Released 06/02/2019
Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing
Canberrans are being encouraged to have their say on a new vision for mental health and wellbeing in the ACT.
The Coordinator-General for the Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing Dr Elizbeth Moore said we want to hear from the community about their priorities for improving mental health and wellbeing.
“The ACT Government is committed to providing a more integrated approach to mental health services that works with the community as a whole,” Dr Moore said.
“As part of this commitment, the Office is developing a new vision for mental health and wellbeing and we need the community’s help to better understand what people see as the priorities in this important area of our health care system.
“This feedback will be used to create a meaningful work plan for the Office.
“All Canberrans are encouraged to participate. However, we particularly want to hear from people who access mental health services, their families and carers, and members of the public with experience in the mental health sector.”
Dr Moore said early engagement across the community sector had already identified the following mental health and wellbeing priority areas:
- increased focus on prevention and early intervention.
- improved holistic outcomes for people with mental illness through a renewed focus on the social determinants of health.
- coordinated services that ‘wrap’ around an individual, so that individuals don’t need to have to navigate the system.
- improved coordinated holistic approaches for vulnerable population groups.
- reduced suicide attempts and suicide deaths, through better integration of suicide prevention services.
- ongoing appropriate and considered consumer and carer engagement and participation.
- increased capacity to grow, develop and sustain an effective mental health workforce, including peer workers.
- Further targeted research and evaluation.
“The feedback received through this consultation will help us ensure that the priority areas that have been identified align with the wants and needs of the broader community,” Dr Moore said.
“As Coordinator-General I am working closely with carers and consumers, mental health service providers, experts in the sectors and across all ACT Government directorates to raise the prominence of and make changes to enhance mental health.
“This consultation is the start of this conversation.”
This first round of consultation on the YourSay website is open until 7 March, 2019. As part of the consultation, the Office will also host a series of workshops with groups and organisations across the community sector.
For more information and to get involved in the consultation visit www.yoursay.act.gov.au.
For more information on the workshops and the Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing more broadly, visit: https://www.health.act.gov.au/about-our-health-system/office-mental-health-and-wellbeing-0
Media contact
Health media M 0403 3400 080 E healthmedia@act.gov.au
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