, including myself, toinvestigate the extent of seclusionand restraint in Australia. Theproject will actively involve peoplewith experience of mental healthproblems, families and othersupporters, and will use multipledata collection methods.We will also look at comparablecountries with the aim ofidentifying workable approachesto the reduction and elimination ofthese practices. The UN specialrapporteur’s call for an absoluteban on restraint and solitaryconfinement in psychiatricinstitutions certainly challenges the status quo of how these practicesare regulated in Australia.Working towards their elimination needs a collaborative approach thatgoes beyond purely a legislative response.Border Mail awarded for mental health campaign

www.bordermail.com.au2 Oct 2013

THE Border Mail has received an award from the Mental HealthAssociation of NSW in recognition of its Ending the Suicide Silencecampaign, launched in August last year.The award was presented yesterday at Parliament House in Sydney bythe state’s Mental Health Minister, Kevin Humphries, to mark the startof Mental Health month.Mental Health month, in partnership with the Mental HealthAssociation and Mental Health Commission of NSW was launched bythe Governor of NSW, Professor Marie Bashir.

News in BriefMary Valley to hostdisabilities farm stay scheme

Lucinda Kent | ABC News | 2 Sep 2013Queensland's first farm stay forpeople with a disability will bebuilt in the Mary Valley in thestate's south-east.The $1.5 million Honeybee Farmwill offer short-term hands-onfarm visits for people with Down'ssyndrome and their families.Activities like caring for animalsand preparing food are designed toteach disabled visitors how to liveindependently.Farm stay coordinator AllanRainbow says he hopes to inspiresimilar programs across Australia."We see this in some ways as apilot program and if we can getthis model working, there's noreason it couldn't be donesomewhere else, absolutely," hesaid."The shortfall in accommodationfor disabled people is enormous -the figures are staggering - that'swhat got me involved. There's anenormous need for this and thereaction is positive fromeverybody."He says the farm will be built overthe next few months and hostabout 30 people at a time forshort-term stays.

There are currently no guidelines thatrefer to emotional restraint in mentalhealth facilities-shutterstock

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Cairns Hospital staff rally over mental health bedsshortage

www.abc.net.au/news - Sharnie Kim - 3 Sept 2013The Together Union says it is concerned that extra mental health bedsdue at the Cairns Hospital next year will not be enough to solve chronicovercrowding.Cairns Hospital staff rallied yesterday over concerns psychiatricpatients are regularly being treated in the emergency department (ED)because of a shortage of mental health beds.They say it is a dangerous situation which is causing gridlock in the ED.The union's Dr Sandy Donald says management should considersending some patients to hospitals elsewhere in the state to addresssafety concerns and poor flow of patients through the ED."There is nowhere I have heard of that is even close to what we have inCairns," Dr Donald said."The fact that we often have people for days in the emergencydepartment, we've had 15, up to 17 mental health patients in the EDand what's unique here is we've got nowhere else to send them short ofTownsville."The Cairns and HinterlandHospital and Health Service saysit is urgently trying to solve itschronic shortage of acute mentalhealth beds.Health service CEO Julie Hartley-Jones says management isworking on both long and short-term solutions, includingemergency funding fromQueensland Health."We've got 10 more inpatient beds coming online at the end of 2014, sowhat capacity can we do in the short-term, what funding will werequire?" she said."The Department of Health has requested a plan from us as to what wewould require to do that, so that plan's in the process of being written,it's being consulted with relevant staff and we will submit that asquickly as possible."She says while it will be necessary to send some patients with complexneeds elsewhere, the solution will not work on its own."We have sent patients toTownsville but obviously it's quitetraumatic sending them down on aflight with a nurse escort, then beingdischarged and them coming backup here and not having any localfamily," she said."So what I'm keen to do is reallylook at planning mental healthservices in the far north so we canbe as independent as possible inproviding health services locally."

Mental Health First AidTraining The Mental HealthFirst Aid Programis run by MentalHealth First AidTM(MHFA) Australia,a national non-profit healthpromotion charityfocused ontraining and research. Moreinformation about MHFA Australiahere: www.mhfa.com.auStandard Mental Health FirstAid covers the most commondisorders such as depression,anxiety, psychotic disorders andalcohol and drug problems.Final Program for 2013:3rd & 4th December

Youth Mental HealthFirst Aid is for adultswho live or work withyoung people. This course alsoaddresses self-harm and eatingdisorders.Final Program for 2013:5th & 6th NovemberBoth courses cover thedevelopment of a 5-step actionplan for mental health first aid,managing suicide, panic attacks,psychotic behaviour and generalcommunication skills.Training Location: Arcadian SurfLifesaving ClubThe Strand RockpoolNorth Ward Qld 4810Duration: 2 daysCost: $100 per personRegistration Forms availableonline at:http://www.mifa.org.au/mental-health-first-aidTo find out more contact ourQld Manager Education andTraining, Philippa Harris on4725 3664, or emailtraining@mifnq.org.au.

Julie Hartley-Jones, CEO, Cairns &Hinterland Hospital & Health Service

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New Zealand Ranks Low in Well-Being Index; Howto Improve Mental Health, Fight Depression

www.ibtimes.com/articlesReissa Su | Sept 9, 2013According to the New ZealandSovereign Wellbeing Index,most New Zealanders aredepressed. The results of therecent study revealed the needto improve the country'smental health and well-being.Tracy Clelland, a lecturer at theUniversity of Canterbury, saidNew Zealand ranked low in thewell-being index compared tomost countries in Europe. Shesuggested increasing thenumber of local events wherepeople can come together. She said it would be better for neighbours toget to know each other or knock on their doors once in a while.A high Well-Being Index is equivalent to good mental health. Since NewZealand has one of the poorest well-being statistics, Ms Clelland saidthat in order to maintain a high well-being, Kiwis need to supportpeople to flourish and not leave them in anguish. She describedflourishing as experiencing life is going well. To have a good mentalhealth meant to feel good about life. Ms Clelland said flourishing is acharacterization of good mental health.Although an individual's well-being can be influenced by variousfactors, well-being can also be affected by how a person thinks.Personal values, behaviour and attitudes can change people's thinking.New Zealand's low rating in terms of well-being only demonstrated theneed to improve one's outlook in life. Two-thirds of young Kiwis werefound to be in a depressed mood. Depression is known as a medicalcondition in which a person may experience emotions like sadness,hopelessness and discouragement.

How to improve mental health and fight depressionIf you know someone who is feeling a little down lately or you startfeeling depressed, you can use these five steps to improve well-beingbased on scientific evidence:1. Connect with people. It is important to establish contact withfamily, friends, neighbours, classmates or colleagues. Spend sometime to develop and nurture these relationships.2. Engage in activities. This doesn't mean going to the gym every dayto work out. You can take a walk around the neighbourhood or park.Play football or go biking with your friends. Find something that youenjoy doing and make it a part of your life.3. Learn something new. If you keep on learning, this will give you asense of achievement and renewed self-confidence. Take cookinglessons or learn how to play a musical instrument. There are a lot ofpossibilities that you could take.4. Give to others. Sometimes, the smallest things matter the most. Say"thank you" when someone gives lends you a helping hand. Smile at thejanitor in your school. Volunteer at your local community centre.5. Be aware. Take notice of your surroundings and the people aroundyou. Help a friend who is going through a rough time. Being mindful canhelp you change how you feel about life's challenges.

News in BriefCommission will remainindependent

www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au19 Sept 2013The National Mental HealthCommission looks forward tocontinuing to play a key role inproviding independent advice toGovernment, particularly in light ofbeing given the new task ofundertaking a comprehensivereview of mental health servicesand outcomes.Contrary to some media reportssuggesting the Commission will beabsorbed into the Department ofHealth, the Commissionunderstands it will simply nowreport to the new Health Minister,The Hon Peter Dutton MP.Chair Professor Allan Fels said,"Our independence is critical tocredible reporting and advice andto driving transparency andaccountability.“As I have said previously, we willcontinue to bring a whole of life,whole of portfolio perspective toour work. In doing so, we willprovide clear, independent adviceto Government and engage with allrelevant portfolios and sectors.“We look forward to working withthe new Government, the Ministerfor Health and other relevantportfolio Ministers, to improve themental health and wellbeing of allAustralians.”

According to the New Zealand SovereignWellbeing Index, most New Zealandersare depressed. The results of the recentstudy revealed the need to improve thecountry's mental health and wellbeing.

Professor Allan Fels

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Lift for mental health as Headspace arrives inRockhampton

www.centraltelegraph.com.au Christine McKee|16 Sept 2013HEADSPACE is coming to Rockhampton in a huge boost to mentalhealth services for young people.The Rockhampton centre will be a consortium led by Medicare Localand managed by former CQ University lecturer, Simon Burgess. He saidthe centre would be open by January 1 or earlier, "if a lot of ducks linedup before then".Headspace is designed to help young people aged 12-25 who are goingthrough a tough time by providing support for problems likedepression, anxiety, bullying and body image.Among its ambassadors is TV personality Ruby Rose who four monthsago cancelled part of a tour to concentrate on winning her own battlewith depression.Rose told Cleo magazine she had been sexually abused by a familymember and began having suicidal thoughts at age 12."That is why I work so closely with Headspace and the government onbullying."I believe it's the secrets that keep us sick ... reaching out is soimportant when you feel alone," she said.Headspace is an initiative of Australia's National Youth Mental HealthFoundation, and was the brain child of former Australian of the Year,Professor Patrick McGorry.It will run as a not-for-profit social enterprise with a café to serve thecentre and for hospitality training.Funded by the Federal Government, Mr Burgess said Headspace hadgood bipartisan support."Headspace works to destigmatise mental health and is about earlyintervention," he said."We're not reinventing the wheel … there's a diverse range ofprofessional organisations working together to a common goal."The centre will be staffed with doctors, youth workers, social workersand mental health nurses and also acts as a co-ordination and referralcentre. Young people are encouraged to become part of a referencegroup to help design and input into the centre.A group of 12 young people aged 16-20, and some of their parents,made a valuable contribution to the practical design and layout of thecentre in 155 Alma St when the invitation was extended last week."They had a lot of good ideas, like asking to have a shower and laundryincluded," Mr Burgess said.A Facebook page is being established, which will allow young people tobe part of the process without being directly involved in the referencegroup.Anyone who would like to know more orbecome involved can contact Simon atsburgess@cqmedicarelocal.com.Getting Help:If you, or someone you love is hurting, call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 Lifeline on 13 11 14.

News in BriefYouth mental health programto be developed in Isa

www.abc.net.au/blogs26 Sept 2013 , 9:00 AM by Emma Cillekens

The outback city of Mount Isa andsurrounding communities will beused as a test site for a nation-wideprogram to help young people withmental health issues.Deadly Thinking is a program thatalready exists to improve the socialand emotional well-being ofIndigenous adults living in remotecommunities.Now the Australasian Centre forRural and Remote Mental Healthwants to rewrite the program tosuit youth and will run a pilot ofthat program in North WestQueensland.The organisation is consulting withpeople in and around Mount Isatoday to ask them what they thinkneeds to be in the youth mentalhealth program.Project officer Michelle Leenderssays the area was chosen becauseof its proximity to remoteindigenous communities and thehigh rate of youth suicide in thearea."The area is a greater high needs inyoung people," she said. "And ifwe can actually do some proactivestuff for people when they areyounger, they are not going toneed the services of mental healthfacilities when they are olderbecause they will have the skillsand ways to process informationand get over problems."

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Apps have potential for mental health benefitswww.examiner.com.au

By ROSITA GALLASCH -Sept. 16, 2013MORE than 1.5 million mobilephone apps and web-basedprograms should be used to help ageneration of young people tacklemental health issues, according toMichael Carr-Gregg.The respected adolescentpsychologist said the fact thatevery young person had asmartphone or iPad had to betaken advantage of byprofessionals when it came toaddressing mental health needs.Dr Carr-Gregg spoke at the first of four workshops and forums hostedby the University of Tasmania Department of Rural Health at theLaunceston General Hospital yesterday.He discussed evidence-based apps and programs that Tasmanianprofessionals such as psychologists and social and youth workers coulduse to treat, diagnose and provide information on particularlyprevalent issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse andeating disorders.``This adds a level of efficiency andcost-effectiveness which is reallyimportant,'' Dr Carr-Gregg said.``This is terribly exciting,particularly for rural and regionalareas where it's hard to get access,and to me that's so excitingbecause we've got a workforceshortage, and so using evidence-based programs that can make adifference to the psychological wellbeing of young people, the statisticsreally shocked them.''According to the latest research, 20 per cent of young Australian mendid not think life was worth living and the number of young womenrequiring hospitalisation for self-harm had increased by 50 per centsince 2000. He said the use of apps and programswas almost a necessity these daysbecause of the prevalence of devices,the vast breadth of informationavailable, their cheapness andaccessibility 24-7 and a level ofanonymity, in that you would disclosesomething on an app that youwouldn't say in person.Dr Carr-Gregg said an example of aweb-based program helping people toreduce and kick a cannabis habit wasClear Your Vision.He said it was undergoing random trials and had so far been found tobe as effective as face-to-face intervention.

News in BriefPlenty of local initiativesduring Mental Health Week

Mary Bolling – www.gladstoneobserver.com.au

5 Oct 2013HOW to cope with depression andmental health issues have been inthe spotlight in Gladstone overrecent months. And next week'snational Mental Health Week willsee plenty of local initiatives tohelp people tackle the problem.Anglicare Gladstone is hostingseveral events, and is still takingbookings Wednesday's LaughterSession. The free event, held from10am until midday, and again at5.30 until 7.30pm, will encourageparticipants to laugh away stress,and discuss how to access supportfrom the community."It's everyone's responsibility torespond and ensure thoseexperiencing mental health issuesknow they are not alone,"spokeswoman Robynne Coopersaid. "We believe mental health isabout everyone and together wecan make a difference." Thesessions will be held at theGladstone Tennis Association Hallon Glenlyon St. Register on49728220.Everyone is welcome at Anglicare'sMental Health Week barbecue atApex Park, on Friday, October 11.From 11am until 1pm, the friendlyevent is a chance to connect withothers.

BEATING DEPRESSION: Anglicare staff(from left) Robynne Cooper, Nicole Lees,Sinead Geoghegan, Hajer Torjman,Colleen Brandon, (back, from left) KathyHorton, Gena Hitzke, Jessica Wolski,Shaun Comber, Mellissa Holzheimer andMarcelo Medina have a laughing sessionto promote Mental Health Week. PhotoMike Richards GLALAGH

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The 2013|2014 FarNorth Queensland Book

can be ordered fromyour local MIFNQ office

or online athttps://www.entertainment

book.com.au

Depressed workers suffer in silencewww.skynews.com.au - 16 Sept 2013Almost nine out of 10 people livingwith depression would rather'suffer in silence' than confide intheir work colleagues, researchshows. This is because many fearthat revealing their problem willharm their career prospects, a newreport has found.Researchers are calling for employers to implement better supportnetworks for their staff to ensure their mental health is protected.The report, titled The Elephant in the Boardroom: Getting Mentally Fitfor Work, surveyed more than 4000 Australians with depression andstress disorders. Of these, 89 per cent believed the stigma in theworkplace could be reduced if mental health disorders were given thesame care and compassion as physical illnesses. Another 79 per centwanted to see a mental health policy in place which listed allemployees' rights and prohibited an organisation from discriminatingagainst someone with a mental illness.Study author Graeme Cowen says simple things in the workplace canmake life easier for someone who's having a tough time. 'One of thethings is having a manager or people around them who seem to careabout them as a person,' Mr Cowen told AAP. 'Having emotionalsupport is perhaps the most important thing. 'However, he said it wasequally important that other support systems were introduced acrossthe workforce.'Organisations need to make available easy to find, anonymouslyaccessed, resources and information. 'I have never seen stress levelshigher amongst Australian employees.He warned that employees risked making the situation worse forthemselves by remaining silent, as managers could mistake theirsymptoms for laziness or incompetence.'A boss could see it as a performance management issue, rather thansomeone who needs help and assistance.' Mr Cowan will present hisreport at the National ComCare Conference in Canberra on Thursday.

Mental health focus of youth forumwww.centralwesterndaily.com.au By Nicole Kuter – 16 Sept 2013YOUNG people in regional areas with mentalhealth problems are commonly forgotten bythe system, according to an expert in the field.University of Sydney School of Rural Healthassociate professor Catherine Hawke saidthere was a lack of services available inregional areas and children often did notknow how to seek help. She would like to seea youth forum set up in the region, inviting allschools in the central west to get together tohelp address the problem. “You need toidentify the people before they get to thepoint of severe depression,” she said.That was the emphasis of a youth forumhosted by the university at the Bloomfield campus last week.

continues next page

Entertainment Book

The Entertainment™ Book is alocal restaurant and activityguide, which provides hundredsof up to 50% off and 2-for-1offers from the finestrestaurants, cafés, attractions,theatres and accommodation.Entertainment™ Books havebeen distributed by fund-raising organisationsthroughout Australia and NewZealand for the past 18 years.MIFNQ will again be sellingthese books as a way to raisefunds to aide in our efforts toassist those living with mentalillness while supporting theircarers and families.

Associate ProfessorCatherine Hawke, Universityof Sydney School of RuralHealth

$55

$55

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continued from previous pageThe Youth Health Forum Building and Supporting the Mental Fitness ofYoung People was streamed live from The Children’s HospitalWestmead to the School of Rural Health in Dubbo and Orange onWednesday.Dr Hawke said the turn-out from community members and healthorganisations was promising, with the issue of mental health in youngpeople becoming increasingly prevalent. She said there were warningsigns to watch out for in children who were at risk of developing mentalhealth problems.“Children who are quite anxious, withdrawn, have trouble socialisingand are difficult to manage who otherwise would not be,” she said.Dr Hawke said it was important for parents and teachers to worktogether to talk with the child and help them access the services theyneed. “We know that one in four young people experience mentalhealth issues and it is a matter of connecting young people with theservices that are available and letting them know what is there,” shesaid. She said the youth forum would equip schools with the knowledgeof how to spot children in trouble and where to get help.Up Up and AwayAssisting Families Launch MIFNQ CairnsMIFNQ Staff attended Assisting Families training in July 2013 and it wastime to launch the program. The Launch on 09.09.2013 was held at theOasis Hotel and attended by25 Carers from manylocations including Cairns,Pormparaaw, andTablelands.Staff presented module one“Assisting with MentalIllness “and also providedan overview of the othermodules.There were two groups and each group had two facilitators.One group needed to relocate outside and were unable to use powerpoint but as usual flexibility paid off.The participant’s handbooks were well received and we also providedsome additional information, self-care tips and resources.We had some laughs as well as some very important learning and ofcourse most importantly the day provided an opportunity to share.It was fabulous to have such a diverse group of people come togetherwith a common interest to learn about supporting someone with amental illness. The group included people from Culturally andLinguistically Diverse Backgrounds, Indigenous people and a refugeefamily. What a celebration of diversity of family’s.All staff and participants had a good experience on the day andfeedback forms were completed by all. Participants were keen to attendfuture modules so we are now coordinating to deliver the AssistingFamilies in Cairns, Atherton and Innisfail. Like all new things welearned some lessons.The Assisting Families modules also provide an opportunity forfacilitators to use and develop their own presentation skills andcommunication styles. The Assisting Families modules appear to beaccessible to all, relevant and interesting.

Aussie Helpers looking forvolunteers as droughtconditions worsenwww.northweststar.com.au 1st Oct 2013

As the drought consumes evenmore of Queensland, AussieHelpers through its Buy a Balecampaign is searching forvolunteers who have time on theirside. According to Brian Egan,founder of Aussie Helpers, mentalhealth was becoming an all toofamiliar problem as the droughtworsened.''The next step in this drought willbe the mental health of thefarmers, their families and localcommunities,'' he said. ''Themental stress suffered by watchingyour stock die, your family'slivelihood and in some casesgenerations of family work fail iscrushing.''Aussie Helpers, established in2002 has a proven track record ofhelping rural Queensland. In thepast four months, hundreds ofthousands of dollars in hay hasbeen delivered, pamper packsdistributed and hundreds offarmers have been visited andassisted. As the drought grows,more one-on-one visits are neededand Aussie Helpers is looking forvolunteers, particularly retirednurses and grey nomads. CharlesAlder, of Aussie Helpers said:''We're looking for people whohave a few months to spare, have apassion for caring.'' Andy andJuanita Holden have experiencedfirst hand the hardships ofdrought, and they decided it wastime to give back to those thathelped them and signed on asvolunteers.

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MIFNQ Townsville ClubhouseWhat is Townsville Clubhouse?Townsville Clubhouse aims to assistpeople living with a mental illness. Itis a place where people can regainthe confidence and skills needed towork and live socially satisfyinglives.1. Townsville Clubhouse is a Club that belongs to the Members who joinand take part in it and make it come alive.2. Members are made to feel welcome and we anticipate their coming toTownsville Clubhouse every Thursday.3. Every part of the Townsville Clubhouse program is shared byMembers working side by side with staff. Staff and Members do thesame things.4. Each Member’s contribution is needed and wanted to make eachday successful. This underlies everything we do. Members and staffmembers support each other, care for each other’s well-being andcelebrate each other’s success.These messages: being expected; being wanted; and being needed,are at the heart and centre of the Clubhouse. The Clubhouse aims toprovide skills development and social opportunities to all its Members.Thursday Clubhouse Day Timetable10:00 - Morning Meeting - Members and staff gather for meeting to plandays activities and allocate jobs10:30 - Group will divide into two - Hospitality and Admin. TheHospitality group will plan and prepare lunch. The Admin group willundertake tasks to build and support the Clubhouse; such as creating anewsletter using computers, printers etc, send out correspondence,including birthday cards to members, plan future activities etc.12:30 - All members and staff have lunch together, cost $2.1:30 - All members and staff help pack and clean up.2:00 - All members and staff count takings from lunch then budget andplan for next week’s meal.D2DL Townsville UpdateOctober 2013 - New Changes - New Challenges for D2DLprogramAs we move into the final quarter of 2013, our Day to Day Livingprogram is changing to meet the growing interest of members inlifestyle activities and recovery based workshops.Tuesdays will be the day for Lifestyle activities. This month we willhave beading or scrapbooking in the morning, followed by a healthy $2sandwich lunch. In the afternoon, we are being joined by Robyn andRachael, Allied Health staff from Ozcare, who are providing a series ofLifestyle & Wellbeing workshops, covering things such as Stress andAnxiety Management; Self Esteem & Assertiveness; Diet andHealthy Living; Relaxation and Sleep Hygiene; and the Importanceof Exercise.Wednesday will see the continuation of MI Recovery, our peer leadrecovery program and our outreach to the Acute Mental Health Unit.Our Thursday Clubhouse Day is a resounding success and we areextending our operating hours to accommodate an afternoon program.

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News in BriefUsing depressed cakes toimprove mental health

www.Q13Fox.com – 6 Oct 2013by John Hopperstad

Q13 FOX News reporter and weekend anchor

SEATTLE — A phenomenonsweeping across England andmajor cities worldwide hit Seattleon Saturday.The shop was a one-day, so-called“pop up” bakery that helped raiseawareness about depression.It sold cakes and cookies with adismal-looking, gray-coloredoutside, but when you cut themopen, a brightly-colored insidesymbolizes hope.“Cakes are used for celebrations.They’re usually pink. They’reusually rainbow colors. Andturning it on its head, to makethem gray, representing thefeelings that people feel when theyhave depression,” said eventorganizer Melissa Riddington.Proceeds from the event will go tothe Seattle chapter of the Nationalalliance on Mental Health.

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continued from previous pageHighlight of October is of course Mental Health Week and ourClubhouse members are organizing the Roads to Recovery Walk onThursday 10th October which also happens to be World Mental HealthDay. Come down to the WaterPark on the Strand at 5pm andjoin us for a short walk to theGregory Street Headland andback, followed by a free sausagesizzle. The air will be fresh, thesea breezes cool and thescenery beautiful. Great formind, body and soul.Friday morning is all about Artwith Cassy Roberts. You don’t have to be able to paint or draw, just bewilling to have fun.During October, we will also be updating our records, so we may askyou to help us complete some forms and tell us what interests you andwhat activities you would like in the future.If you want to join an activity or workshop this month ring Sally on47253664 or call in and talk to us.To accommodate the extended hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays, therewill be no activities or programs on Mondays.Mental health under spotlight

www.dailyadvertiser.com.au 19 Sept 2013KOORINGAL High Schoolplayed host to theMurrumbidgee DramaticMinds Festival last night,which promoted mentalhealth knowledge andworked to reduce thestigma of mental illness inyoung people.The festival engaged youngpeople in a creative way toexplore the issuesassociated with youthmental health.Students were asked to research, write and perform an original 10-minute play on their chosen topic of youth mental health for thefestival.Their plays focused on the causes, occurrences, outcomes, help-seekingbehaviours, hope and breaking down the stigma.Each participating school was allocated with a mental healthconsultant, who provided feedback regarding the accuracy of themental health content in their plays.Students who have previously participated in the festival have reportedan increase in their knowledge of mental illness and an improvement inattitudes to those with mental illness.The festival has also established collaborative working partnershipsbetween health and a diverse range of community organisations.

Inspirational Quotes

Performers: Bethany Skupien & Jamesa Aitkenfrom Mount Austin High School performSchizophrenia-Picture Addison Hamilton

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Keys to UnderstandingOn Friday 13.September 2013 MIFNQ Cairns staff Janice Tiller andJaqueline Conroy presented information about understandingSchizophrenia to family carers. This information was in response to arequest from a Bhutanesefamily who are recentlyarrived refugees fromNepal.MIFNQ and otherorganisation havebeen working withthe family. One ofthese organisation’swas Life WithoutBarriers ( LWB ) andTony form LWBoffered a meetingspace and also sent anemail (below)whichreally sums up the day.“HI Janice,My thanks to you and Jackie for the education session on schizophreniapresented at my office on Friday by MIFNQ.The participants at the session not only included several family memberscaring for a person with a mental illness, but also personnel from some ofthe community agencies which support the family.The agencies represented were QPASTT (Queensland Program ofAssistance for Survivors of Torture and Trauma), Centacare MigrantServices, and Life Without Barriers. Also present was a volunteer tutorwho works with the family on behalf of both TAFE and Centacare MigrantServices, and the interpreter who was so kindly organised by yourself.The two hour presentation has helped the family to better understand thecharacteristics of the illness which affects their loved one, and I could seethe recognition on their faces as Jacqui described many of the experiencesthey encounter every day, and which have previously made no sense tothem. The discovery that what they are dealing with is all just a normalpart of caring for someone with a mental illness has, I think, also helpedthem to understand that they are not alone.The agency representatives are also grateful for the information theyhave were provided with during the session, and for the printed andaudio-visual resources they were able to take away with them. These willdo such a lot to build on and consolidate the learning that was achievedduring the session.Having now attended that education session, I would like towholeheartedly encourage everyone else who gets the chance to attend todo so. It is a session not just for families and community workers, it is asession for everyone.Thank you again, and kind regards,Tony”MIFNQ will continue to provide services for the family and encouragethe family to attend MIFNQ activities such as Assisting Families andcarer support group.MIFNQ valued this opportunity and will continue to build on thisexperience when presenting Assisting Families modules and workingwith families.

News in BriefAfter-hours mental healthhelp at hand

www.abc.net.au – 16 Oct 2013By Chrissy ArthurA new package has been launchedin western Queensland to ensurepeople with a mental health illnessget the best care possible whenpresenting after-hours to ruralhealth facilities.The After-Hours Mental HealthOrientation Package has involvedthe Medicare Local and the CentralWest Hospital and Health Service,with input from GPs and the flyingdoctor.Jill Mazdon from the hospital andhealth service says the resourceincludes best practice guidelinesand it is timely given the drought."Given the current environmentalsituation and the number of peoplethat are being potentially severallyaffected by the drought conditions,it is timely we believe becausehealth services may experiencemore people accessing help after-hours or within hours," she said."To have this available to theclinicians should be a good thing."

Central west Hospital andHealth ServiceGlasson HouseEagle StreetLONGREACH QLD 4730P: 4652 8000District Hosptals:Alpha HospitalAramac Primary Health CareCentreBarcaldine HospitalBlackall HospitalBoulia Primary Health Care CentreIsisford Primary Health CareCentreJundah Primary Health Care CentreLongreach HospitalMuttaburra Primary Health CareCentreTambo Primary Health Care CentreWindorah Primary Health CareCentreWinton Hospital

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Flash Mobbing With a Motivation5 Sept 2013 By Laura KajewskiTownsville’s Senior Rights activist group have adopted the teenagecraze of flash mobbing to raise awareness of elder abuse, break ageiststereotypes andpromote positiveimages of seniorsthroughout thecommunity intheir recentperformance atJCU.When the word‘flash mob’comes to mind,you can’t helpbut imagine acrowded cafeteria of teenage school kids breaking out in song anddance to High School Musical’s “Stick to the Status Quo”.However, last Wednesday, advocates of Townsville’s ‘Seniors CreatingChange’ took ‘flash mobbing’ to a whole other level, performingunexpectedly in a Human Rights lecture at James Cook University’sCentral Lecture Theatre in support of preventing elder abuse.The flash mob began with members of the group standing up one attime shouting spoken lyrics, followed by campaign-focused singing andan informative PowerPoint presentation outlining the causes andprevention of elder mistreatment.Flash mobber and social worker at the Townsville Community LegalService, Sonia Mitchell, said the performance was aimed not only toconfront, but also provide aspiring human rights professionals with anunderstanding of a societal issue that is often overlooked.“Most people have never heard about elder abuse and don’t understandit. We hear a lot about domestic violence, family violence and childabuse, but we very rarely hear about elder abuse,” Ms Mitchell said.“Therefore, what we wanted to do was to come into the Human Rightslecture and prepare students who are going to go into the workforceand engage predominately with older people.”Targeting the younger generation, the organisation strives to promotepositive images of seniors throughout the community, offering a voiceto the silenced. “While five per cent of Australian seniors are abusedand neglected every year, statistics reveal that such violation of humanrights typically occurs in the homes of the individual and theirrelatives’, as well as facilities responsible for the care and wellbeing ofelderly citizens,” Ms Mitchell said.Consisting of 60 members, Townsville’s ‘Seniors Creating Change’ is theonly Australian Senior Rights activist group of its kind. “There’s nothingsimilar to ‘Seniors Creating Change’. There are older people’s advocacygroups but they tend to be lobbying groups,” Ms Mitchell said.Having previously performed in Townsville schools and the Stocklandfood court, senior activists have been gaining community support andthey hope to achieve international recognition in the next few years.If you want to follow the journey of Townsville’s ‘Seniors CreatingChange’, you can find them on Facebook

Did You Know?

LOUD AND PROUD: Seniors of Townsville determined tomake change (image by Dominic Concar)

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Guide a helpful kit for allwww.queenslandcountrylife.com.au 7 Oct 2013AT a time when more than 60per cent of our state is droughtdeclared and so many of ourprimary producers are facingsuch adversity, it seems moreappropriate than ever to belaunching Queensland’s firstcomprehensive guide tomental health services.After months of planning andpreparation, the 72-page Glovebox Guide to Mental Health is ready tohit the press and will be inserted into next week’s Queensland Country

Life.The guide is the result of a special partnership between QCL,Queensland Health and the Tie Up the Black Dog committee and will belaunched by Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg inGoondiwindi on October 11 as part of Mental Health Week.Glovebox Guide editor Penelope Arthur said the publication included acomprehensive list of mental health services and resources as well asmany “personal” stories from those who have been impacted by mentalillness.“It’s been a privilege to work on this publication and I would like tothank all those who have shared with us their very personal storiesover the past few months,” she said. “There was a time when most ofthese people didn’t want to admit they had a mental illness, but theyhave bared all in this guide to help break down the stigma that mentalillness still carries in many parts of the wider community.”“When you see the guide in the paper next week, make sure you tuck itaway somewhere handy. Stick it in the glovebox or on the bookshelfbecause you just never know when you might need to access some ofthe information inside.”Glovebox Guide advertising manager Rachel Smith also thanked themany businesses who had supported the publication. “I’d particularlylike to acknowledge our major partners, Tie Up the Black Dog andQueensland Health but also all those other businesses that have helpedus,” she said.Stigma sticks to mental illness in the workplace

www.heraldsun.com.au- 6 Oct 2013Latest figures show 74 South Australians contacted the state's EqualOpportunity Commission last year seeking information about potentialunfair treatment because of mental illness.From these, 21 complaints were lodged from people last financial yearwith conditions such as depression and anxiety.Experts warn the problem was under-reported amid fears it was justthe tip of the iceberg, particularly in the state's workplaces."We know that discrimination often occurs at work because someonehas a mental illness because it is such a taboo topic," Equal OpportunityCommissioner Anne Gale said. "And our low numbers indicate just howstigmatised it is, because people don't contact us anywhere near asmuch as they should.continues next page

News in BriefBeating Bipolar Disorder

www.healthcanal.com – 16 Aug 2013People suffering from bipolardisorder can now access a uniqueon-line programme designed tohelp manage their condition.Developed by Dr Daniel Smith, DrIan Jones and Professor NickCraddock from the School ofMedicine’s National Centre forMental Health, the on-line websiteBeating Bipolar is the first of itskind to include interactive materialand videos of both patients andprofessionals discussing the bestapproaches to long-termmanagement.Dr Daniel Smith who led thedevelopment whilst at Cardiff said:"We think Beating Bipolar is agreat introduction to a disorderwhich can be complicated butwhich is ultimately manageable."Within the NHS bipolar disordertends to miss out on psychosocialtreatment approaches so this web-based programme fills animportant gap at very low cost."We are delighted that we havebeen able to make the programmeavailable for free via the internetand hope that the information andtools provided make it easier forpatients and families to managebipolar disorder more effectively."Professor Nick Craddock, Directorof the National Centre for MentalHealth, said: "We would like to seeall NHS mental health teamsrecommend Beating Bipolar tothose who have been diagnosedwith the condition."However, the programme mayalso be helpful to friends andfamily to help them betterunderstand what can often be achallenging condition for everyoneinvolved."The programme is available at:www.beatingbipolar.org.

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continued from previous page"There are all kinds of assumptions that are aired, such as that someonecan't work as well or as hard if they have a mental illness and that issimply not true." Ms Gale told The Advertiser that while thediscrimination could occur in a number of different ways, it was oftenwhen an employee was returning back to work after having time offbecause of a mental health issue.Mental Health Council ofAustralia research shows nearlyone in four Australians said theyhad witnessed discrimination intheir workplace relating tomental illness.More than a third said they hadcompletely ruled out thepossibility of talking aboutmental health at work, even if itwas appropriate to do so.SA Health mental health andsubstance abuse executivedirector Dave Davies said whilemany workplaces weresuccessfully tackling the issue headmitted there could beimprovement."Workplaces doing a good job arethose where there is an opennessand ability to talk about issueswithout being criticised," he said."What we want to see more of is training for managers in particular tobetter identify and deal with all things relating to mental health."World Mental Health Week starts on Monday and at noon on Tuesday,hundreds of South Australians will release balloons with their mentalhealth wishes and promises written on them, to symbolise letting go ofstigma, at Hindmarsh Square.Among those attending is Klemzig resident Katelyn Weinert, who hasanxiety.The 21-year-old said while she had not experienced discrimination inthe workplace setting and was fortunate to have strong support fromfamily and friends, any discussion on the issue was welcome."The biggest thing I want is more understanding, for there to be openconversations around mental health," she said.Removing stigma of mental illness vital

www.the herald.com.au – 11 Oct 2013By Kristy Platt and Ross TynanWITH one in five Australians experiencing mental illness in any 12-month period, the chances are high that a friend, colleague or familymember may one day experience a mental health problem. We can allhelp by empowering our loved ones to talk about their illness, andthrough raising awareness of the services available to support thosewith a mental illness.However, many people do not seek help to treat their illness for fear ofthe perceived stigma associated with it.continues next page

One in 10 Aussies UseMental Health Serviceswww.probonoaustralia.com.au

11 Oct 2013In 2010-11, 9 per cent of theAustralian population (or 1.9million Australians) receivedmental health services, accordingto a report released by theAustralian Institute of Health andWelfare (AIHW). And almost $6.9billion was spent on mental health-related services in Australia during2010-11, equating to $309 perperson. The report, Mental healthservices in Australia - in brief 2013is being released on world mentalhealth day. ”Mental health is animportant health issue inAustralia,” AIHW spokesperson DrPamela Kinnear said. “Anestimated 7.3 million Australiansaged between 16 and 85 (45 percent) will experience a mentalhealth-related disorder in theirlifetime. And, one in 5 Australiansin this age range experiencesymptoms of a mental disordereach year. “Mental health servicesin Australia are provided throughhospitals and other residentialcare facilities, hospital-basedoutpatient care services,community mental health services,and consultations with GPs andspecialists. “Spending on mentalhealth services increased byalmost 6 per cent per Australianper year over the five years to2010-11.” There were anestimated 243,444 mental health-related public hospital EDoccasions of service in 2010-11.“This is an increase of almost 3 percent compared to the estimatednumber of visits in 2009-10,” DrKinnear said. More than 80 percent of mental health-related EDoccasions of service were classifiedas urgent (patient should be seenwithin 30 minutes) or semi-urgent(patient should be seen within 60minutes). The AIHW is a majornational agency set up by theFederal Government to provideregular and relevant informationand statistics on Australia's healthand welfare.

Katelyn Weinert will release a balloon forMental Health Week on Tuesday, tosymbolise letting go of stigma. Source:News Limited

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continued from previous pageIn Australia the Mindframe National Media Initiative, managed by theHunter Institute of Mental Health, works to offer journalists supportand guidance when covering mental illness and suicide. In particular,Mindframe aims to provide the media with greater understanding ofthe impact of stigmatising mental illness and reporting responsibly.Research tells us that negative media reporting on mental illness canadd to stigma by reinforcing common myths and stereotypes.Perpetuating these misconceptions can often impact significantly onpeople experiencing mental illness. The media is an important source ofinformation about mental illness, for both the general population andfor people with a mental illness themselves, so it is important that thecoverage is accurate and responsible. Australian research shows thatmedia reports involving mental illness are extensive and generally wellhandled.There are various common misconceptions sometimes reinforced in themedia, from the myth that having a mental illness is a ‘‘life sentence’’, tothe belief that those who experience mental illness are more violentthan someone without an illness.The truth is that someone with a mental illness is probably more likelyto be a victim of violence and that most people are able to recover whengiven access to the right treatment and support.The good news is that the Australian media has improved remarkablyover the past decade at de-stigmatising mental illness, by producingmore balanced stories that provide insight into the realities of mentalillness. Importantly, the media is also now more likely to challengethose who attempt to stigmatise mental illness.

Most recently, a story circulated in the international media about a‘‘mental patient’’ fancy dress outfit sold in the United Kingdom, andthree top retailers were criticised for trivialising mental health issues.One image was of a ragged, blood-spattered straitjacket worn bysomeone covered in blood and brandishing a machete. While a fewattempted to defend the costumes as ‘‘light-hearted humour’’, it washeartening to know that the vast majority of the community (includingconsumers, carers and mental health agencies) argued quite rightly thatif we allow costumes like this to be produced, we are commercialisingcommon prejudices and reinforcing stigma, such as the danger posedby someone with a mental illness, and that you should be scared ofanyone who has used mental health services.continues next page

News in BriefWerribee clinic a boon tomental health services

Wwe.wyndhamweekloy.com.auBy Laura Little – 16 October 2013

Access to mental health serviceshas improved since the opening ofa private clinic in Werribee.The Wyndham Clinic, a hospital onHoppers Lane, opened last week,providing residents with access to30 mental health beds.Chief executive David Gibson saidthe hospital had been three yearsin the making.“Wyndham Clinic fills a large gapfor greater Melbourne in theprovision of mental health serviceswith a full private mental healthfacility,” he said.The hospital is the first privatemental health centre in the cityand is expected to ease demand forhelp while Werribee MercyHospital’s mental health unit isexpanded.As reported by the Weekly, Mercy’s54-bed unit is expected to open in2016. The expansion will nearlydouble the hospital’s mental healthcapacity from 29 beds to 54.Ten beds will be high-dependency– for high-risk patients who areviolent or suicidal and needmonitoring.Four beds will be used to assesspeople experiencing short-termmental health conditions such aspsychosis or drug overdose.

CONFRONTING: Mental Illness is common, with one in five Australiansexperiencing it each year

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continued from previous pageStigmatising those with mental illness as not being able to work wasrecently challenged in Newcastle, as reported by the Newcastle Herald,when a cafe owner posted a job ad on its Facebook page saying peoplewith ‘‘conditions’’ such as feeling depressed should not apply. Suchviews are from the dark ages and the media enable uninformedprejudice such as this to be called to account.So, as individuals, we can all challenge stigma. People should not beafraid to challenge others’ misconceptions of mental illness by, whereappropriate, gently pointing out the facts – mental illness is common,recovery and management are possible, and people are not to blame fortheir illnesses.Comic Ricky Gervais described this perfectly when he tweeted: ‘‘Tellingsomeone with mental illness to ‘pull themselves together’ is as helpfulas telling someone with AIDS to ‘just snap out of it’.’’For further information about mental illnesses, talk to your GP, localhealth professional or someone you trust, or contactSANE Australia Helpline 180018SANE (7263) or sane.org. If you needimmediate assistance, call Lifeline on 131114.Kristy Platt and Ross Tynan work on the Mindframe National MediaInitiative at the Hunter Institute of Mental Health.

Beyondblue report shows doctors are at most risk ofmental health issues

7 Oct 2013 Sue Dunlevy – News Limited NetworkDON'T expect any sympathy from your doctor because they are likely tobe burnt out, boozing too much and as depressed as their patients.A beyondblue survey of 14,000 medicos has found one in five doctorshas contemplated suicide, one in four has depression or a minorpsychiatric disorder and as many as one in six is drinking at moderaterisk levels. Almost half the nation's young doctors reported highemotional exhaustion and high cynicism levels.Long and unpredictable hours, the stress of dealing with patients whoare dying or in pain and the risk of making a misdiagnosis are to blamefor their poor mental health, doctors say.Cancer doctors who deal with patient death on a regular basis are mostlikely to have a minor psychiatric disorder.Emergency medicine doctors aremost likely to drink at moderate risklevels and rural doctors are morelikely to drink at harmful levels.Doctors say they fear seeking help fortheir problems because they worry itcould affect their career, put at risktheir right to practise and theybelieve they should be tougher.More than half those with a problemsaid lack of privacy about theircondition was a barrier to seekinghelp and more than a third saidembarrassment was a barrier.continues next page

Four Ways to Stress Lessby ABC Health & Wellbeing 14 Oct 2013

Feeling swamped byexcessive pressures anddemands? These stressbusters can help get youthrough tough times aswell as build yourresilience to future toxicepisodes.Make time for fun - Give yourselfpermission to have fun regularlywithout feeling guilty. Not only doabsorbing interests take your mindoff stressors, but when you dothem with friends you'redeveloping social networks thatare a vital support resource in acrisis.Learn to relax - Relaxationexercises, where you learn toprogressively release tension frommajor muscle groups, can helpreverse escalating tension. Butpractising relaxation regularly(even when you're not stressed) isalso a buffer to becoming stressedin the first place. Simplemeditation exercises that involvetraining your mind to payattention are also very usefulstress reduction tools.Talk it out - Talking a problemthrough with a friend, colleague,doctor or therapist can help to putit in to perspective and throw anew, objective view on it. It canalso remedy feelings of isolationthat make your stress levels worse.Talking shows you want to findeffective solutions and is not a signof weakness.Say 'no' - Being unable to say 'no'can leave you exhausted andoverloaded. It's often linked to anunderlying belief that it is essentialto please or be liked by others atall times. Practise assertivenessskills so you can refuse excessivedemands while still earningrespect from yourself and thosearound you.Kate Carnell

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continued from previous pageTen per cent of medical students use illicit drugs two to three times amonth and 6 per cent of doctors self-prescribed medications to treattheir anxiety and depression, the survey found.Female doctors were more likely to talk to others as a copingmechanism while male doctors were more likely to drink, smoke andtake non-prescription medication.The survey found doctors with depression were more likely than thosein the general population to seek help and use medication.Beyondblue chairman Jeff Kennett said the survey was a "wake up callto the Australian medical community that more must be done to tacklethings such as overwork and discriminatory attitudes"."If doctors do not deal with the mental health issues they areexperiencing it can affect their ability to deliver the best care,"beyondblue CEO Kate Carnell said.Former AustralianMedical Associationpresident and beyondblueadviser Dr MukeshHaikerwal says the redtape burden faced bydoctors needs to bereduced to lighten theirload and doctors need tobe taught other ways ofdealing with stress than"hitting the bottle".Beyondblue wantsmedical workplaces reformed and working hours made morereasonable.It says doctors should be given support and counselling and says thestigma surrounding doctors seeking help for mental health problemsneeds to be broken.Bendigo anaesthetist Dr David Noble was diagnosed with depression atage 25, just after completing his medical internship."I didn't recognise it, someone else sought help on my behalf," says the48-year-old, who says it took him 15 years to fully recover."If you put anyone under enough stress you can break them," he said.Dr Noble says he can't get income protection because of his medicalhistory and he confirms the stigma around a doctor with mental illnessis "very real".However, he says it is misplaced because doctors who have experienceddepression have better insight into their patients, are more likely tohave empathy and be better doctors."They are the doctors you want to succeed," he said.He urges young doctors experiencing depression to seek help, "you canget help without a label," he says.If you or anyone youknow is contemplatingsuicide call Lifeline on1311 14.

PoemUntitledThere comes a point in life whereyou hit the bottomAnd realise you’re a role model foryoung women who get hurtAnd go through or went throughthe same abuse as you.You realise they never get thechance to stand upAnd say STOP,Unlike you.You have the courage, the strengthto sayHey, I’m black, strong, amazinglybeautifulAnd I have a life to live

And you definitely messed with thewrong, independent woman.You could even say you’resuperwoman.I’m over the dark cornerI’m going to put you thereAnd make sure you don’t movethrow the key awayAnd make sure it hits the bottom ofthe pain you put me inCause I have found a purpose insupporting young womenI deserve respect! Every womandoesTo stand up and sayYou can’t hurt me nowBest believe it , Cause I sure do

Written by a young 17 year oldwoman recovering fromdepression, who had been abused

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Free online program to help SMEs manage mentalhealth

www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au15 October 2013MENTAL health organisation, beyondblue, used last week's WorldMental Health Day to launch a free online training program to helpsmall business owners manage mental health issues in the workplace.The Business in Mind (BIM) program addresses the unique challengesfaced by smaller businesses, which often don't have money forspecialist human resource services commonly found in largerorganisations.The interactive online program features video interviews with SMEowners giving tips about how to recognise signs and symptoms ofmental health problems in the workplace and how to help an employee.There are also interviews with owners who discuss how they managetheir own mental health and how to have a mentally healthy workplace.beyondblue CEO KateCarnell said depression iscommon, can affect bothbusiness owners andemployees, and costs theAustralian economy $12.3billion every year throughabsenteeism, reducedproductivity and staffturnover."The fewer people thereare working in a business,the greater the potentialfor impact, which is alarming when you consider that small to mediumbusinesses employ around 70% of Australian workers," she said.Chief Executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and IndustryPeter Anderson said ACCI and its members are pleased to havecontributed to BIM online as part of its beyondblue collaborationagreement."This online program holds great promise that our combined voicesand resources can improve outcomes for small businesses and theirpeople. I have long been concerned that workplace health and safety iswrongly seen through the prism of employer obligations to staff,whereas the well-being of business owners and their families workinglong and stressful hours is just as important. The case for self-care,understanding early warning signs and having the confidence to dosomething about them is a barrier needing to be broken."The human and economic cost and the consequences of mental illnessin workplaces can be devastating and these are outcomes that smallbusinesses can ill afford," Mr Anderson said.Executive Director of the Council of Small Businesses of Australia(COSBOA) Peter Strong said small business people and their familieswill find there are great rewards in ensuring their workplaces aremental health-friendly and believes finding time to access the Businessin Mind program will be a worthwhile investment.

concludes next page

BOOK REVIEWThe Best of Times, the Worstof Times

An honest and inspiring personalaccount of living with bi-polardisorder.Our family's journey with bipolarPenelope Rowe and Jessica RoweDescriptionThere is nothing romantic,glamorous or even remotelycolourful about manic-depressiveillness.' - Penelope Rowe. I neverfelt embarrassed by Mum's illnessbut I did feel powerless when facedwith her depression.' - JessicaRowe. Penelope and Jessica Rowehave something in common,Bipolar disorder. Penelope haslived with it for over forty-fiveyears although she was notdiagnosed until her early thirties.Jessica has lived with it all her life -as the eldest child of an ill mother.This is their story about copingwith an unpredictable enemy, andthe way in which, with the supportof family and friends, theymanaged to get through each dayand survive.The Best of Times, The Worst ofTimes is a joyful affirmation of theresilience, tenacity and courage ofthe human spirit and the all-encompassing power ofunconditional love.ISBN: 9781741146615Aust Pub: Allen & UnwinPublisher: Allen & UnwinImprint: Allen & UnwinSubject: AutobiographyPrice: AUD $26.95 inc GST

KNOW THE SIGNS: Many people sufferdepression without seeking diagnosis or help.Keep an eye out for the symptoms in yourself,family and friends. John Gass

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conclusion"People in the small business sector often face enormous financialpressures and a whole range of stresses which can negatively affecttheir health and create a stressful work environment for staff. Thisonline resource will give small businesses access to the kind of mentalhealth training and personal support which is available to mostemployees in big businesses - and will benefit them in spades," MrStrong said.Better mental health support

www.inmycommunity.com.au Emma Young – 15 October 2013MENTALLY ill people may not need tofear falling through the cracks anylonger, with the launch of a newsupport system in Perth’s south-east.The first of five Partners In Recovery(PIR) programs to be launched in WAis through Bentley-ArmadaleMedicare Local, which serves theSouth Perth, Victoria Park, Belmont,Canning, Serpentine Jarrahdale,Gosnells and Armadale areas.Eventually, all Australian MedicareLocals will have the program.Mental health service providerRichmond Fellowship WA is the leadindependent agency involved.Chief executive Joe Calleja said thatwith more than 35 years ofexperience in social services and mental health, he had seen the sectors’limitations and the confusion surrounding mental illness.“Many support organisations aren’t mental health-specific and don’tunderstand what’s behind a person’s behaviour,” he said.“When clients experience a lot of rejection, in the process they learn it’sbetter not to accept help at all and will force the rejection by beingdifficult, unco-operative, resistant.”Mr Calleja said the episodicnature of this behaviour couldput work attendance andattitude, and therefore incomeand housing, at risk.“I know people who have losttheir jobs because of this sortof thing,” he said.“Education and mentoring canhelp agencies understand these behaviours and they will be able torespond with more empathy.”He said PIR would co-ordinate support services that until now hadsupported people in isolation, and allocate flexible funding to meetindividual, short-term needs.He said this would bring about systematic change.“I think the Medicare Local partners feel excited about being able tomake a real difference in people’s lives… and about changing thebroader social services and health system,” he said.

BOOK REVIEW

By Susan Tanner and Jillian Ball(Distributed by NewSouth Books,$29.95, 241 pages)When depression is described asthe ‘common cold of the psyche’,what follows are some soberingfactors: at any time, one in fiveadults is feeling down; one in 10shows more significant signs ofdepression. This updated edition,an introduction to the highlyeffective treatment known asCognitive Therapy (CT),familiarises you with the way youthink and how this affects yourmood and behaviour. The self-helpapproach to overcomingdepression has Tanner and Balloffering strategies to shed “faultythinking habits”. Their credentialsare impeccable. Tanner, is aconsultant psychologist who hasspecialised in the treatment ofanxiety disorder and depressionfor over 25 years, and Dr Ball is aclinical psychologist whospecialises in the treatment ofdepression, bipolar disorder,anxiety and eating disorders.Questionnaires, self-tests and casestudies are used from their workas they demonstrate that you cancontrol what you think and,therefore, how you feel. There arequeries to determine if you aresuffering from depression, a step-by-step program to overcome it,then ways to enable you to breakthe circle of lethargy and overcomefeelings of ineptness, unrelentingattacks of jealousy, isolation andthe suicidal urges.

Richmond Fellowship WA CEO JoeCalleJa

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Wagga set for nation's top mental health carewww.abc.net.au/news - 15 Oct 2013The Riverina's new mentalhealth unit at Wagga Wagga BaseHospital has been flagged as thebest in the country.The unit will be officially openedby the New South Wales HealthMinister Jillian Skinner and theMinister for Mental Health KevinHumphries on Monday after anopen day for the public thisSunday.The Murrumbidgee Local Health District's Director of Mental HealthRobyn Manzie says staff for the acute beds have started work and thesub acute section is close to being fully staffed.Ms Manzie says it is a very exciting time with patients starting to movein in a fortnight."It's a lovely facility, it's state of the art, it's probably the best inAustralia," she said."There's a community open day on Sunday the 20th of October wherepeople are very welcome to come and have a look through the newfacility.We have an official opening on the 21st of October and we start movingpatients in on the 29th."The new facility expands bed numbers from 18 to 50 and includes asub-acute section for rehabilitation.The Murrumbidgee Local Health District says a stable service iscurrently provided by a team of fly-in psychiatrists from Sydney, but itis hoped there will be more locally based doctors in future.Director of Mental Health Robyn Manzie says after Sunday's open dayand the official opening, existing patients will move into the first 20new beds in a fortnight."We will also open two extra high dependency unit beds on the 29th."Ms Manzie says the new mental health unit will also provide 24 hourcare for young people and it can accommodate a family member too.Director of Mental Health Robyn Manzie says the sub-acute unit willprovide a good recovery environment."There are several rooms that are larger than ordinary bedrooms.""They're close to nurses stations so there is capacity to admit a youngperson locally, that a family member can stay with them.""They are always a nursing, what we call 'special', if we have anadolescent or child in the unit, so there's room for that staff member tobe with them on a 24-7 basis."

Supporting MIFNQ

There are many ways that you cansupport us and the work we do atMIFNQ. If you haven’t done soalready, why not become amember. Membership is free andan application form is on the backpage or you can join online at ourwebsite.Volunteering is another way youcan make a valuable contribution.We always have lots ofopportunities for volunteers tomake a difference to our servicesand programs. You may like tovolunteer with administrationtasks, assist with our extensivelibrary, are a handyman or assistwith our program courses whichcan range from reading, music,cooking, arts and crafts and awhole lot more. Many of ourvolunteers find they can receive asmuch themselves as theygenerously give.Partnerships/SponsorsYou might also consider becominga business partner or sponsor ofthe Fellowship. Our dedicated staffput in many hours of unpaid workto enable us to provide the bestservice we can in the community.Business partnerships allow uskeep the corporate servicesdepartment running effectivelyand efficiently while allowing us toplan for future growth and theever increasing demand forservices. And donating to MIFNQonline is easy.Online DonationsYou can make secure onlinedonations through the Give Nowwebsite through this linkhttp://www.givenow.com.au/mifnq.

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Living Proof – Positive Stories of Mental IllnessMental Illness Fellowship NQ IncMIFNQ-Cairns Mental Health Carers’ Support HubMIFNQ-Day To Day Living

MIFNQInc

@CairnsCarersHub@MIFNQ@LivingProof@Roads2Recovery

MIFNQInc

www.mifnq.org.au

Townsville has an extensive collection of books, DVD’s, CDs, VHS andcassettes for members to borrow. Feel free to come in and browse around.Library Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm

Mi Networks AUSTRALIAMi Networks is our promise that we can help connect you to information and services youneed. From the moment you walk in the door or pick up the phone, we will welcome you. Wewill listen and discuss your needs. Many of our staff and volunteers have someunderstanding of what you are experiencing, in part because they’ve experienced mentalillness or have cared for someone living with mental illness.Our PromiseA place you are welcome -- We promise to treat you like a person, not a number. We will always have time tolisten, question and discuss. We want to know how you are, what you need and how we can help.Peer Support -- Many of our staff and volunteers have lived experience: either living with mental illness or asthe carers of someone with mental illness. We are people with similar experiences and we will have someunderstanding of what you are going through.Relevant Information -- We offer tailored and up-to-date information to assist you, your family members,friends and carers. If we don’t have the information you require, we will help you find it.Community Networks--We are linked into our local networks and have established strong and supportiveworking relationships with other services. We are connected to a broad range of programs, supports andinformation.A National Network --We offer a range of one-on-one and group support programs for you, your familymembers, friends and carers across Australia. If we can’t assist you on-site at one of our locations, we willconnect you with someone who can.Personalised Referral -- We will refer you to the services and supports that best meet your needs. This may bea program we offer or it may be provided by someone else. We will support you to find the best fit for you.For further information go to the MiNetworks website http://www.minetworks.org.au/ or call 1800 985 944

Page 28 of 28OFFICIAL USE ONLYReceived: ___________________Membership No: ___________Entered: ____________________Initials: _____________________

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Email:townsville@mifnq.org.au Fax:(07) 4725 3819 Post:REPLY PAID 979Membership AdministrationMental Illness Fellowship NQ IncPO Box 979HYDE PARK QLD 4812