Senate Inquiry into Suicide: ACMHN Submission by 2 December 2009

Do you have a client who have lost a loved one through suicide?  Do you look after people who have attempted suicide? Or do you educate carers, consumers or colleagues about suicide prevention? Whether suicide and all the related issues are a small part of your work or a large component, we need your input.

The Senate is conducting an inquiry into suicide in Australia, looking into the impact of suicide on the Australian community including high risk groups such as Indigenous youth and rural communities. The Australian College of Mental Health Nurses is preparing a submission to inquiry.  The College’s submission will raise awareness about the integral role mental health nurses play in the care of those at risk of suicide and others affected by suicide.  We would like to get a complete picture of your diverse roles and activities to inform the submission.

You can contribute by participating in a 20 minute survey that asks you about your roles in this important area and what you think should be done to prevent suicide and improve care for those at risk of suicide.  Participate NOW.

National Registration: Submit your Feedback before 24 November 2009

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) at its meeting of 26 March 2008 signed an Intergovernmental Agreement on the Australian health workforce, for the first time creating a single national registration and accreditation system. Ten health professions will be included in the national registration system as of 1 July 2010.  These are: chiropractors; dental care practitioners; medical practitioners; nurses and midwives; optometrists; osteopaths; pharmacists; physiotherapists; podiatrists; and psychologists.

The Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency has a number of consultation documents on their website that all nurses (not just College members) should read and comment on, in relation to the proposal for national registration.  Consultation papers were issued by the national boards on 27 October 2009 and submissions close 24 November 2009.

The consultation documents related to nursing have been issued by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia under the authority of Anne Copeland, Chair.

The College will be developing a response to the nursing consultation papers, however, the turn around period is extremely short (4 weeks) so consultation with members will need to be brief. The formal College response is currently being devloped and will be placed on the College website for a week from 16-20 November 2009 for member comment.

The College would encourage all members to make individual submissions and to familiarise yourselves with the base documents. All the documents can be accessed and submissions made via the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency.

Find out more about National Registration & Accreditation.

ACMHN Seventeenth Annual Oration by Professor Gail Stuart

Professor Gail Stuart gave a moving address, Mind to Care and a Future of Hope, at the Seventeenth Annual Oration and Investiture of Fellows and Members. She urged mental health nurses to “hold our patients’ hope in our hands” until we can regift it to them.  Click here for the full text of Professor Gail Stuart’s oration.

A mental health first aid training program for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training was developed in Australia to teach members of the public how to give initial help to someone developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis situation. However, this type of training requires adaptation for specific cultural groups in the community. This paper describes the adaptation of the program to create an Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid (AMHFA) course and presents an initial evaluation of its uptake and acceptability.

http://www.ijmhs.com/content/3/1/10

Lifeline Information Service - 1300 13 11 14

Your Rural Mental Health Information Service Lifeline's Information Service is a rural mental health information service. Information provided includes: referral to services and web sites, printed material and a range of self help resources. The self-help resources focus on practical steps to help promote mental health in a range of areas. For information and copies of resources call or visit http://www.lifeline.org.au/infoservice and further information is available at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and http://www.lifeline.org.au

Bush Crisis Line - 1800 805 391

Bush Crisis Line is a twenty-four hour confidential telephone support and debriefing service for multi-disciplinary remote and rural health practitioners and their families. It is staffed by qualified psychologists with remote and cross-cultural experience, is toll free and available from anywhere in Australia. For more information http://www.bushcrisisline.org.au

Australia's welfare 2009 conference

Canberra, 17 November 2009

Our one-day national welfare conference offers a value-for-money opportunity to hear from international and Australian experts and get the latest statistics on social inclusion and welfare services. This year's event features the Reverend Tim Costello, Australian of the Year Mick Dodson, the Hon. Jenny Macklin MP, and Chair of the Australian Social Inclusion Board Patricia Faulkner.

http://guest.cvent.com/i.aspx?5S,M3,7be89b98-74da-47c9-bca4-a617198cc580