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Friday, December 09, 2016

Latest update from Frank Quinlan, CEO Mental Health Australia:

I have both some encouragement and some disappointment this week regarding the future of the MHiMA Project.

I’ve recently received a letter from the Minister for Health advising the Australian Government has agreed to continue to support the MHiMA Project beyond December 2016 and will undertake a targeted competitive approach to market some time in 2017 to determine the long term project lead. While it is still unclear at this stage what the future project will look like, I see this as a positive step towards providing long term certainty and investment in multicultural mental health.

Mental Health Australia has been offered another six month MHiMA Project extension while this process occurs. However, as previously advised, and noting the damage (at least 3) short term MHiMA Project contract extensions have had on the multicultural mental health sector, we will not accept this offer. Current project activities will be completed by 31 December 2016. Our sincere thanks go to the dedicated NCCCWG who have served the project so passionately to this point, but whose terms will finish with the end of the project. The MHiMA website, including the Framework elements, will be maintained while the process to determine the future project lead is undertaken.

While this iteration of the MHiMA Project will close at the end of the year, Mental Health Australia will continue to do all we can to secure effective long term investment in multicultural mental health.

As we wrap up of project activities, I’m also pleased to advise we have finally received permission to publicly release the ‘recommendations for future directions report’, which we developed in consultation with the multicultural mental health sector and provided to Government in March 2016. You can read the report and attachments here.

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MHiMA Update - Project advisory on Fifth Plan

Monday, November 21, 2016

Latest update from Frank Quinlan, CEO Mental Health Australia:

We had the chance to meet with the MHiMA Project Advisory Group this week. The group shared at disappointment that we are still awaiting a government decision on the future of the MHiMA project, and expressed their concerns that after the substantial input from the MHiMA NCCCWG it was difficult to see any concrete strategies to address CALD mental health in the consultation draft of the Fifth Plan.

The group agreed to share resources and ideas in order to ensure that CALD issues are well articulated as part of the consultation process for the Fifth Plan, in the hope of a final plan that takes concrete action to address the substantial disadvantage that CALD communities face.

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MHiMA Update - Project decision

Friday, November 11, 2016

Latest update from Frank Quinlan, CEO Mental Health Australia:

This week, I have some disappointing news about the MHiMA Project, but assure you I remain hopeful and committed to doing everything possible to secure the long-term investment in multicultural mental health.

As many of you know, in May 2016 the Department of Health extended the MHiMA Project to 31 December 2016, as an interim measure while Government considered the findings from the ‘recommendations for future directions report’, that Mental Health Australia provided to Government in March 2016. The report was formulated after extensive consultation with the multicultural and mental health sectors.

Sadly, we are still waiting on Government’s response to the report, despite actively pursuing this with the Department of Health and the Minister's office.

In the absence of clear advice about the long term future of the MHiMA Project, and nearing the end of our contract period, Mental Health Australia has made the difficult decision to complete the project, as currently contracted, and will wrap up current project activities by 31 December 2016. Although not required to do so, Mental Health Australia plans to maintain the MHiMA website, including the Framework elements, while we await the Government’s decision about future directions.

I'm very disappointed to be informing you of this news, and I recognise this outcome may be upsetting for many of you. I’d like to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of all those who have been involved the project recently and, for some, over many years, including members of the National CaLD Consumer & Carer Working Group (NCCCWG), MHiMA Project Advisory Group and the Framework pilot sites. The NCCCWG in particular have worked tirelessly for many years and across many iterations of the project, their efforts have helped to forge positive changes for CaLD mental health, though so much is still to be done.

As flagged earlier in the year, we have received positive indications about the future of a national multicultural mental health project. However, it remains unclear when a decision about the project’s future may be made, and how long these processes will take. It is very clear ongoing uncertainty and short term project extensions have been detrimental to project activities, the multicultural mental health sector, and those involved with the project. I have written to the Minister requesting her to take urgent action to improve mental health outcomes for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Mental Health Australia will continue to do all we can to secure the long term investment in multicultural mental health.

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MHiMA Update - The Health Advocate

Friday, October 07, 2016

Latest update from Frank Quinlan, CEO Mental Health Australia:

This week we were pleased to have an article on the Framework for Mental Health in Multicultural Australia included in the October edition of the Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association (AHHA) magazine, The Health Advocate.

The article, Towards culturally inclusive service delivery, explores the Framework, a practical online resource that allows mental health services and staff to evaluate and enhance their cultural responsiveness. The Framework has been piloted across Australia, including sites in Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, and New South Wales. A snapshot of the experience of pilot sites in NSW is featured in the article, developed with the assistance of the Transcultural Mental Health Centre, a NSW Health statewide service.

The Australian Health Services Research Institute (AHSRI) has recently conducted an independent review of the Framework, which considered the Framework’s structure, delivery and sustainability, and provided recommendations for future implementation. The review’s findings informed recommendations on the future of the MHiMA Project, submitted by Mental Health Australia to the Australian Government in early 2016. We are currently waiting on the Government’s response about the future of the project, including next steps for the Framework.

Please click here to access The Health Advocate magazine.

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FECCA releases strategic language policy report

Friday, September 16, 2016

Latest update from Frank Quinlan, CEO Mental Health Australia:

On Thursday 15 September 2016, I was pleased to attend the launch of a new report by our friends at the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia’s (FECCA), ‘Australia’s Growing Linguistic Diversity: An opportunity for a strategic approach to language services policy and practice’.

The report provides an analysis of FECCA’s consultation and research to develop an evidence base on language service provision in new and emerging community languages, that is, languages spoken by individuals who came to Australia as humanitarian entrants over recent years.

Quality language services are of critical importance in our diverse society, and can improve access to services, enhance community connections, and support better health outcomes. Accredited language services also play a key role in ensuring safety and quality in service provision, and access to one’s fundamental rights, particularly in the health and legal domains.

Responsiveness to the diversity of Australian society must remain a key priority across all human services, including in the mental health sector. FECCA’s recommendations provide vital direction and a considered path forward for responding to our linguistic diversity, particularly for new and emerging communities. Please visit their website for links to the full report and executive summary.

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Victorian Government. (2014). Using interpreter services: Victorian government guidelines on policies and procedures. Melbourne: Author.

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Category: policy, plan or framework

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