Tag Archives: Mental Health

Reprints of popular Mental Health Commision resources now available

May 26, 2015 10:48 pm ⋅ admin

Due to popular demand, new versions of “Oranga Ngākau – Getting the most out of Mental Health and Addiction Services: A recovery resource for service users” and “When someone you care about has a mental health or addiction issue” are available in hard copy or by download.

“Oranga Ngākau” is easy to understand and provides valuable information about what to expect from treatment in mental health and addiction services. This includes a glossary of terms used during care, as well as describing different possible scenarios when using these services for the first time.

“When someone you care about has a mental health or addiction issue” is a resource for those who are supporting others. Read about the best ways for family, whānau and friends to help people close to them who are in care, as well as how to find support for themselves, should they need it.

Contact:
Kim Higginson, Information Officer, Mental Health Foundation
info@mentalhealth.org.nz

Posted in: Disability Issues, Families/Whanau, Online Resources, Parents and Parenting, People with Disabilities, Support, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: Addiction, family, friends, Information Officer, Kim Higginson, Mental Health, Mental Health Commision, Mental Health Foundation, Oranga Ngākau, resources, Whanau, When someone you care about has a mental health or addiction issue

Canterbury Mental Health Directory and Guide

February 23, 2015 5:14 pm ⋅ admin

Engage Aotearoa recommends the Canterbury Mental Health Directory as a great place to start if you would like to seek help with an emotional, relational or mental health issue. It lists a number of support groups in Canterbury.

If you are asking yourself questions like these: “What sort of help do I need? Who should I go to? What will it cost? How private will it be? Will I have to wait?” this directory attempts to answer these and other questions in understandable language and with your best interests at heart. The directory can be found here. (Note from Engage: You could also try out our Community Resources Directory, which has some South Island entries.)

The website also features a superb guide for starting out seeking help, found here.

Posted in: Addiction/Substance Abuse, Community Participation, Disability Issues, Online Resources, People with Disabilities, Personal Development Tools, Professional Development, Support ⋅ Tagged: Canterbury Mental Health, Directory, emotional, guide, HELP, Mental Health, relational, South Island, start

Te Pou: Peer support competencies ‘sandstone to sharpen practice on’

November 24, 2014 10:12 pm ⋅ admin

The following is a press release from Te Pou, from their website:

The resource Competencies for the mental health and addiction service user, consumer and peer workforce were launched on November 11 at Te Pou in Auckland.

Dr John Crawshaw, director of mental health, gave an opening address to the mental health and addiction sector people from across the North Island. He acknowledged the pivotal role the service user, consumer and peer workforce has in informing service development and working alongside clinical services, supporting people to self manage and drive their own recovery.

Dr Crawshaw was followed by two peer support workers who spoke about their experience and what peer work meant for them. Elton Hakopa, addiction peer support worker from the drug court, gave a stirring and entertaining outline of his experiences. Elton gave the quote of the day, or even the year when he said “these competencies are the sandstone I will sharpen my practice on”.

Ahmad Al-Ali, mental health peer worker from Mind and Body, also entertained the crowd with his self-deprecating wit and story of courage. Both exemplified the state of gratitude they were in to be able to use their powerful experiences to support other people’s self-determination and wellbeing.

Robyn Shearer, Te Pou chief executive, talked about the power of people from across mental health and addiction co-designing and co-developing the competencies.

Two documents created to support the competency framework were also launched: The Service user, consumer and peer workforce guide for managers and employers and the Service user, consumer and peer workforce guide for planners and funders. These are available to download alongside the competencies. These documents provide information and sound direction for people managing and employing peer workforce members and for planners and funders investing in this exciting growth area in the mental health and addiction workforce.

To contact Te Pou or for further information:

http://www.tepou.co.nz/

Email: info@tepou.co.nz

Te Pou phone numbers online here.

Posted in: Human Rights and Legal Issues, Online Resources, Professional Development, Research, Service-User Movement, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: Ahmad Al-Ali, Competencies for the mental health and addiction service user, consumer and peer workforce, Dr John Crawshaw, Mental Health, Peer Support, Robyn Shearer, Te Pou, wellbeing

Fair Funding for the Future of Mental Health

July 5, 2014 3:22 am ⋅ admin

In order for mental health to have a future, we need government and DHBs to change their funding practices. The Fair Funding campaign is calling on the Government and DHBs to do just that.

For more information and to show your support for us, please visit: www.fairfunding.org.nz

Please support us by:

Sending an email to MPs and the Chairs and CEOs of the 20 DHBs (an automated email system is set up here: http://www.fairfunding.org.nz/support/thanks)
Sharing the campaign details on Facebook
Telling as many people as you can about the issue and asking them to show their support by visiting the website, sharing the information and emailing MPs and DHBs about the issue.

There will also be a political debate on the topic at 7pm on Monday the 28^th of July at One Tree Hill College in Auckland. Further details to come.

Many thanks for your time and support on this crucial issue,

Laura

Laura Ashton (MSocP (1st class hons), PGDip, BA)
Business Services Manager
Mind and Body Consultants
Ph: (64 9) 630 5909 ext 801
Mob: (027) 212 9225
Fax: (64 9) 630 5944
www.mindandbody.co.nz

Posted in: Grants & Funding, Politics and Policy, Service-User Movement ⋅ Tagged: campaign, Fair Funding, future, Government and DHB, Mental Health, political debate

Tackling Mental Health Problems among People with an Intellectual Disability

May 30, 2014 2:59 pm ⋅ admin

The website MedicalExpress.com has released news from the University of New South Wales that a new resource is being launched to tackle mental health problems among people with an intellectual disability and to improve the system that is currently failing them.

The Accessible Mental Health Services for People with an Intellectual Disability: A Guide for Providers (otherwise known as The Guide) has been developed by UNSW researchers and will provide a national framework for action for all frontline mental health service professionals. It is being launched at the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014 Congress in Perth.

More information here.

Posted in: Disability Issues, Online Resources, Research, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: Accessible Mental Health Services for People with an Intellectual Disability: A Guide for Providers, Intellectual Disability, MedicalExpress.com, Mental Health, University of New South Wales

A practical guide to implementation of Peer Support Services

March 27, 2014 5:24 pm ⋅ admin

In late 2013, the Centre for Mental Health in London released a briefing report on how to implement peer support services. The authors write: “Our experience has led us to the conclusion that the widespread introduction of people with lived experience of mental health problems into the mental health workforce is probably the single most important factor contributing to changes towards more recovery-oriented services.” Gilfoyle, S., Gillard, S., Perkins, R., & Rennison, J. (2013, October 29). London: Centre for Mental Health.

The report outlines four phases in the implementation of peer support services: 1. Preparation of the organisation as a whole, 2. Recruitment, 3. Safe and effective employment of peer workers in mental health organisations, and 4. Ongoing development.

Read the full report online here:

http://www.nhsconfed.org/Documents/7%20-%20Peer%20Support%20Workers%20-%20a%20practical%20guide%20to%20implementation%20[web].pdf

Thanks to the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership for sharing this information.

Posted in: Online Resources, Research, Service-User Movement ⋅ Tagged: Centre for Mental Health, London, Mental Health, peer support services, Preparation, Recruitment

Research: Mental Health Service Users – Perspectives of both Employees and Employers

March 4, 2014 12:07 am ⋅ admin

Sarah Gordon is leading a project investigating the critical factors that have enabled, and more particularly sustained, open employment of mental health service users from the perspectives of both employees and employers. Please find attached the information sheet about the project which provides more detail. They have just commenced the recruitment stage of the project and are wondering if you might assist us with sending the attached research advertisement out through your networks.

What Works Information sheet

WHAT WORKS research advertisement

Dr Sarah Gordon, PhD, MBHL, LLB, BSc
Service User Academic
Department of Psychological Medicine
School of Medicine and Health Sciences
University of Otago, Wellington
PO Box 7343
Wellington South
New Zealand

Posted in: Employment / Work, Online Resources, Research ⋅ Tagged: Employment, information sheet, Mental Health, Sarah Gordon, service users, what works