Latest News
MHiMA Christmas office closing times 2014
Thursday, November 27, 2014
The MHiMA office will be closed for the Christmas holidays from Thursday 25th December 2014 and will reopen again on Monday 5th January 2015.
We wish everyone a safe and happy break!
Categories: information; MHiMA project news
Friday, November 21, 2014
For the latest issue of the MHiMA e-newsletter, please click here.
Categories: communications and media; information; MHiMA project news
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Mental Health in Multicultural Australia (MHiMA) has joined forces with some of Australia’s leading businesses, sporting bodies and NGO’s to support the “Racism. It stops with me” campaign.
Our organisation has committed to preventing racism by pledging to undertake activities in support of the campaign.
“The Mental Health in Multicultural Australia (MHiMA) project is pleased to be part of, and to support, this important campaign. Racism is never acceptable and we need to do all we can to eliminate it from our society” Harry Minas, MHiMA Chair.
Research from 2011 shows that one in seven Australians say they have experienced discrimination because of their colour or background. This figure appears to have been increasing in recent years.
Research has also shown that 70 percent of people agree that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous people are prejudiced against each other.
The national “Racism. It stops with me” campaign, which is being led by the Australian Human Rights Commission, has been developed by a partnership of government and non-government agencies and will run until 2015.
For more information about the campaign go to: http://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/
Or follow the campaign on Twitter @ItStopsWithMe.
Categories: blog; communications and media; community engagement; MHiMA project news; news; partnerships.
MHiMA CaLD Carer and Consumer Participation - Raising Our Voices Bridging the Divide to Culturally Appropriate Mental Health Care, multicultural mental health and wellbeing conference
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
MHiMA CaLD Carer and Consumer Participation - Raising Our Voices Bridging the Divide to Culturally Appropriate Mental Health Care, multicultural mental health and wellbeing conference by Ãine Tierney
Presentations by consumer and carer advocates were a feature of the recent Raising Our Voices Bridging the Divide to Culturally Appropriate Mental Health Care in Canberra on Friday the 7th November 2014. The conference was focused on multicultural mental health and wellbeing and involved speakers who came from across Australia to share their professional expertise and lived experience. The conference provided opportunities for delegates to share their stories, put questions directly to speakers and to raise their voices about a range of issues that affect health, mental health and well-being for multicultural, migrant and refugee communities.
Launch of ‘Our Voices’ – Stories of carers from migrant and refugee backgrounds
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Launch of ‘Our Voices’ – Stories of carers from migrant and refugee backgrounds by Ãine Tierney
I was invited to attend the launch of this wonderful initiative on Friday the 31st in Melbourne. I was joined by two members of the MHiMA National CaLD Consumer and Carer Working Groups who had been involved in the project.
I was very moved by the five short films that make up Our Voices. These stories capture the unique experiences and lives of five carers from migrant and refugee backgrounds who come from Afghani, Egyptian, Somali, Turkish and Vietnamese communities. The short films in original languages and with subtitles in English, document the day-to-day caring experience of caring for a family member with a mental illness which the carers tell in their own words. The film footage includes exquisite charcoal drawings used as a pictorial account - evolving as each carer’s story progresses. I was struck by how each of the carers sought and found support for their family member and themselves and spoke openly about their feelings and concerns.
The project was a collaboration involving nine organisations in Victoria, the carers, and their communities. Our Voices is an incredible resource for carers, their families and anyone working in multicultural, migrant and refugee health and mental health.
The DVD’s and narrative are available in original language (Arabic, Vietnamese, Turkish, Dari and Somali), voice dubbing into the five community languages and English subtitles with English voice dubbing from VTMH – 03 – 9288 300. Links to the films can be found through: www.vtmh.org.au.A mental health workforce strategy for multicultural Australia
Access to services staffed by mental health practitioners who can adequately assist and support them has a direct and positive impact on the health care outcomes of people of migrant and refugee background.
People from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds face additional barriers and challenges in accessing the services and support they need when mental health issues arise.
In response, the Mental Health in Multicultural Australia (MHiMA) project is developing a draft national strategy that aims to improve the capacity of the mental health workforce to provide high quality treatment, care and support and address the needs and preferences of all members of Australia's multicultural community.
Key elements of the strategy
Review definitions
Across Australia and internationally, a range of terms, definitions and standards, associated with providing culturally diverse groups with services, are currently in use. Defining which groups constitute the ‘multicultural mental health workforce’ also needs to be considered. Taking a national approach to developing a shared understanding will be a major focus of the strategy.
Relate to existing frameworks, policies and strategies
The strategy will be aligned with a range of existing mental health and cultural diversity frameworks and policies at national and state and territory levels. Consideration will be given to the workforce strategies and plans currently operating within the various jurisdictions throughout Australia.
Acknowledge opportunities and challenges
Understanding the opportunities and challenges that currently exist will be an essential step in identifying the key objectives and actions of the strategy.
Include tools and resources
Sector feedback is telling us that relevant, cost effective tools and resources that facilitate optimal mental health care outcomes are required.
An informed strategy
The strategy will be developed following a thorough review of evidence, practice information and sector consultation, including:
- Current, peer-reviewed literature on mental health, cultural diversity and workforce;
- Best practice guidelines and standards related to mental health, cultural diversity and workforce;
- Relevant existing national and state/ territory policies, frameworks and strategies; and
- Key stakeholders across a range of sectors including mental health professionals, services and organisations, education and training providers and culturally diverse consumers of mental health, their families and carers.
The aim is to identify the most critical issues with a view to developing focused and practical actions that can be undertaken in the short to mid-term, and beyond.
Progress so far
MHiMA is currently finalising the literature review that will be used to inform and guide the next stage of the strategy's development. Consultations with key stakeholders will commence in April – May 2014.
We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Please contact Yolanda Mansfield, MHiMA project officer, for more information.
