MHWA Update - June 2005

This ebulletin looks ahead to the future of the Mental Health Workers Alliance, in which front line workers will be given the tools and the support they need to work together for a saner mental health system.

The Alliance rolls out these resources at the MHWA Conference on Wednesday 22 June at Sydney's Masonic Centre.

The Mental Health Workers Alliance has been established by the NSW Nurses' Association, the Police Association of NSW, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (NSW), the Health Services Union NSW, and the Australian Services Union (NSW) in response to ongoing concerns among our members about the entrenched resource deficits in mental health services across NSW.

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Conference Supports Steps To Sanity - The MHWA Conference on Wednesday 22 June is geared to give mental health workers in health, policing, community and emergency services everything they need to work for a saner mental health system. Are you a front line mental health worker and a member of one of the MHWA unions? And would you like to play a more active role in the MHWA? Why not come along to hear from colleagues across these disciplines and find out how you can work together to achieve it. Get in quick to arrange a spot by calling: NSWNA, Angela Garvey, 8595 1234; PANSW, Sgt Luke Hannon, 0416 158 605; ASMOF, Sim Mead, 9212 6900; HSU, Kim Sewell, 9229 4907; and ASU, Lurline Comerford, 9310 4000. To view the conference agenda visit: http://www.labor.net.au/campaigns/mhwa/news/confagenda.html

Mental Health 'Windfall' Falls Short - The NSW Government's much touted $22 million boost for mental health announced in the Budget was a definite step in the right direction but fell far short of the MHWA's requested 12 percent minimum proportion of the total State health budget. Total recurrent funding for mental health in NSW is now $854 million (9.1percent more than in 2004/05), including $22 million in new funding, and $48 million from the $241 million package allocated over the four years from 2004 to 2008. Relentless advocacy on the part of the newly formed Mental Health Workers Alliance helped boost the allocation, which will see more beds for acute mental health patients and increased funding for supported accommodation. But tinkering around the edges doesn't go close to what is required, the MHWA says. The Alliance says funding for child and youth mental health and workforce development and training are just a few issues on which it still falls far short. To read more about the State Government's mental health package please click: http://www.labor.net.au/campaigns/mhwa/news/files/mentalhlthbdgt05.pdf

Cumberland Centre Project - Redevelopment of the land surrounding Cumberland Psychiatric Hospital should include an arts precinct that features Outsider Art - a theme that has a direct correlation to mental health and rehabilitation, according to a group called The Cumberland Centre Project. The CCP says the project would provide affordable housing and job creation for the mentally ill, theatre and visual arts for clients consumers and patients of mental health services, plus a range of other benefits. The Cumberland Centre Project met with the MHWA in May and asked for the Alliance's support. It will be one of the topics raised at the MHWA conference, for front line workers to decide what form the Alliance's support should take.

Messages For The Parliamentary Secretary - The MHWA will have its next meeting with Parliamentary Secretary For Mental Health Cherie Burton on Thursday 9 June. If there are specific site issues happening in your neck of the woods that you want raised With Ms Burton, please forward details via your union representative. Front line workers have also been invited to contact Ms Burton directly at kogarah@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Letter To The Editor - The human rights and clinical needs of incarcerated mentally ill people must be properly addressed, says a Mental Health Workers Alliance letter to the Sydney Morning Herald. The article was sent in response to an article by Stephanie Gibbs (16 May, 2005) titled 'Mentally ill kept in solitary despite warnings'. To read the full text of the article visit:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/05/15/1116095857404.html (free sign-up required).To read the MHWA letter see http://www.labor.net.au/campaigns/mhwa/news/editor1605.html

Alliance Across The Airwaves - Psychiatrists, nurses, and police working on the front lines of mental health reveal some of the top issues and the solutions the MHWA is working towards on Triple J's Hack program this Tuesday 7 and Thursday 9 June. ASMOF member Nick di Caccio is featured on the Tuesday program, with NSWNA member Toby Raeburn and NSWPA member Sergeant Luke Hannon giving the low-down on Thursday. Tune in from 5.30pm and visit the Hack website at http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hack

Workers Lose Sleep Over Mental Health Nightmare - Student journalist Glenn Freeman delved into the world of mental health as part of his journalism studies at UTS. The resulting article is featured on the MHWA website at http://www.labor.net.au/campaigns/mhwa/news/glennfreeman.html

Politics In The Pub - A discussion about the MHWA packed the Gaelic Club's Politics in the Pub session on Friday 15 April. Titled 'The Current Crisis in Mental Health and the Cross Union Mental Health Workers Alliance', speakers included Child Psychiatrist and Director of the NSW Institute of Psychiatry Louise Newman, Angela Garvey from the NSW Nurses Association, and Unions NSW's Matt Thistethwaite.

IR Changes Unhealthy - Whatever industry you work for your rights at work are likely to be seriously undermined by the Howard Government's planned industrial relations changes. Find out what you can do to protect the rights and conditions that you and your colleagues have fought for at http://www.actu.asn.au/work_rights

Almost, But Not Quite? - For those on intranets who are unable to access the MHWA weblinks, please contact agarvey@nswnurses.asn.au to request any individual items be sent as an attachment.

If you have received this message in error or would like to be removed from this list, please contact agarvey@nswnurses.asn.au

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