Inner South Family and Friends Support Group Meeting 14 August 2018

Our group has been very fortunate in having speakers from two very important organisations present a summary of their election platform and the Victorian Carer Strategy.  Maggie Toko CEO and Indigo Daya Human Rights Advisor from Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC) spoke of specific issues of concern for consumers and Marie Piu CEO Tandem spoke on the Victorian Carer Strategy and issues of concern for carers and consumers.  “Tandem particularly welcomed commitments that will affect families and friends of people with mental health issues. “

Click on the link below to access VMIAC election platform:

Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council: https://www.vmiac.org.au/election-18/

You can read the Victorian Carer Strategy via the following link:

Tandem: http://www.tandemcarers.org.au/carer-strategy.php

Victorian Carer Strategy 2018–22

Mental Health Victoria

Training Calendar
July – December 2018
Registrations are now open online for all courses to the end of the year. A number of new short courses are offered, including: ‘Basic counselling skills for creating solution focussed conversations’ and ‘Mental Health Awareness’; ‘Communicating your lived experience’. Courses can also be delivered at your service, with or without any additional customisation. You can view the training calendar here. For more information please call 9519 7000 or email learning@mhvic.org.au

Please click on the following link to access the complete Tandem Newsletter:

https://mailchi.mp/ea05d8ee5047/dfxn4oqrm0-1287933?e=c99745d1df

Launch of Victorian Government Carer Strategy 2018-22

At Parliament House today, Martin Foley, Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing; Mental Health; Equality; Creative Industries and Gabrielle Williams, Parliamentary Secretary for Carers and Volunteers launched a whole of Victorian Government Carer Strategy 2018-22 recognising and supporting Victoria’s carers.

Carers Victoria has played a pivotal consultancy role in the development of the strategy which aims to improve supports and recognise carers for their important role in the community.

Carers Victoria CEO Scott Walker highlighted the significance of the milestone.  “A whole-of-Government-Carer-Strategy is essential in ensuring carers are respected, valued and supported, while having the same rights, choices and opportunities as other members of the community”, he said.

“Today’s Victorian Carer Strategy wonderfully reflects the diversity of Victoria’s 736,000 carers – recognising what we have in common without eliminating the important differences. The Victorian Carer Strategy highlights that carers come from all walks of life. Carers are represented in all genders, sexual orientations, cultural backgrounds, localities, employment and age.

Carers Victoria is really pleased to see these widespread carers concerns have been picked up in each of the five priorities announced today – recognition, acknowledgement and respect; health and wellbeing; participation in the workforce, schooling and study; access to support and services and financial security.

Carers Victoria welcomes the Andrews Government’s commitment to continue to consult with carers, service providers and peak agencies about the progress of the Strategy’s implementation,” said Mr Walker.

For further information about the Strategy refer to the Carers Victoria website.

Please access the link below to read the Carers Victoria Voice:

https://mailchi.mp/170e3492e872/carers-victoria-voice-september-edition-460217?e=a09af54e6b

FREE Workshop series – Managing Carer Fatigue
Alfred Health Carer Services invites carers who live in the Southern region of Melbourne to join a series of three workshops designed to help you learn techniques to relax, take care of yourself and practice self-compassion. The series start on 23 August and RSVP is essential.
See flyer for details

Caring Fairly – a national advocacy and awareness-raising campaign re the rights of mental health carers.
Mind Australia is leading Caring Fairly which will focus on improving and realising the economic, social and cultural rights of mental health carers. The campaign is supported by a nationwide coalition of organisations that support mental health carers, including Mental Health Carers Australia, peak bodies, and other major national non-government organisations. This three-year campaign will be launched in Winter 2018 and Mind Australia is keen to hear from carers who would like to contribute their experiences and views.
Read more details here

You can access the newsletter via the link below:

https://mailchi.mp/2fc2b014c126/friday-extra-20-july-2849789?e=b98a7291db

In this edition, read about:

• Improved myplace portals
• Register for our self-management webinar
• Measuring outcomes for people with disability
• Find out how Belinda followed her dreams
• Support for carers
• NDIS and other services you can access 
• Videos now available in multiple languages!
• The weekly Q&A

Please click on the link below for more information:

https://mailchi.mp/subscribendis/jan-259077?e=b308e1f97c

“Over the last few months we have been helping to inform members and stakeholders about My Health Record, including the three-month opt-out period starting this week.

The promise of this new system is similar to the promise of the first electronic GP clinical records: better management of chronic conditions and diseases, better management of reminders and recalls, and more accurate and timely communication with other medical professionals.

For those living with mental health issues, the potential for benefits are greater than for the broader population. We know that people living with mental illness often experience health care that is substandard – co-morbidities can remain untreated or undiagnosed and the complications of treatments and medications can be very damaging.

But we also know that for people living with mental illness, access to information can carry great risks. We still live in a world where stigma and discrimination mean that the unauthorised released of information might mean discrimination in employment, or insurance, or other opportunities.

So where does that leave us?

It leaves each of us empowered to make an informed choice. To weigh up the benefits against the risks – which our friends at the Consumers Health Forum of Australia have published as An important overview of the pros, cons and questions about My Health Record ”

Please click on the link below to access more information:
https://mhaustralia.org/civicrm/mailing/view?reset=1&id=941

Mindfulness course at the Discovery College (headspace Bentleigh)
If you’re interested in experiencing a range of mindfulness skills and techniques, and learning about how you can live or support others to live mindfully then this course is for you. See here to enrol
To find out more about other courses on offer and how to enrol, visit their website and download the Discovery College course guide and term timetable.

NDIA released Mental Health Access Snapshots
The snapshots provide specific, detailed information to people with psychosocial disability, their supporters, and service providers. They aim to assist people to understand the requirements of the NDIS access process in relation to psychosocial disability, and demystify the access process. The snapshots are as follows:
1.General information about how the NDIS can support your mental health
2.Impairment and mental health in the NDIS
3.Recovery and the NDIS
4.Functional capacity and mental health issues
5.NDIS and other services supporting your mental health

Click on the link below to read more information from the Friday Extra:

https://mailchi.mp/78aeb618f349/friday-extra-20-july-2018?e=b98a7291db