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Working together towards change
Friday, February 22, 2019
I'm pleased to write to you all with an update on the National Multicultural Mental Health Project.
Priorities
In 2018 we were strongly focussed on bringing people together for this highly collaborative project, including mental health consumers and carers from multicultural backgrounds as well as key stakeholders from across the mental health and multicultural sectors.
Together, we have begun a significant program of work which builds on the achievements of previous national projects, and aims towards an equitable mental health system and improved mental health and wellbeing for Australia’s multicultural population.
In 2019 we will continue to work together to progress this important work, including:
- Providing support for organisations to evaluate and improve their cultural responsiveness through further development and promotion of the Framework for Mental Health in Multicultural Australia
- Establishing, maintaining and promoting a quality-assured knowledge exchange and repository platform on the project’s website
- Increasing mental health awareness, knowledge and capacity in CALD communities
- Mapping available evidence-based resources and tools and from these findings, identifying priorities and developing new resources and training
- Establishing a data collection and reporting strategy
Initial efforts will focus on the development of the Framework for Mental Health in Multicultural Australia into a series of modules. This includes reaching out to Primary Health Networks (PHNs) and mental health services across Australia, to help tailor the material to meet a range of service and community needs. Developing a new name, brand and website for the project will also be an early focus, and we look forward to launching the project’s new resources to you all in mid-2019.
Collaboration
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the key groups and teams who will be driving this work program.
Project Alliance
The Project Alliance provides high level guidance and makes strategic decisions about the project's direction. The Project Alliance brings together senior representatives from three national peak bodies: Mental Health Australia, the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) and the National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA). Importantly, it also includes a consumer and a carer representative, as nominated by the members of the CALD Mental Health Consumer and Carer Group.
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Mental Health Consumer & Carer Group
The CALD Mental Health Consumer and Carer Group is comprised of a consumer and a carer representative from each state and territory of Australia. The Group includes a passionate, energised and diverse mix of voices and will provide advice to the Alliance based on members' lived experience and connections to their communities.
CALD Mental Health Consumer and Carer Group shown here with members of the Project Team
Stakeholder Group
The Stakeholder Group includes senior representatives from across the multicultural, mental health and related sectors. The Group will provide advice to the Alliance based on members' expertise and links to multicultural communities and the mental health workforce.
Stakeholder Group meeting with Mental Health Australia staff
Project Team
The Project Team is based at Mental Health Australia and includes myself as National Project Manager along with Policy and Project Officer, Kaitlin Saunders and Project and Administration Officer, Charlene Singh. Staff at FECCA and NEDA also provide support to the Project. Our team can be contacted on 02 6285 3100 or at [email protected].
Thank you once again for your interest and support for the National Multicultural Mental Health Project. We look forward to keeping you updated with news and opportunities as the project progresses.
Warm regards
Ruth
National Multicultural Mental Health Project Update
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Applications open for consumers, carers from CALD backgrounds to join the new national multicultural mental health project
Friday, July 27, 2018
Positions Vacant - National multicultural mental health project
Friday, May 11, 2018
A renewed national focus: Bringing together the mental health and multicultural sectors
Friday, May 04, 2018
New books and reviews
2014
Hecht, J. (2014). Stay: A history of suicide and the philosophies against it. London: Yale University Press. Review:
Kirmayer, L., Guzder, J., and Rousseau, C. (Eds.) (2014). Cultural Consultation: Encountering the Other in Mental Health Care. New York: Springer.
2013
Azzi, A., Chryssochoou, X., Klandermans, B., and Simon B. (2011). Identity and participation in culturally diverse societies: a multidisciplinary perspective. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
Review:
Guha, M. (2013). [Review of the books Identity and participation in culturally diverse societies: a multidisciplinary perspective by A. Azzi, X. Chryssochoou, B. Klandermans and B. Simon, Cultural diversity and global media: the mediation of difference by E. Siapera, and Working with immigrant families: a practical guide for counsellors by A. Zagelbaum and J. Carlson]. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 6(30), 230-232. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17542863.2011.571934
Barnow, S. and Balkir, N. (Eds.) (2013). Cultural variations in psychopathology: From research to practice. Cambridge, USA: Hogrefe Publishing. Review:
Xerfan, J. (2013). [Review of the book Cultural variations in psychopathology by S. Barnow and N. Balkir (Eds.)]. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 59, 828. http://isp.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/59/8
Coll, C.G. (Ed.) (2012). The impact of immigration on children's development. Providence, USA: Karger.
Review:
Bhugra, D. (2013). [Review of the book The impact of immigration on children's development by C.G. Coll (Ed.)]. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 6(3), 233-233. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17542863.2012.725749
Colucci, E. and Lester, D. (Eds.) (2013). Suicide and culture: Understanding the context. Cambridge, USA: Hogrefe.
Reviews:
Kesserwani, J. (2013). [Review of the book Suicide and culture: Understanding the context by E. Colucci and D. Lester (Eds.)]. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 59, 829-830. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17542863.2013.797140#.UpbrYZVnRIg
Tousignant, M. (2013). [Review of the book Suicide and culture: Understanding the context by E. Colucci and D. Lester (Eds.)]. Transcultural Psychiatry, 50(6), 900-901. http://tps.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/50/6/900
Ghodse, H. (Ed.). (2011). International perspectives on mental health. London: Royal College of Psychiatry.
Reviews:
Bhugra, D. (2013). [Review of special edition International perspectives on mental health by H. Ghodse (Ed.)]. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 6(30) 235-235. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17542863.2012.732590
Stein, D. (2012). [Review of special edition International perspectives on mental health by H. Ghodse (Ed.)]. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 200, 434. http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/200/5/434.1.full
McCarthy, A. and Coleborne, C. (Eds.). (2012). Migration, ethnicity, and mental health: International perspectives, 1840–2010. New York, USA: Routledge.
Reviews:
York, S. (2013). [Review of the book Migration, ethnicity, and mental health: International perspectives, 1840–2010 by A. McCarthy and C. Coleborne (Eds.)]. History of Psychiatry, 24(2), 251-252. http://hpy.sagepub.com/content/24/2.toc
MacKinnon, D. (2012). [Review of Migration, Ethnicity, and Mental Health: International Perspectives, 1840-2010 by A. McCarthy and C. Coleborne (Eds.)]. Australasian Journal of Irish Studies, 12, 167-170. http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=196151844449947;res=IELHSS
Peteet, J. (2010). Depression and the soul: A guide to spiritually integrated treatment. New York, USA: Routledge.
Reviews:
Rajyaguru, P. (2013). [Review of the book Depression and the soul by J. Peteet]. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 6(3), 225-226. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17542863.2010.544069
Menyweather-Woods, L. (2011). [Review of Depression and the Soul by J. Peteet]. Journal of Religion, Spirituality and Aging, 23(4), 371-373. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15528030.2011.576231#.UpfkH5VnRIg
Siapera, E. (2010). Cultural diversity and global media: the mediation of difference. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
Review:
Guha, M. (2013). [Review of the books Identity and participation in culturally diverse societies: a multidisciplinary perspective by A. Azzi, X. Chryssochoou, B. Klandermans and B. Simon, Cultural diversity and global media: the mediation of difference by E. Siapera, and Working with immigrant families: a practical guide for counsellors by A. Zagelbaum and J. Carlson]. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 6(30), 230-232. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17542863.2011.571934
Zagelbaum, A. and Carlson, J. (2011). Working with immigrant families: a practical guide for counsellors. New York, USA: Routledge.
Review:
Guha, M. (2013). [Review of the books Identity and participation in culturally diverse societies: a multidisciplinary perspective by A. Azzi, X. Chryssochoou, B. Klandermans and B. Simon, Cultural diversity and global media: the mediation of difference by E. Siapera, and Working with immigrant families: a practical guide for counsellors by A. Zagelbaum and J. Carlson]. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 6(30), 230-232. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17542863.2011.571934
