[MMHA-E-Bulletin] February Edition MMHA E-Bulletin

Mon Feb 7 13:38:05 EST 2005

Welcome to the Multicultural Mental Health Australia February 2005
E-Bulletin.

This free E-Bulletin aims to keep you up-to-date with the latest news and
informationrelated to the mental health and wellbeing of Australia’s culturally and
linguisticallydiverse (CALD) communities. For contributions: info at mmha.org.au

This edition in brief: (please scroll down for more information)

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What’s New?
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1. Western Australian Office of Mental Health 24-hour support line for people
affected by the Tsunami. Ph: 1300 555 788.

2. NSW Transcultural Mental Health Centre 24-Hour Counselling Service for
people from NESB affected by the Tsunami Ph: 1800 648 911.

3. NSW Health’s ‘Coping Personally after the Tsunami’ Fact Sheet available in
English, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Singhalese, Tamil and Thai.

4. Mental Health ramifications of the Tsunami. Editorial article by
Associate ProfessorNicholas Procter in Contemporary Nurse Vol, 18 No.3 (April – June 2005).

5. Recovery edition of Synergy: MMHA’s Magazine OUT NOW!

6. Job Vacancy: Child and Family Mental Health Project Officer, NSW
TransculturalMental Health Centre.

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Publications
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1. Culturally Competent Disability Support: Putting it into practice.
Multicultural DisabilityAdvocacy Association of NSW.

2. Children of Immigrant Families: Special theme of The Future of Children
Journal: Vol.14 No.2.

3. 8th Edition of the NSW Directory of Alcohol and other Drug Services,
Programsand Resources for People of Non-English Speaking Backgrounds: by Drug and
Alcohol Multicultural Education Centre.

4. Call for submissions. Special Mental Health edition of the journal
Contemporary Nurse.

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Events and Training
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1. Introduction to Transcultural Mental Health; Queensland Transcultural
MentalHealth Centre - 2005 Training Dates

2. Written Word Workshops – 2005 workshop titles.

3. Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association: Cultural
Abilities-training programme 2005.

4. Working Across Borders: Exploring the relationship between the practice
of multicultural health in Australia and Global Health. One-day pre FECCA Congress Symposium.

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New additions to the Web
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1. WHO European Ministerial Conference on Mental Health: Facing the
Challenges,Building Solutions – Conference Papers.

2. Queensland Government Health Website – Tsunami support.

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WHAT’S NEW?
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1.  WA Office of Mental Health has set up a 24-hour support line for
people affectedby the Tsunami. The service, which is staffed by the State's Psychiatric
EmergencyTeam provides support and assessment to victims of the Tsunami and their
families.It is intended that this service will be available for approximately a
three-month period(til end of March). Ph: 1300 555 788.

2.  NSW Transcultural Mental Health Centre (TMHC NSW) has a 24-Hour
counsellingservice for non-English Speaking Background communities affected by the
Tsunami.Counselling is free and is provided by a skilled multi-disciplinary team.
Counselling isavailable in many languages including Indonesian, Thai, Singhalese, Tamil
and Hindiand is available to all NSW residents. Toll free: 1800 648 911.

3. What are the Mental Health ramifications of the Tsunami? Editorial
article by AssociateProfessor Nicholas Procter in Contemporary Nurse Journal Volume 18. Number 3
(April-June 2005). The article discusses the short and long-term
ramifications on theindividuals and communities affected by the Tsunami. Article available via:

http://www.contemporarynurse.com/18.3/18.3.0.php

4. NSW Health’s ‘Coping Personally after the Tsunami’ Fact Sheet has been
translatedinto six languages; Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Singhalese, Tamil and
Thai. This factsheet looks at normal reactions to a disaster, positive ways of coping,
children, seekinghelp and when to ask for extra help. The fact sheets are free and
available fordownload from www.mmha.org.au

5. The Recovery edition of Synergy: MMHA’s magazine aims to raise issues
of recoveryfrom consumers and carers from culturally and linguistically diverse
backgrounds.We ask, what is recovery? What are the debates? What does it mean for
culturallydiverse consumers? Access the edition via:
www.mmha.org.au/MMHAPublications/Synergy/2004No3

6. Job Vacancy: A Child and Family Mental Health Project Officer is
required to join theNSW Transcultural Mental Health Centre’s statewide Child and Family Mental
Health team.The successful applicant will be required to coordinate initiatives 
related to the mentalhealth of children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse
backgrounds.Closing date for application is 18th February 2005. For more information
contactMichelle Azizi Ph: 02 9840 3764 or email: Michelle_azizi at wsahs.nsw.gov.au

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PUBLICATIONS
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1.  Culturally Competent Disability Support: Putting it into Practice. A
Review of theInternational and Australian Literature on Cultural Competence. Written by
Patrick Harrisfor Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW (MDAA). This
literature reviewdetails in an accessible way, the international and Australian literature
on culturalcompetence for managers, workers, educators, students and others with an
interest inproviding effective support to people with disability, their families and
communities.Copies available, email: mdaa at mdaa.org.au or Ph: 02 9891 6400.

2. The Future of Children Journal, V14, No. 2 – Summer 2004 focuses on
Children inImmigrant Families. The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International
Affairs atPrinceton University and The Brookings Institution publish this journal.
Available via:
http://www.futureofchildren.org/index.htm

3.The 8th Edition of the NSW Directory of Alcohol and other Drug Services,
Programsand Resources for People of Non-English Speaking Backgrounds is now
available.Compiled by The Drug and Alcohol Multicultural Education Centre  (DAMEC).
Contact Alia Choucair, email: information at damec.org.au or Ph: 02 9699 3552.

4. Call for submissions. Associate Professor Nicholas Procter (UNiSA) and
Professor Barbra Wolfe(Boston College) will jointly co-edit the Special Mental Health Issue of
the refereed journalContemporary Nurse.  They hope to create a very substantial issue of the
Journal that willhave worldwide appeal and be relevant to clinicians, researchers and
academics.The deadline for submission is March 31.  All manuscript submissions
should be emailed to:
editorial at contemporarynurse.com

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EVENTS AND TRAINING
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1. Introduction to Transcultural Mental Health a post-graduate course will
be deliveredby the Queensland Transcultural Mental Health Centre (QTMHC), School of
MentalHealth and the University of Queensland. It involves eight one-day
Train-the-trainerworkshops over four months. Course: 8 March til 8 June. Workshops can be
taken individually.For more information contact Clarissa Wilson, QTMHC:
Clarissa_Wilson at health.qld.gov.auor Ph: 07 3240 2833.

2. Written Word is running three workshops in most Australian capital
cities in 2005.From March - Healing from family rifts, estrangements and severe family
dysfunction.From August - Applying the science of happiness: finding flow in your life
and practice.From November - Shame, guilt and the four spheres of self. For detailed
information onthe workshop calendar contact, Catherine Leach: Catherine at writtenword.com.au

3. Multicultural Disabilities Advocacy Association: Cultural Abilities is
offering a comprehensivetraining program, as well as tailor made training, cultural competency
policy and practice audits.The training will greatly assist services in enhancing their capabilities
to work with peoplewith disability from diverse cultural backgrounds. Topics include; The ABC
of Access andEquity, Disability in a Cultural Context, Introduction to African
Communities, Making yourservice accessible to people from a NESB. For a complete list of topics
and training calendar:
www.mdaa.org.au/training/html or Ph: 02 9891 6400.

4. Working Across Borders: Exploring the relationship between the practice
of multiculturalhealth in Australia and Global Health. This one-day pre FECCA Congress
Symposium willfocus on women and children’s health. 25 May 2005, Nan Tien Temple
Function Centre,Berkeley, Wollongong. Contact Jan Kang, TMHC NSW: Jan Kang at wsahs.nsw.gov.au
or Ph: 02 9840 3762.

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

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NEW ADDITIONS TO THE WEB
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1. WHO European Ministerial Conference on Mental Health: Facing the
Challenges, Building Solutions12-15 January Helsinki 2005. The conference papers, scope and purpose of
the conference,European Declaration on Mental Health are available via:
http://www.euro.who.int/mentalhealth2005

2. The Queensland Government Health website provides information for
people returning fromTsunami affected areas, coping with disasters and links to the Victorian
Government’s multilingualfact sheets on stress, children and crisis.
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/health_information/featured_news/default.asp

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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