[MMHA-E-Bulletin] November Edition

[Multicultural Mental Health Australia]

Welcome to the Multicultural Mental Health
Australia October 2004 E-Bulletin.

This free e-bulletin aims to keep you up-to-date
with the latest news and information related to
the mental health and wellbeing of Australia’s
culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
For contributions: info at mmha.org.au
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This Edition in brief:
(please scroll down for more information)

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What’s New?
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1. The Framework for the Implementation of the
National Mental Health Plan 2003-2008 in
Multicultural Australia is NOW AVAILABLE!
2. Diversity in Health Conference 2005:
It’s everyone’s business CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
form is now available. Abstracts due 30 April 2005.
3. MMHA’s National Poetry Awards – Winner announced.
4. Synergy: MMHA’s magazine RECOVERY Edition
Available early December.

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Publications
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1.  Ausinetter Vol. 3, Issue 3: Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander mental health.
Available online mid December 2005.
2. Mental Health Promotion Case Studies
from Countries (2004). World Federation for
Mental Health and the World Health Organisation.
3. Promoting Mental Health: Concepts, Emerging
evidence, Practice. Summary Report (2004).
World Health Organisation.
4. Prevention of Mental Disorders: Effective
Interventions and Policy Options. Summary Report
(2004). World Health Organisation.

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Events and Training
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1. Disability from a Multicultural Perspective:
2 December 2004
2. Disability and Rehabilitation Professional’s
Association 2nd State Conference; Embracing
Diverse Abilities: 27 January 2004.
3. Transformations: culture and the environment
in Human Development: 7-9 February 2005.
4. The Mental Health Services (TheMHS) Summer Forum:
24-25 February 2004.

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Websites
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1. IDM Best Practices: www.idmbestpractices.ca
2. Mental Health Commission: www.mhc.govt.nz
3. Carter Centre: www.cartercenter.org
4. University of Zululand, South Africa: www.uzulu.ac.za

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT’S NEW?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. The framework for the implementation of the
National Mental Health Plan 2003-2008 in Multicultural
Australia is NOW AVAILABLE! The right of all
Australians to good mental health, equal access
to quality mental health services and the opportunity
to participate in their health care is the starting
point of the Framework. This Framework was developed for
the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Committee
National Mental Health Working Group, by the National
Multicultural Mental Health Policy Development
Steering Group.  From March to November 2003 this group
provided expert assistance to Multicultural Mental
Health Australia in the development of the Framework.
During the development of the Framework, the Steering
Group undertook an extensive community consultation
which included meetings around Australia, a National
Consultation Forum in August 2003 and wide
dissemination of an issues paper on which the
final Framework is based. Local meetings were
also conduced in Queensland and Tasmania to discuss
the Consultation Paper.  Written comments were
received from twenty-one organisations and eleven
individuals. To receive a hardcopy email admin at mmha.org.
with your postal address or download document from www.mmha.org.au

2. Diversity in Health Conference 2005:
It’s everyone’s business CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
form is now available. Abstracts due 30 April 2005.
Get your abstract in to be part of this exciting
conference in Melbourne 17-19th October 2005.
Call for abstract form and details at:
http://www.amf.net.au/event_nat_healthDiversity.shtml
or www.mmha.org.au

3. MMHA’s National Poetry Awards – Winners announced.
With 186 entries in five states, this years
competition based on the theme – Who am I? Where do I Belong?
was a huge success. All state winners and highly
commended students and their schools have been awarded
prizes, certificates and trophies.

4. Synergy: MMHA’s magazine RECOVERY Edition
available early December. Recovery in mental
health: What is it? What are the debates?
We ask culturally diverse consumers, what does
Recovery mean to you? This 28-page edition is
full of debates, perspectives and discussions
on recovery. It also includes resources,
national noticeboard, book review and a lot more.
Due out early December. Look out for your copy
in the mail, via email or view at www.mmha.org.au

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PUBLICATIONs
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1. Auseinetter Volume 3, Issue 3: Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Mental Health. Available
online mid December 2005. This is a special
issue devoted to Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander mental health with Dr Tracy Westerman
from Indigenous Psychological Services in Perth,
WA as guest editor. View online at www.auseinet.com

2. Mental Health Promotion Case Studies from
Countries (2004). World Federation for Mental
Health and the World Health Organisation. This
project aimed to collect illustrative mental
health promotion programmes from countries
around the world. It is an effort to advocate
to governments and international organisations
for increased investment in mental health
promotion activities. Thirty-five programmes from
19 countries are included. To order send an email to:
bookorders at who.int or download from www.who.it

3. Promoting Mental Health: Concepts, Emerging
evidence, Practice. Summary Report (2004).
World Health Organisation. This report aims
to bring to life the mental health dimension
of health promotion, this report describes
the concepts relating to promotion of mental health,
the emerging evidence for effectiveness of
interventions an the public health policy
and practice implications. Written for people
working in the many health and non-health
sectors of government, education and
business whose decision affect mental health
in ways they may not realise. To order,
send an email to: bookorders at who.int or
download from www.who.it

4. Prevention of Mental Disorders: Effective
Interventions and Policy Options. Summary Report
(2004). World Health Organisation. This report
offers an overview of international evidence-
based programmes and policies for preventing
mental and behavioural disorders. It focuses
on primary prevention rather than secondary
or tertiary prevention. It describes the
concepts relating to prevention and the
relationship between prevention of mental
disorders and the promotion of mental health.
To order send an email to: bookorders at who.int
or download from www.who.it

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EVENTS AND TRAINING
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Disability from a Multicultural Perspective:
2 December 2004 9.30am – 1.00pm, Burwood Council,
2 Conder St, Burwood NSW FREE To discuss the
report on ethnic people with disabilities programs,
Commonwealth Carelink Centres, Disability Issues
in Burwood, issues of multicultural customers
in mental health. RSVP: Stephen Chan on 02 9859 1288

2. Disability and Rehabilitation Professional’s
Association 2nd State Conference; Embracing
Diverse Abilities: 27 January 2004. Adelaide.
This conference will provide a forum for a
range of service providers, families and people
with a disability to meet and share knowledge and
experiences with disability and rehabilitation
professionals from various disciplines.
Registrations and more information:
www.som.flinders.edu.au/FUSA/disabstud/darpa/default.

3. Transformations: Culture and the Environment
in Human Development: 7-9 February 2005, Canberra.
Transformations will be an International Conference
looking at global and local trends in cultural
diversity and sustainable development. The conference
will consider theory and principles with the goal
of developing practical outcomes on ways to
integrate culture in planning at all level.
It will debate contemporary conceptual frameworks,
analyse the Universal Declaration on Cultural
Diversity and Human Development Report 2004
and explore how they can be implemented at the
policy and program levels, examine case studies
and demonstration projects, and develop practical
strategic directions at workshops. For more information:
www.fecca.org.au/transformations.html

4. The Mental Health Services (TheMHS) Summer Forum:
Double Trouble 2: Comorbidity issues for young
people 24-25 February 2004. Sydney. What are the
issues for mental health services with the increased
use of party drugs and emerging new patterns of
drug availability and use? How do we respond?
What is the latest on the relationship between
cannabis and psychosis? What is the latest
evidence in treating young people with comorbid
mental health and drug and alcohol use?
For more information: www.themhs.org

For a complete listing of conferences and
training relevant to multicultural
mental health, visit www.mmha.org.au

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WEBSITES
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1. IDM Best Practices: www.idmbestpractices.ca
Regularly updated site for best practices in
health promotion, public health and population health.

2. Mental Health Commission: www.mhc.govt.nz.
MHC works to promote better understanding by
the public of mental health and to reduce
discrimination, strengthen mental health
workforce and monitors and reports
to Government in New Zealand.

3. Carter Center: www.cartercenter.org
The Carter Center in partnership
with Emory University, is committed to
advancing human rights and alleviating
unnecessary human suffering. Founded in
1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
and his wife, Rosalynn, the Atlanta-based
Center has helped to improve the quality of
life for people in more than 65 countries.
The centre has a strong committeement to
mental health issues. Go to Health Programs
and then Mental Health to find details.

4. University of Zululand, South Africa: www.uzulu.az.za
Of particular interest on this site is the
health promotion programme Dramadie
(Drama AIDS Education). Dramaide was
established in 1992 and is a university-based,
independently donor-funded project based at
University of Zululand and University of
Natal (Durban). The organisation promotes
the use of participatory drama and other
interactive educational methodology
for HIV/AIDS, life skills and sexuality
education. Click on HIV/AIDS on menu.

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Multicultural Mental Health Australia has
extensive listings on mental health resources
and services. Available at: www.mmha.org.au.
For more information please contact us on:
Tel: +61 2 9840 3333
Fax: +61 2 9840 3388
Email: admin at mmha.org.au
Website: www.mmha.org.au