Category Archives: Legislation

Industry Code for Visiting Aged Care Homes during COVID-19

Dear Judith

For over a year now, COTA Australia has been campaigning to protect the mental health and social connections of aged care residents. Everyone has a right to be protected from COVID-19. But in some cases paternalistic nursing home managers put that right above all others, and residents were cut off from family for months. Social isolation has terrible consequences on mental health, and often causes rapid decline in general health.

Last year, in partnership with other consumer and carer advocates, we led the creation of the Industry Code for Visiting Residential Aged Care Homes during COVID-19. Negotiated with aged care provider representatives, and endorsed by National Cabinet, it helped in many cases, but not all.

Now, as Australia achieves its vaccination goals, we have been working to revise the Code, and we need your help.

The endorsing organisations have agreed to a public consultation, and we need your wisdom, and your voice.

What other changes are needed?

Is it easy to understand?

We have advocated for a nominated “Essential Visitor” to be chosen by the resident. That person will be able to get in, even during a lock down. Is this the right way to go?

Please have your say before midday Friday 19 November.

Older people have a right to be protected from COVID-19, and they’ve got a right to mental health and family connection too.

 

Regards

Ian Yates AM
Chief Executive
COTA Australia

 

Provide Feedback on the Disability Act

Survey

Consultation open: Provide feedback on the Disability Act

The Victorian Government has published the Review of the Disability Act 2006 consultation paper online following public consultations held earlier in the year and work by the Disability Act Review Advisory Group.

Feedback from the community will help ensure the Disability Act appropriately reflects Victoria’s role post-NDIS transition and continues to promote and protect the rights of people with disability, supports their needs and aspirations, and advances their inclusion and participation on an equal basis with others.

The consultation runs for four weeks until 20 October 2021. For more information and to have your say, visit engage.vic.gov.au/disability-act.

Have your say on the design of new Local Mental Health and Wellbeing Services

Have your say on the design of new Local Mental Health and Wellbeing Services

Victorians are invited to have their say about new local mental health and wellbeing services.

The development of new Local Adult and Older Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Services is a key part of the Victorian Government’s mental health reform, following recommendations from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

The services will focus on prevention and early intervention for adults who are experiencing mental illness or psychological distress as well as treatment for alcohol and drug addiction.

The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System recommended 50 to 60 new Local Adult and Older Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Services be established across Victoria by the end of 2026.

Victorians are invited to share their thoughts on local services and the design of the treatment, care and support through the Engage Victoria website by 20 September 2021.

Have your say on Victoria’s new mental heath system

Have your say on Victoria’s new mental health system

Victorians are being invited to have their say about the local mental health services they want to see as the Andrews Labor Government delivers a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. The development of new Local Adult and Older Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Services is at the heart of the mental health reform ? allowing Victorians to get the care they need much sooner, and closer to their families and communities. Read more

Local Adult and Older Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Services

Mandatory Reporting of National Immunisation Program (NIP) Vaccines

Immunisation

Mandatory reporting of NIP vaccines to the AIR began on 1 July 2021

The Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) is a whole-of-life, national immunisation register, which records vaccines given to all people in Australia.

This includes:

  • COVID-19 vaccines
  • vaccines given under the National Immunisation Program (NIP)
  • privately given vaccines, such as for seasonal influenza or travel.

Mandatory reporting of vaccinations to the AIR commenced in February 2021 for:

  • COVID-19 vaccines given on or after 20 February 2021
  • influenza vaccinations given on or after 1 March 2021.

Further legislative changes mean that from 1 July 2021, vaccination providers are now also required to report to the AIR all NIP vaccines given.

Reporting these vaccinations to the AIR means that the register contains a complete and reliable dataset and is able to monitor immunisation coverage and administration. It also means that individuals have a complete record of their vaccinations.

Read more.

CEO Update Mental Health Australia 13 August 2021

From the CEO –
Leanne Beagley

Headshot of Leanne Beagley.

More mental health services for young Victorians

The Victorian Government is taking action to ensure young people across Victoria have access to the mental health services they need with a massive expansion of community-based youth centres. Minister for Mental Health James Merlino today welcomed Expressions of Interest for Principal Consultant architecture services to lead the design of a $141 million project to expand and upgrade Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC) centres across the state, thanks to funding from the Victorian Budget 2021/22.

Read more

Click on the link below to read the complete newsletter:

https://mhaustralia.org/civicrm/mailing/view?reset=1&id=1657

Mental Health and Wellbeing Act now Live on Engage Victoria

A REMINDER THAT THE CONSULTATION PERIOD HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 1 AUGUST.  YOUR OPINION COUNTS. 

This is your chance to help improve on the Mental Health Act (2014).

A new consultation is now live on Engage Victoria.

Dear Judi,

Mental Health and Wellbeing Act: Update and Engagement is now live on Engage Victoria.

This consultation relates to Health.

Contribute to the development of the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act.

Thanks,

The Engage Victoria Team.
Produced by The State Government of Victoria. All rights reserved.

Tandem eNews 15 June 2021

Dear members and supporters,

The State Government is progressing quickly on the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act.

The new Act aims to address 12 recommendations made in the Royal Commission’s final report, including recommendations 4, 30, 42-45, 53-56, and 61-62. You can read more about these on the Royal Commission website.

Now, the government has released an Update and Engagement Paper on the Engage Victoria website for public consultation, with submissions due by July 4.

The paper contains four key sections:

  • the objectives and principles of the new Act
  • non-legal advocacy, supported decision making and information sharing
  • compulsory treatment and assessment, seclusion and restraint
  • governance and oversight in the new Act.

Each of these sections explains which recommendations it addresses, includes the Department of Health’s proposals on how the new Act could meet those recommendations, and then poses a number of specific questions for public response.

After reading it, you may choose to make your own submission to the website – and the more submissions made that emphasise the needs and priorities of families and friends, the better.

You may also choose to contribute your opinions through Tandem’s submission, by participating in our consultation session this Thursday during our Tandem Time:

Tandem Time
10am to 11am
Thursday 24 June via Zoom.

Knowing that the deadline set by the Royal Commission was tight (it recommended that the State Government “enact a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act, preferably by the end of 2021 and no later than mid-2022”), we have already been consulting with members.

Earlier this year, we surveyed family and friends of people with mental health challenges to capture your priorities for our new mental health laws, and to gather feedback on some of the specific issues raised in the Royal Commission final report for the new Act to address.

We received 112 responses to that survey, and 54 members also attended a consultation session held during our last Members Meeting on June 10. Thank-you to all who participated in these activities; as always, members were highly engaged and offered thorough and insightful responses to the questions asked.

Your feedback so far has been collected into a report which is available on our website, and summarised in eNews below.

We hope to see many of you at our Tandem Time consultation session this Thursday.

Click on the link below to access the complete newsletter:
https://mailchi.mp/449528769e37/dfxn4oqrm0-4757548?e=34088e3417

Tandem eNews 17 June 2021

Tandem: representing Victorian mental health carers

 

 

Dear members and supporters,

Victoria’s new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act is in development.

The Victorian Government has published a public Update and Engagement Paper for the new Act on the Engage Victoria website.

Public consultation is open until Sunday July 4th.

Tandem is preparing a submission on the behalf of members to address each section of the paper:

  • the objectives and principles of the new Act
  • non-legal advocacy, supported decision-making and information sharing
  • compulsory treatment and assessment, seclusion and restraint
  • governance and oversight in the new Act.

We would like to invite you to join a consultation session as part of a special Tandem Time from 10am to 11am next Thursday 24 June via Zoom.

The consultation session will help to guide our submission.

If you can, read the Update and Engagement Paper before next week’s session.

You may also want to make a submission of your own. You can also do this via the Engage Victoria site.

We look forward to seeing those of you who can join us next week.

In this eNews edition

    • Introduction and invitation to a special Tandem Time
    • Co-researcher roles for family/carer lived experience workers
    • Special access tickets for Mental Health Victoria’s ‘Preparing for Reform’ symposium
    • At Home with Satellite – plus Satellite Slam postponed
    • Tandem Support & Referral Line
    • Other Mental Health Helplines and Webchats
    • Join the Tandem Family

Co-researcher roles for family/carer lived experience workers
Have you worked as a family/carer lived experience worker?  The University of Melbourne and the Centre for Mental Health Learning have paid ‘co-researcher’ roles available for people to join a co-designed research project investigating the experiences of family/carer lived experience workers employed in mental health services in Victoria.
The deadline for submitting an Expression of Interest has been extended to Monday 21 June. Find a copy on our website.

Special access tickets for Mental Health Victoria’s ‘Preparing for Reform’ symposium

MHV has a limited number of free tickets on offer for ‘Preparing for Reform’, their online symposium on 29 June 2021 from 9am-3pm.

These tickets aim to allow access for people with lived experience of mental illness, their family members and carers.

Simply contact conference@mhvic.org.au with your details. For more info about the symposium see mhvconferences.com

At Home with Satellite – plus Satellite Slam postponed

At Home with Satellite is a fun, creative program that offers connecting activities for children and young people aged 8-14 years old (approx.) that runs during the school holidays.

Satellite’s ‘At Home’ program provides a curated selection of activity-based self-care packs and online workshops.

Their next ‘At Home’ workshop is a two-part series called All Superheroes Wear Masks. The first workshop will take place on Monday 28 June and the second workshop on Monday 5 July.

Monday 28 June and Monday 5 July:
10 – 11am
(for ages 8 – 11 years approx.)
1 – 2pm
(for ages 12 – 14 years approx.)

Find out more from the Satellite Foundation website.

The Satellite Foundation has also informed us that due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, Satellite Slam will now take place on Thursday 14 October and will form part of Mental Health Week from 9 – 16 October.

If you have already booked tickets, you will receive an email  about the change in date and your tickets. If you have not yet booked tickets, you can do so via the Satellite Foundation website.

You can access the complete newsletter via the link below:
https://mailchi.mp/5b62b1050ac9/dfxn4oqrm0-4757088?e=34088e3417

 

NDIS Latest News 6 May 2021

Scheme reform update

There has been a lot of focus on the NDIS in recent weeks. 

The Hon Linda Reynolds has been appointed the new Minister for the NDIS and is taking the opportunity to consult further on Scheme reforms, including independent assessments, ahead of releasing draft changes to legislation. 

I’ve recorded a short video for participants, their families and carers, and the sector, to let you know where we are in terms of Scheme reforms and set a clear picture of what we’re working towards – ultimately, an affordable Scheme that supports participants to have more control over their supports and their lives.

Watch it on the NDIS website.