The 11th Annual Parternships in Wellbeing Awards, sponsored by ACMHN and Eli Lilly, were awarded at the ACMHN's 37th International Mental Health Nursing Conference.

These unique awards recognise and provide further support for innovative programs that assist people living with a mental illness to optimise their lifestyles and improve their quality of life. The awards are designed to support programs that have not attracted significant funding from other sources and are a departure from core business (for example projects that should normally be funded by the state should not be included).

The Women’s Wellbeing Group at St John of God Mental Health Service in Warrnambool were awarded the major Partnerships in Wellbeing Award for 2011, worth $6,000. These unique awards recognise and support innovative programs that assist people living with a mental illness to optimise their lifestyles and improve their quality of life. The awards are designed to support programs that have not attracted significant funding from other sources and are a departure from core business.

The Women’s Wellbeing Group was developed in May 2011 with a goal of promoting social inclusion and encouraging a healthy lifestyle in women who have become socially isolated due to their mental illness. ‘This program has already achieved some significant outcomes for clients and we hope this award will assist them to continue their good work’, ACMHN President Peter Santangelo said.

Two encouragement awards worth $3,000 each were awarded to the Dual Diagnosis Consumer and Carer Advisory Council run by the Eastern Dual Diagnosis Service in Victoria, and the Healthy Body Healthy Mind program run by Kaleidoscope Youth Health in New South Wales.