E-news

New Queensland Mental Health Commission to have wide reaching powers

Premier and Minister for Reconstruction
The Honourable Anna Bligh
30/01/2012
The new Queensland Mental Health Commission will be the most powerful agency of its type in Australia matching the importance of the issue in the wider community.
Premier Anna Bligh today received the First Report of the Queensland Mental Health Commission Advisory Committee, following extensive State-wide consultations held last year and early this year.
"This report sets out a blueprint to create a stronger and more responsive mental health system in Queensland and that is what we intend to do," the Premier said.
"It contains 14 key recommendations to ensure the new Queensland Mental Health Commission can serve as a strong champion for people with mental illness.
"The recommendations have been developed with input from people living with mental illness, and from service providers, clinicians, families and carers in all parts of Queensland."
The Premier said the new Queensland Mental Health Commission will:(read on)...(Download Report)

Well meant or well spent? Accountability for
$8 billion of mental health reform

article by Rosenberg, Mendoza and Russell |
Medical Journal of Australia | 30 Jan 2012
Despite significant recent public investment in mental health, do we really know what Australia is getting for its money? In response to repeated inquiries revealing a profound crisis in the provision of mental health care services,¹ Australia has committed to spending around $8 billion of new money on mental health since 2006. Few would argue that this investment was long overdue, given the significant gap between the funding mental health receives ($5.8 billion² out of $113 billion of total health expenditure in the 2008–09 financial year³) and the contribution of mental illness to the burden of disease (13%)⁴...(read on)
 

Feat of endurance for mental health

Port Macquarie News |  30 Jan 2012
RUNNING is therapy for Brad Carron-Arthur, so much so he is making the journey from Canberra to Cape York on foot.  The 22-year-old took a rest day in Port Macquarie on Friday after already running 1100 kilometres since New Years Day.

Mr Carron-Arthur has set himself the challenge of running up the east coast to raise money and awareness for mental health, which affects one-in-five Australians.  The Australian National University Bachelor of Psychology graduate continued on his 4000km journey over the weekend, running about 50km each day with several rest days in between.

Money raised from the fitness enthusiast’s epic journey will be donated to the Australian Foundation for Mental Health Research at ANU...(read on)