Queensland Mental Health Week (QMHW) is coming and it’s time to ‘Take time for mental health’.
The week’s activities will run from 9-17 October and include the Walk for Awareness on 10 October.
This year the Commission has boosted its funding for the QMHW Community Events Grant Program by $18,500 to a total of $118,500 to support grassroots events around the state.
This year’s grants have gone to 109 organisations from the Gold Coast north to Cairns, and across the outback.
It is more important than ever to take time for ourselves and to look out for our friends and loved ones. See the full list of successful grant recipients and events on the Queensland Mental Health Week website.
Finalists for the 2021 Queensland Mental Health Week Achievement Awards have been announced.
Those who made it to the finals were chosen from a record number of nominations.
This year is the 25th year the awards have been run. Queensland’s only state-wide mental health awards, hosted by Open Minds, recognise and celebrate individuals, groups and organisations working to reduce stigma and support and empower those living with mental illness.
The winners of each of the 11 categories will be announced during a breakfast ceremony on 15 October, during mental health week. The overall winner will be awarded the Earle Duus Memorial Award and receive a $4000 prize to continue their mental health work.
The QMHC’s Physical Health Project has identified reform opportunities to improve the physical health of people with a lived experience of mental illness and/or problematic alcohol and other drug use.
In April 2021 the Commission asked people with lived experience across Queensland about their views and perspectives on the reform opportunities identified in the Physical Health Project’s strategic position paper. This included which opportunities should be prioritised for investment by the Queensland Government and to identify if any were missing.
A total of 56 people with lived experience, carers and support people from diverse backgrounds across Queensland contributed to the findings of the report, which indicated priorities for investment, with the leading priority being co-designed, inter-sectoral strategies which focused on health promotion and integrated service models.
The report has been shared among key stakeholders across the government and non-government sectors to influence and drive ongoing reform to improve the physical health outcomes of people with a lived experience of mental illness and/or problematic alcohol and other drug use.
Commission's view on smoking ban in hospital wards
Since 1 September 2016, smoking has been banned at all Queensland public and private hospitals and health facilities and for five metres beyond their boundaries.
Over the years, many consumers have raised their concerns with the Commission about the smoking ban in hospitals, especially mental health wards. Queries often question whether the ban breaches human rights. The Commission understands that the prohibition of smoking causes discomfort and stress for some people, especially those with a mental illness who have been smoking for prolonged periods of their lives.
However, the Commission supports Queensland’s tobacco laws as they were put in place to ensure a healthy, smoke-free environment for the safety and comfort of all consumers, visitors and staff. Tobacco smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in Australia.
There has not been a court ruling in Queensland in relation to tobacco laws and human rights; however, the Supreme Court of Victoria decided in 2016 that human rights are not breached by a smoking ban.
Australia's annual overdose report 2021
The Penington Institute has released its annual overdose report and the findings are, according to the institute’s CEO, “a dose of reality”.
CEO John Ryan, in releasing the latest report, said that more than 2000 Australians have lost their lives to overdose for the sixth consecutive year.
He writes that overdose deaths have outnumbered the road toll since 2014.
Overdose, Mr Ryan notes, is present in every corner of our community, affecting Australians of all ages. He says that this year’s report contains findings that should prompt a shift in our approach to drug policies.
Mr Ryan calls for a national overdose prevention strategy, developed in close collaboration with people with lived experience, frontline workers and other experts.
Bulimba MP and Minister for Employment and Small Business, Di Farmer, has led a community forum to give guidance and information to parents and community leaders on how to support children and young people’s mental health and respond to emotional challenges and distress.
Ms Farmer organised a youth mental health forum, held on August 30 in her Bulimba electorate, attended by a capacity crowd of 300, along with many more engaging via a live stream of the event.
“The need for the forum was overwhelming,” Ms Farmer says. More and more she was sitting with parents and carers asking, “how do we help our children and young people?” The pandemic has particularly put pressure on the mental health of young people.
She says the forum helped bring the community together. The panel included Queensland Mental Health Commissioner Ivan Frkovic, a parent with three daughters experiencing mental health challenges, a young person with lived experience, along with Dr Stephen Stathis, the medical director of Child and Youth Mental Health Services, Lynda Folauhola, the clinical director at Woolloongabba Headspace and the Iona College rector, Father Michael Twigg.
Mr Frkovic said that community conversations, such as the forum, were critical to better understand mental health and how we can support young people, and where to get help if needed.
Ms Farmer plans to talk to her community and the sector about the next steps and about how to keep the conversations going.
#ChatStarter
A small chat can make a big difference. That’s the message from the National Mental Health Commission’s new campaign, known as #ChatStarter.
Developed in response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact these are having on the mental health of children and young people, #ChatStarter encourages people to use the tips and resources to help them have supportive conversations.
For those who want to start a conversation with the young people in their lives but don’t know how or what to say, resources and tips are available online.
Conversations play an important role in recognising when someone is going through a difficult time and connecting them to the right type of care.
#ChatStarter is a partnership between the National Mental Health Commission and Australia’s national mental health organisations which specialise in supporting children, young people and parents – batyr, Beyond Blue, Butterfly Foundation, headspace, Kids Helpline, Orygen and ReachOut.
Some of the #ChatStarters suggested as ways to start conversations include:
Queensland’s young people are thoughtful and passionate. They have an awareness of complex social issues. They are concerned about mental health, environmental protection and quality of education. And they want leaders to pay more attention to these issues. Young people also value recreation and interaction and want more spaces for relaxation, fun and socialising.
A large number of the young people said mental health is the most important issue for people their age and described wanting more education about mental health, less stigma surrounding mental health issues and easier access to services.
Nearly 30 per cent of young people said mental health was the most important issue for people their age.
These are some of the findings of Voices of Hope Growing up in Queensland 2020, the biennial project of the Queensland Family and Child Commission, which invited children and young people aged four to 18 years to participate in the survey.
A total of 5924 youth survey responses were received, 893 junior survey responses, 1223 postcards and 54 artworks.
The survey concluded that children and young people growing up in Queensland in 2020 were individuals with social awareness, a desire to have their say and clear hopes and goals based on compassion.
Building works have begun on an exciting new project at the Mater Hospital.
Catherine’s House, the historic Mater Convent adjacent to the Mater Mothers’ Hospital in South Brisbane, will be transformed into a dedicated perinatal mental health and wellbeing service for mothers, babies and families.
QMHC Commissioner Ivan Frkovic attended the commencement of building works at the convent and spoke of the importance of the first critical 2000 days of life.
He said a physically and mentally healthy and safe pregnancy sets up an unborn baby for a healthy and productive life, and that the mental and physical wellbeing of the mother is of vital importance to the baby’s healthy development.
Mr Frkovic said Catherine’s House was a much needed and welcome addition to the service landscape in Queensland.
In the lead up to RUOK? Day on 9 September, RUOK? launched the 'Stronger Together' - Ask your mob, in your way, R U OK? campaign.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander campaign features stories led by community voices to highlight the many ways that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can, and already do, ask R U OK?
The campaign was developed under the guidance of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group, with production support from Brisbane Indigenous Media Association.
The resources developed remind everyone to ask their mob in their own way, R U Ok? and reinforces the importance of staying connected with friends, family, team mates, work mates and neighbours, as we all go through tough times.
The link below provides a range of resources including videos, posters, social media tiles and conversation guide that can be used any time.
The Australian Human Rights Commission is developing a National Anti-Racism Framework and plans to work, in the coming months, with the community sector to gain feedback.
The Commission has prepared an overview of the framework, detailing key components of what must be included in a national strategy to address racism and social cohesion.
The Commission plans to convene workshops with peak bodies and provide an opportunity for public comment, as well as engaging with government departments and ministers to identify existing gaps in services and data needs.
The results are in for the Commission’s 2021 Taking the Pulse survey and the news is good. A total of 468 responses were received and the survey’s main findings include:
65 per cent agreed positive reform is underway, an increase of two per cent over 2019;
55 per cent agreed the reforms the Commission is driving will be sustainable in the long term (up seven per cent);
56 per cent agreed that the Commission’s mental health, AOD and suicide prevention services and responses are improving;
87 per cent were familiar with the Commission and the work it does.
A majority agreed Shifting minds and Every life identified important priorities. In regard to KRAs, 61 per cent agreed that the management and enabling work being undertaken by the Commission is fostering inclusive and responsive MH, AOD and suicide prevention systems. And 67 per cent agreed that the Commission promotes and facilitates the sharing of knowledge and ideas.
Thirty-seven per cent of respondents believed that the Commission’s activities have supported their organisation to manage through the impacts of COVID-19. Thank you to all our stakeholders who gave feedback.
New plan to tackle gambling in Queensland
A four-year plan to prevent and minimise gambling harm to Queenslanders, families and local communities has been released by the State Government.
The gambling harm minimisation plan 2021-2025 outlines the roles and responsibilities for government, industry and community to reduce the harms caused by gambling.
In releasing the plan, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Shannon Fentiman, said gambling was a complex social issue with wide impacts and a ripple effect on all aspects of life. The Minister said that the most recent Queensland household gambling survey found that 70 per cent of Queenslanders gamble.
The new plan places an emphasis on industry social responsibility while maintaining a public health approach.
The new plan was informed by the Queensland Government’s Responsible Gambling Advisory Committee whose members are drawn from across industry, community and government.
