Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc Issue: JUNE / JULY 2014

159 Kings Road

Pimlico QLD 4812

PO Box 979

Hyde Park QLD 4812

Tel: (07) 4725 3664

Fax: (07) 4725 3819

Email: townsville@mifnq.org.au

www.mifnq.org.au

MIFNQ reserves the right to edit articles for publication.

The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of MIFNQ.

Cairns Mental Health Carers Forum 2014 Report Bernie Triggs / May 27 2014

There is increasing recognition that families play a crucial role in supporting a person’s recovery when dealing with the impact of mental illness. Whether it’s a parent, a husband or wife, a sibling or a close friend, carers are often the partners in care, on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The UK College of Psychiatry recognises this in their concept of the Triangle of Care acknowledging the communication that needs to take place between the person with a mental health issue, clinicians (and other service providers) and the family.

The second annual Cairns Mental Health Carers Forum, held on Saturday 24 May 2014 addressed a regularly expressed need for improved communication or ‘continuity of care’ for families. The Forum also recognised Schizophrenia Awareness Week and its theme this year focused on Carers.

The Forum was a joint project of the Cairns Mental Health Carers Support Hub and Queensland Health. The Cairns Mental Health Carers Support Hub is comprised of a partnership between Mental Illness Fellowship North Queensland, Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre and Anglicare North Queensland. The Forum was made possible through commitments by all four agencies.

With this theme of Continuity of care for your family, 45 carers from Cairns, the Cassowary Coast and Atherton Tablelands participated in a program focused on five presentations and a workshop to assist with understanding the communication issues for carers:

Dr Mary Emeleus, a GP with the Cairns Headspace youth mental health service and a Psychotherapist, outlined the mounting evidence for Continuity of Care in mental health particularly in relation to the role that families play in supporting recovery;

Ms Gelma Meoli, a Crown Prosecutor (and carer), outlined the legislative difficulties around privacy and confidentiality versus Duty of Care given the apparent constraints of the Mental Health Act and other relevant legislation;

Ms Gillian Yearsley, the Director of the Division within the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service that includes Mental Health services gave an overview of the key carer related policies and the challenges of current professional practice.

Mr Bernie Triggs from the Carers Hub opening the Forum

Dr Mary Emeleus highlighting key mental health concepts’

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Ms Merran Blockey, a local carer, presented her experiences advocating for case conferences and tips for improving communication with clinicians;

There was discussion of participants’ own experiences of communication difficulties with clinicians and Ms Jacqueline Conroy, a Social Worker and Counsellor with the Carers Hub, outlined some very practical communication strategies that focused on building partnerships with this group of key stakeholders.

These communication techniques were then applied in a workshop setting using key points in a person’s journey through the mental health system as scenarios.

Finally a brief update was provided on Carer Advocacy activity in relation to the Queensland Health Hospital In The Community and Home (HITCH) Project and current Accreditation processes.

Feedback provided by participants through the Evaluation Survey has been very positive with consistently high Likert scale ratings and comments such as those below;

Became more empowered to speak to health professionals.

Increased understanding of the journey to mental health recovery.

Very good feeling, non-judgemental atmosphere.

Empowered to challenge and/or partner with the medical profession.

Very informative and useful workshop. Many of my concerns and questions were answered even though I didn’t ask the questions personally.

Gave me more confidence, strengthens my resolve.

As part of the Forum program the impending retirement of the Carers Hub Manager, Ms Adrianne Hicks, was also acknowledged in recognition of her decades of commitment to improving the lives of local people with a mental illness and their families. Adrianne is planning to commence “light duties” in July after many years of dedicated service and establishment of the Carers Hub in late 2009.

One of the concepts promoted as part of the Carers Forum was the “Triangle of Care” cited by the United Kingdom’s College of Psychiatry. This model illustrates the communication that is necessary between a person with a mental health issue, their family and friends and clinicians or other key support providers.

This ‘continuity of care’ through sharing of

perspectives, background information and consensual decision making was proposed as a key tool for support of a person’s recovery. But this sharing can only happen of course if there is a connection between people based on a relationship and the communication is effective. Forum participants appeared to welcome this acknowledgement of their role as ‘partners in care’ for their loved one.

Where to Go for Help

Kids Helpline

Free, private & confidential telephone & online counseling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25.

Phone 24/7 - 1800 55 1800

Eheadspace

Provides online & telephone support and counseling to young people aged between 12 and 25. Available 9AM-1AM AEST - 1800 650 890

Lifeline

24 hour crisis support 13 11 14

Online counseling available 8AM-midnight

CHAT ONLINE

CHAT ONLINE

CHAT ONLINE

Contact Us Email: livingproof@mifnq.org.au

Facebook: Living Proof – Positive Stories of Mental Illness

Twitter: LivingProofQLD

Phone: 1800 455 455

Townsville Philippa Harris, Queensland Education & Training Manager

P: 07 4725 3664

Street Address: 159 Kings Road,

PIMLICO Q 4812

Postal Address: PO Box 979

HYDE PARK Q 4812

Regional Queensland Alison Fairleigh, State Manager

P: 07 4725 3664

E: AFairleigh@mifnq.org.au

Sunshine Coast Judy Kiellerup, Regional Coordinator (SQ)

P: 07 5442 1651

Postal Address: PO Box 5080

NAMBOUR Q 4560

Adrianne Hicks, Manager of the Carers Hub was acknowledged for decades of service’

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Building Developments for MIFNQ Townsville Headquarters

Pip Rose / May 29 2014

It’s hard to believe it, but it’s been 13 weeks since work started on our new building. Our new building has been years in the planning, but now we are on our way.

This is how this journey started

The pad for the new building, it’s passed it’s “compaction” test. This is the Palmerston street side of the new building.

The entrance will be through the two trees to the left.

This is Week Three with the plumbers putting in all the pipe work for the sewerage.

The foundations are sizable at 70cm deep and 30cm across, there’s a lot of steel in these foundations.

This is now Week 5. The foundations and slab have been laid and there was no damage from the cyclone that passed through Townsville. The side of the building closest to the front of this photo is the day room. This is also the area where a paved patio area will be located.

This is now Week 8. The front entrance on Cambridge Street is where the men are laying the bricks. Both of the rain trees have been preserved, which provide some welcome shade.

Below is Week 13 of the build. All the roof trusses are up and the builder in the middle is screwing all the trusses or bearers down

This is taken from Palmerston Street. The car park will be where the crane is currently.

We will continue to update you on the progress of our new home and will share our excitement as we move closer and closer to our long awaited building. We can’t wait to share it with you!

In this Edition

Cairns Mental Health Carers Forum 2014 Report .................... 1

Building Developments for MIFNQ Townsville Headquarters ................................ 3

CEO’s Update ................................. 4

Committee Chatter ...................... 5

Federal Budget 2014 - Key Highlights ........................................ 6

Schizophrenia Awareness Week Events ................................... 8

The Gentleman’s Poem .............. 8

Schizophrenia Awareness Week Cairns ................................... 9

Cairns Clubhouse Update ......... 9

Day to Day Living Conference ...........................................................10

A Trip to Melbourne & The Day to Day Living Conference .......10

Choir of Unheard Voices Update ............................................11

The Best is Yet to Come Books on Sale Now!! ...............................11

Letter to the Editor from MIFA ...........................................................12

Half of Australian Teenagers Avoiding Alcohol: Study ..........13

Federal Drought Money Delivering for Mental Health ...........................................................14

Drift Restaurant Owner Who Lost Business in 2011 Flood Now Helping Others Overcome PTSD ................................................15

Calendar of Events – June & July2014 .........................................16

Budget 2014: Schizophrenia Sufferers and Mental Health Carers Worried Cuts Loom ....17

Fundraising with Entertainment Book .................18

Coffee Break .................................20

Mi Networks AUSTRALIA .......21

Membership Application Form ...........................................................22

Week 1 at 59A Cambridge Street

Week 3, clearing the way!

Week 5 – laying the footprints.

Week 8 – walls are up!

Week 13 – we have a roof!!

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Jeremy Audas,

CEO

MIFNQ Office Locations

TOWNSVILLE (Head Office)

159 Kings Rd, Pimlico Q 4812

PO Box 979 Hyde Park Q 4812

P: (07) 4725 3664

F: (07) 4725 3819

E: townsville@mifnq.org.au

FREE CALL: 1800 455 455

MACKAY

14-16 Wood St, Mackay Q 4740

PO Box 729 Mackay Q 4740

P: (07) 4041 2543

P: (07) 4951 2955

F: (07) 4953 0509

E: mackay@mifnq.org.au

CAIRNS

13, 129a Lake St, Cairns Q 4870

PO Box 816 North Cairns Q 4870

F: (07) 4041 2872

E: cairns@mifnq.org.au

SUNSHINE COAST

Living Proof

PO Box 5080 Nambour Q 4560

P: (07) 5442 1651

F: (07) 5442 1651

E: coolum@mifnq.org.au

CEO’s Update

Welcome again to another edition of the MIFNQ newsletter. May 11 to 17 was Schizophrenia Awareness Week (SAW). Usually MIFNQ holds a SAW breakfast in Townsville where individuals and organisations receive awards for their contributions to improving the mental health of our communities. This year we took a different approach and held events in Townsville, Mackay and Cairns to celebrate the role carers play in the lives of people with a mental illness. There was also a major media campaign across the country with scores of interviews given by staff of MIFA members. Adrianne Hicks, Manager of the Cairns Carers Hub had a full twenty minutes on Cairns ABC Radio.

The Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia believes that families, friends and carers are key partners in a person’s recovery. Families, friends and carers make a major and largely unrecognised contribution to the recovery of people with a mental illness. We recognise that consideration of the whole family and their individual needs is essential in delivering recovery based support. Carers’ lived experience and expertise is important to sustain recovery oriented support to people affected by mental illness and we recognise that mental illness has broader impacts that affect the physical and psychological wellbeing of families, friends and carers in their own right. In Cairns on Saturday 24 May a major Mental Health Carers Forum was held with over sixty participants covering a range of issues through various activities. We are fortunate to have the support of our friends and partners in the Cairns community who have contributed in various ways to the success of the forum

At the time of writing I had not heard about the outcome of the recent Qld Health funding round. I will report on this in the next edition but in the meantime it was with some relief that we heard a few days ago that we have an extension of 12 months from July 1 for some of our Federal funding while the National Mental Health Commission continues to work on its national strategy which will influence federal funding decisions into the future.

You will be aware of the terrible impact the drought in parts of Queensland has had and this of course has affected the wellbeing of many rural people. The Department of Social Services (Federal government) has provided funds for MIFNQ to work with partners such as Centacare and Anglicare to deliver activities and events in the shires of Croydon, Etheridge and Flinders that will assist those people and communities who have been hit hard by the drought. Alison Fairleigh is leading this work and will be travelling quite a bit over the next seven or eight months to implement a range of responses. This will build on work that Philippa Harris and others have done in many rural areas of Queensland. We know that access to relevant services, taken for granted in urban areas, is sadly lacking in many parts of regional and rural Queensland.

The Cairns Clubhouse is moving towards becoming a reality with recruitment for the Director of Operations occurring soon. The steering committee has done a great job keeping us on track to fulfil the promise that a Clubhouse brings to people with mental health concerns. I’d also like to thank Bernie Triggs for his drive and determination to ensure Clubhouse is a success – Cairns surely needs this facility. We have wonderful support from the Cairns general community as well as support from carers, clinicians and family members. Queensland Health has also expressed strong support for the establishment of a Clubhouse in Cairns. Internationally Clubhouses have proven to be successful as they provide a place to come to where people can have meaningful relationships, have worthwhile, rewarding work and other valued roles, and have a place to return to. I must also mention again the commitment that the Member for Leichardt, Warren Entsch, has made towards the establishment of a Clubhouse in Cairns. Without his strong support we would be a long way from establishing a Clubhouse.

Finally, our new Townsville headquarters building is progressing well and will be completed before the end of 2014. This will really be a milestone for MIFNQ’s development and create a springboard for further development. There is much to do between now and its completion in order for us to be ready to move in and of course while we will miss the character and history of our King’s Road premises we won’t be letting go of it. Instead we plan to use the building as a permanent home for the Townsville Clubhouse.

Jeremy Audas

Chief Executive Officer

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MIFNQ Management

Committee

President Bob James

Vice-President (vacant)

Secretary Jenny Chapman

Treasurer Sandra Hubert

Committee

Members Alf Musumeci

Karyn Weller

Bruce Rampton

Helen De-Campo

Promoting Recovery Through Services in the

Community

Committee Chatter

Our wonderful winter has arrived in tropical Australia. The rain, heat and humidity of summer have again left us with our idealic dry-season weather, and we head into the season of renewal.

We do not hibernate in the tropics like a bear in the snow – we are at our most active in our glorious winters.

Winter for us is the time to build and grow. We grow so that we can reach out to more and more people. We grow, knowing that we are able to support and assist people in their day-to-day battles with the difficulties that life throws at them.

Despite the harsh Federal Budget spreading gloom throughout the community, we will not be deviated from our path of reaching out to more people. We have always had to deal with gloom and we have always looked to move on towards the light that we always see ahead, at the end of the tunnel. Though we still await details of the impacts of the budget upon your Fellowship, we look forward to the opportunities to do more and to show governments how we can together achieve more, even in these times of less government money.

One way we have always grown has been to work closely with people and organisations who, like us, have grown from the grass roots of the mental health community – those who live with mental illness that they or their loved ones live with.

In this vein, we welcome our long-time colleagues and collaborators at SOLAS into the fold of the Fellowship – not as part of MIFNQ, but as equal partners in the MIFA family of Fellowships across Australia. SOLAS is guided by the words ‘Mental Health Recovery in Communities’, which is the same course that your Fellowship has always pursued. As we become even closer, we will reach out to more North Queenslanders together.

And we have planted the seeds that will grow into further partners in reaching out – as the Cairns Clubhouse moves rapidly towards a very imminent reality and the Townsville Clubhouse evolves from the modest activities ‘downstairs’ at Kings Road into becoming another ‘offspring’ of your Fellowship, to grow into another partner facility.

And our new headquarters has grown into walls and roof-supporting steelwork, soon to become the centre of our spreading and growing group.

Our task, as an organisation, has always been to facilitate the personal growth of as many people as we can – to assist in recovery from the worst times and to help maintain the best possible health for as many people who we can reach out to.

Your Management Committee has the same task – to facilitate and assist your Fellowship – our wonderful staff and volunteers - to grow and reach out and assist to the best possible way to the most possible people.

We look forward to our season of growth and activity, as we reach significant milestones over the coming months of winter and move again towards our next summer.

Bob James

President

Bob James,

President

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Federal Budget 2014 - Key Highlights Frank Quinlan CEO MHCA / May 14 2014

Tonight's budget has seen the Government meet its pre-election commitments to mental health, but it has also seen some very substantial changes to programs which, over time, are likely to have a very direct impact on people who experience mental illness.

We will do more analysis as the week progresses and will be included in the Friday update, but here is our initial summary of the budget night announcements as they stand.

My thanks as always to the Policy Team who have stayed back late on budget night, and in some cases endured some very unhealthy catering at the budget "lock ups" in order to produce the summary below.

Election commitments

In line with its election commitments, the Government has provided:

• $14.9 million over four years will establish ten new headspace sites and conduct a two-year evaluation of the program

• $18.0 million over four years for the establishment of a National Centre for Excellence in Youth Mental Health, to be operated by the Orygen Youth Health Research Centre.

PHaMS, Mental Health Nurses and Partners in Recovery

We understand that funding for Personal Helpers and Mentors will be continued for 12 months (this was already budgeted, so does not appear as a specific measure in the Budget papers). Letters to agencies should be sent as early as tomorrow.

Funding for the Mental Health Nurses Incentives Program has been extended for 12 months ($23.4 million in 2014-15).

Funding originally slated for Partners in Recovery in the 13 remaining Medicare Locals regions will not go ahead, though existing PiR consortia will continue.

A new Medical Research Future Fund

Savings from PiR – along with other savings in the health portfolio – will be redirected to a new Medical Research Future Fund, which is expected to reach $20 billion by 2019-20. How this funding is spent will depend on the purposes stated in the enabling legislation, which the MHCA will be looking out for in coming weeks. It is disappointing to see funding moved out of direct service delivery and into research.

Streamlining existing health agencies

Several independent health agencies will soon cease to exist, with their responsibilities taken over by the Commonwealth Department of Health. These include Health Workforce Australia, General Practice Education and Training and the Australian National Preventive Health Agency.

Certain other agencies will be rolled into a new Health Productivity and Performance Commission from July 1 2015, subject to consultation with states and territories over the coming year. These include the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, the National Health Funding Body, the National Health Performance Authority, and the National Health Funding Pool Administrator. Notably, this will not include the National Mental Health Commission (pending any further announcements).

Medicare Locals - to be replaced by Primary Health Networks

Medicare Locals will continue to operate until 30 June 2015, but from 1 July 2015 will be replaced by a smaller number (yet to be determined) of Primary Health Networks (PHNs). The budget papers state that PHNs “will establish Clinical Councils, with a significant GP presence, and local Consumer Advisory Committees that are aligned to Local Hospital Networks, to ensure primary health care and acute care sectors work together to improve patient care.” While the number and regional boundaries for these are still to be determined, it appears there will be no net savings in the Budget by making the transition to PHNs. Funding for the Australian Medicate Locals Alliance will continue only until 30 June 2015, with no funding provided for a PHN-type alliance beyond this date.

NDIS - no changes

The Budget contains no specific the NDIS contained in the 2014 Budget. This is unsurprising, given that implementation of the NDIS is dictated by Commonwealth-State agreements and any changes would need state/territory endorsement to proceed.

Disability Support Pension

The Government will introduce compulsory activities for DSP recipients aged under 35 who are deemed to be able to work more than eight hours a week. Penalties for non-compliance will be introduced.

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continued from previous page

The Australian Government will review all DSP recipients aged under 35 who started receiving the payment between 2008 and 2011. It is unclear at this stage whether these reviews will be conducted by independent doctors (as flagged in recent media reports), although we note that there is a considerable investment in this new process ($46 million over four years). People deemed to be able to work more than eight hours a week will be required to undertake compulsory activities to build their work capacity.

The Government will achieve savings of $449.0 million over five years by indexing pension and equivalent payments and Parenting Payment Single by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) ), rather than the (higher) rate at which average male weekly earnings increases. The measure will affect DSP recipients from 2017.

Employment assistance and Newstart Allowance

From 1 January 2015, the age of eligibility for new applicants for the Newstart and Sickness Allowance payments will increase from 22 to 24 years. People aged under 25 years will receive youth allowance which is $100 per fortnight lower.

From September 2014, all job seekers who refuse any work without a good reason or who Centrelink deems to be ‘persistently non-compliant’ will lose their payment for eight weeks.

From 1 January 2015, people under 30 years of age (except people in Streams 3 or 4) must have been in work or other participation activity for six months before they can receive Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance (Other), although prior workforce participation may reduce the waiting period. After 6 months, recipients must participate in 25 hours per week work for the dole to receive these payments. After a further 6 months, these payments will be replaced by a wage subsidy. More precise details are limited at this stage.

GP co-payments

The Government will reduce Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) rebates from 1 July 2015 by $5 for standard GP consultations and allow GPs to collect a patient co-payment of $7 per service. A new Low Gap Incentive ($6 for GPs) will replace bulk billing incentives for GPs where they provide services to patients with concession cards or children under 16 years of age and only charge the $7 patient contribution.

For patients with concession cards and children under 16 years of age the MBS rebate will only be reduced for the first 10 services in each year, after which it will return to current benefit levels.

This measure also removes the restriction on State and Territory Governments from charging patients presenting to hospital emergency departments for ‘general practitioner like attendances’.

As we state in our press release tonight, we will be keen to ensure this initiative does not impact negatively on early intervention and prevention in mental health.

PBS co-payment

The Government will increase Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) co-payments and safety net thresholds. PBS co-payments will increase for general patients by $5 (from $37.70 to $42.70) and for concessional patients by $0.80 (from $6.10 to $6.90) in 2015. PBS safety net thresholds will increase each year for four years from 1 January 2015 by 10 per cent each year (for general patients) or the cost of two prescriptions each year (for concessional patients).

Areas of uncertainty

Some uncertainty remains around grants programs and other flexible funds. In the Health portfolio, for example, funding from 18 different flexible funds will be paused from 2015-16, but no decisions have yet been made by Government about which savings will be applied.

There is also uncertainty regarding federal funding for programs that operate through the states. A number of National Partnership Agreements will cease (e.g. the National Partnership on Preventive Health), while the Government has distanced itself from federal guarantees around health reform – including that no State or Territory will be worse off as a result of health and hospitals reform.

The Mental Health Better Access Education and Training has been cut, although we await the findings of the NMHC’s review regarding the implications of this for the administration of Better Access.

The budget papers

Further information about the budget is available online, with specific details contained in Budget Paper 2, including in the health portfolio, human services, social services and in employment, as well as for cross-portfolio measures (including the streamlined health bodies). More reader-friendly overviews are also available in the Health Glossy, Social Services Glossy and – for information about the Budget more broadly – in the Budget Overview.

MHCA media release - Long term mental health reform waits for NMHC review

The MHCA was tonight encouraged to see the Commonwealth Government meet its pre-election commitments to mental health.

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Schizophrenia Awareness Week Events Sally Thain / May 29 2014

On Saturday the 17th of May members of Townsville Clubhouse hosted a BBQ for their friends and families to thank them for their support and encouragement. Preparation for the event began about a month prior with menu planning and brainstorming for what the day would involve. Everyone was involved in the decision making and it was finally decided that we would have sausages and mini Greek burgers with potato salad, coleslaw and green salad. The main chefs for the day were Janelle, Frank and Coleen, they did an amazing job planning the meal from shopping right down to the presentation.

We had a working bee on the Friday prior to the BBQ to prepare for the following day then on the Saturday we had all hands on deck to organize tables, cook the BBQ, present the meals and help with the clean-up at end of the day. The BBQ chefs Jason, David and Michael had things well under control and everyone was very happy and well fed.

We were also lucky enough to have one of our new volunteers Craig playing some tunes on his ukulele, he had everyone tapping and singing along. He also inspired some of the members to grab out the guitars we have here downstairs and get involved with some fantastic playing and singing.

Pip organized a wonderful cake for everyone to enjoy which was delicious! Kerry and Caleb did the honour of cutting the cake.

The day was a huge success and was only made possible by everyone’s contribution prior to the day and on the day. All the members did an amazing job of organizing and hosting the event and we are all looking forward to the next one!

The Gentleman’s Poem By Paul Tonner

We are living in a generation that has reared the most beautiful men. These sensitive men are not afraid to show their gentleness, while still being strong, in a polite way.

They are intelligent and open minded and are drawn to the gentleness of other like-minded men.

Although subject to the hurtfulness of those they love, they are quickly affirmed that they have the most beautiful hearts, and to always be proud of their hearts.

Schizophrenia Awareness Week Carers Luncheon in Mackay

Sheree Hollywood / May 14 2014

As part of the Mental Illness Fellowship's Schizophrenia Awareness Week 2014 and its focus on Carers, on Monday the 12th of May, Mackay had the opportunity to say thank you to the wonderful carers who work tirelessly with their loved ones who have a mental illness. We celebrated with a delicious menu of nourishing foods and were able to catch up with other

carers who were in attendance. A wonderful day of celebration and not to mention yummy food! Big thanks to all of those who assisted in organising this event which included Mackay MIFNQ staff, MIFNQ members, Di Skelly Heron and MIFNQ volunteers. Without your help and dedication this would not have been the amazing success

that it was!

Here is to the carers who often do not find the time to self-care and are always looking after everyone else!

Remember ‘Cure sometimes, Treat often, comfort always’

Carer’s enjoying a nutritious lunch created by D2DL staff, members and volunteers

A wonderful catch up for the carer’s at MIFNQ Mackay nourish to flourish luncheon.

Janelle, Coleen. Kylie and Shaun enjoying the day

Craig entertaining the crowd with some tunes.

Kerry and Caleb cutting the cake.

Paul Tonner

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Schizophrenia Awareness Week Cairns Adrianne Hicks / May 29 2014

Adrianne Hicks the Manager of the Mental Illness Fellowship NQ’s Cairns Mental Health Carers Support Hub spoke at length on the ABC Far North Radio Station about how people living with schizophrenia are not scary or hopeless. She said that this most stigmatised of illnesses is treatable and for many people recovery and a good quality of life is possible.

Adrianne explained that more than half of people living with this illness had not sought treatment and maybe this could be because of Community attitudes fostered by negative media reporting.

She went on to say that people living with a severe mental illness are no more potentially dangerous than the general population. She was able to advertise that the Carer’s Hub was holding a Mental Health Forum in recognition of Schizophrenia Week.

The following day Adrianne was invited to speak on the local Community Radio station by Relationships Australia’s Michael Friganiotis Talkback Program about the facts of living with schizophrenia.

Cairns Clubhouse Update Bernie Triggs / May 30 2014

A club for local people impacted by long term mental illness is being developed for Cairns based on the experience of similar groups in 34 countries. The Mental Illness Fellowship of North Queensland is developing a Cairns Clubhouse along with similar initiatives in Townsville and Mackay based on the very successful international model.

Clubhouses are places where people with a mental illness can meet with their peers in a supportive environment that provides access to employment and pre-employment activities, improved housing access, social ventures, social activities, peer support, mentoring, life skills development and a range of self directed activities.

Studies have shown that Clubhouses improve employment outcomes; increase quality of life and wellbeing; and reduce rates of hospitalisation.

In July 2013 a local group of community members, mental health consumers, carers and service providers banded together to establish a Clubhouse in Cairns in an effort to establish a mental health program that would address the critical shortage of psychosocial rehabilitation programs in the area. The development of the Cairns Clubhouse has been supported through a commitment from the Honourable Warren Entsch, Member for Leichhardt, for operational funds in its first year with ongoing recurrent funding being sought.

A great venue close to the Cairns CBD has been secured in a partnership with Aftercare with Clubhouse on the ground floor and the Personal Helpers and Mentors (PHaM’s) service on the upper level. This means that two complementary approaches to assist people will be together ‘under the one roof’. A recruitment process for a Director for Cairns Clubhouse has commenced and a joint opening is being planned for later this year.

The goal is that within three years Cairns Clubhouse will have an average daily attendance of 30 people and support around 150 people each year; provide valued voluntary roles five days a week; offer transitional and supported employment; employ staff and be ready to apply for accreditation with Clubhouse International.

Cairns Clubhouse will provide an essential service for the region; there is currently no safe place for people with a mental illness to go where they can develop social and vocational skills and build relationships. This service gap, together with the high degree of local awareness about the Clubhouse, suggests that there will be significant demand for the Clubhouse from the outset. Its opening is much anticipated by mental health consumers, carers and service providers.

Like hundreds of others across the world, the Cairns Clubhouse will offer each member the right to:

have a place to come to

have meaningful relationships,

have worthwhile, rewarding work and other valued roles,

have a place to return to.

New Kitchen Coaches in Mackay

Margaret Ward / May 21 2014

Recently completing their Kitchen Coaches Training are members of the MIFNQ Staff team Margie Ward, Di Smith (volunteer) Kathleen Sorbello (volunteer) with nutritionist and trainer Di Skelly-Heron.

A funding grant through Rio Tinto Community Grants Program has allowed us to train people in the certified Kitchen Coaching Program. We now have three trained facilitators of the Nourish to Flourish program which is an 8 week program that assists people to learn and experience whole and healthy nutrition in a hands on fun and interactive way. The funding will train another 3 facilitators and include members of other organisations training alongside our coaches.

The success of the program has given us over the past 12 months the opportunity to develop and run the super salad challenge, the triathlon challenge, the blender challenge and also implementing the recipes into our clubhouse meals. Recently one of our clubhouse members and myself travelled to Melbourne to the D2DLiving conference and facilitated a workshop in the Nourish to Flourish program. This was a very successful event for us and there is now interest from other D2DLiving sites to train in this program. The recent SAW event was also catered for by the Nourish to Flourish team and members of clubhouse with the direction of Tarah Bowman made all the decorations for the tables at the event.

Kitchen Coaches Celebrate Success – our very first group of trained Kitchen Coaches.

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Day to Day Living Conference Margaret Ward / May 27 2014

What an experience to be at the MCG and attend a two day conference where D2DLiving providers gathered to meet, learn from each other and talk about the future and hear the stories of all the amazing and incredible programs that are being developed and rolled out across the country.

We were fortunate in being able to do a workshop about our Nourish to Flourish Program and had lots of interest in the program and the Kitchen Coaches course. We listened to interesting speakers and we were drawn to the words and poems of Sandy Jeffs. So many great speakers and information, we came back loaded with information, excitement and lots of different ventures to think about.

We had an amazing three days and were able to see a few of the sites of Melbourne. Tammy and Angela would agree that we almost wore out a pair of shoes in our pursuit to see as much as we could in the short time frames in between the conference. But explore we did and discovered China Town and found out that it is a good idea to not order anything with Chilli (hot hot) and Lonsdale street has amazing Greek restaurants (Stalactites) that stay open 24hrs a day. But really it was the thrill of being in the MCG and we dined each lunch hour on the most magnificent array of sensory tastes while seated overlooking the grounds where thousands come to watch the sport they love.

A Trip to Melbourne & The Day to Day Living Conference

Leanne Colquhoun / May 27 2014

Barb and I went to Melbourne for the Day to Day Living Conference in Melbourne. We left on Tuesday and came back on Friday. We caught a plane from Townsville to Brisbane and then caught another to Melbourne. Luckily we had warm clothes on because it was cold when we arrived. We stayed in a nice hotel in East Melbourne which was just a walk to the MCG where the conference was being held and a walk away from the city too. Tuesday night we just relaxed in our rooms and went for a walk and took some pictures of buildings and other things that we saw.

Wednesday was the first day of the conference. There were people from all over Australia. We had a meet and greet followed by breakfast. Then we had talks about the NDIS which went right over my head. Then we attended a talk by a Peer Support Worker who suffers from schizophrenia. She has become an author and is an established poet. She was that good she brought tears to my eyes! Barb and I brought her book and she signed it for us and we were given one of her poetry books. She was really amazing. Then we had lunch and that was awesome, so many to choose from, followed by more talks on the NDIS. I had a couple of panic attacks and wasn’t feeling well so we went back to the hotel. That night we had dinner at the hotel with most of the people from the conference we met some awesome people and talked.

Thursday we had another meet and greet. We had Peer Support Group, which was good. I found that some of the workers there didn’t have any lived experiences in mental illness and they had different ideas than what people with a mental illness did. It was interesting to hear their point of view. Then we had workshops on Drug and alcohol that Barb and I sat in on, I also sat in on the Art in Mental Illness workshop. They were both very interesting. Then we had lunch followed by another talk on the NDIS. We ended the conference with laughter, singing, dancing and heaps of clapping!

National Volunteers Day Morning Tea in Townsville

Sallyanne Lawson / May 22 2014

MIFNQ has worked in alliance with Volunteer North Queensland for many years, and we were excited to have received an invitation to attend the VNQ 25th Anniversary National Volunteer Day Celebration.

The celebration was a lovely morning tea held at the recently opened Jezzine Barracks at the Strand. This celebration was a perfect opportunity for MIFNQ to show our appreciation to our wonderful volunteers, and to also meet many other wonderful volunteers and their host organisations.

It’s amazing the amount of volunteers there are within Townsville donating and dedicating their time to an organisation/s that means so much to them, and without these wonderful, dedicated people the majority of these organisations would be a skeletal of staff.

MIFNQ is indebted to our many volunteers who donate their time, talents and provide support to our programs, including our clients, carers and families. Within MIFNQ we have close to 40 volunteers on board who assist with various programs. Without our many volunteers, it would be difficult for our programs to run at the current capacity. A big THANK YOU to all our wonderful Volunteers, your dedication and time is far beyond appreciated.

Sally Thain, Sallyanne Lawson, Alison Fairleigh, Jenny Ryan & Alf Musumeci

Lindy, Margaret, Tammy & Angela from MIFNQ Mackay

Leanne at the MCG

Page 11 of 22

Margie Ward and Wayne Freemantle selling the Book

Choir of Unheard Voices workshop in Mackay

Choir of Unheard Voices Update Margaret Ward / May 27 2014

The Choir has been conducting workshops for the Blue Care Respite Centre. We go

once a month and the members of the Choir provide a workshop in singing. Tracey Gilbert leads the group through breathing activities and then conducts the session, encouraging everyone to get up and sing. This has been a very successful venture.

We also conduct these workshops in the parks and open areas around Mackay. Singing in nature is an excellent way to enjoy the love of singing and explore the sounds all around us. We were fortunate last month to have YWAM members come and participate in our Choir session. They visit us every year and join in our workshop.

We really love having young people from around the world being part of our sessions. It is an amazing experience to sing and be acknowledged by others.

The Best is Yet to Come Books on Sale Now!! Margaret Ward / May 27 2014

The Choir of Unheard Voices Choir Book is also on sale, The Best is Yet to Come! The five year story of the Choir is now available in

There are approximately 200 books left to sell and we would really love to get our story out there and read by others so can share our positive stories! All proceeds go to helping the Choir continue singing!

Books are available for $10/book but please note that a shipping charge will apply if you are not local to our Mackay office.

If you are interested in purchasing a book or would like to learn more about the Best is Yet to Come book and The Choir of Unheard Voices, please contact Margaret Ward from our Mackay office:

Email: mward@mifnq.org.au

Phone: 07 4951 2955

Big Welcome to SOLAS! Jeremy Audas / May 23 2014

MIFNQ warmly welcomes a new member to the MIFA family - SOLAS. It is based in Townsville and is a long term partner and friend of MIFNQ. Cathy O'Toole is the CEO and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to MIFA.

SOLAS is committed to working with people to achieve a life of choice, purpose, meaning and citizenship. SOLAS understands, acknowledges and respects that the people who use services are best placed to determine their needs. SOLAS values inclusion and as such management and staff work with people in a manner that respects individual self-mastery. SOLAS acknowledges and respects the fact that people are the experts in their own lives and as such we strive to promote opportunities for people to engage in activities that will enable them to choose meaningful and purposeful lives. SOLAS is also actively engaged with a range of partners in order to ensure that people living in north and west Queensland are offered an opportunity to define and live a good life.

Vision: People working together for wellbeing and citizenship.

Purpose: SOLAS promotes wellbeing and citizenship by facilitating purposeful and meaningful choices.

Core Business:

1. Work collaboratively with people who use services and all other stakeholders.

2. Provide leadership in the delivery of person first, valued and quality mental health services.

3. Build community capacity to understand and manage mental health issues to reduce stigma.

4. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of services

Cathy O’Toole, CEO Solas

24 hour crisis support 13 11 14

Online counseling available

8AM – midnight www.lifeline.org.au

Page 12 of 22

Letter to the Editor from MIFA Alison Fairleigh / Mar 26 2014

The following letter was sent to every single newspaper in Australia by email. It’s about 600 papers in total.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I write on behalf of the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia to ask your readers to become aware it is time we all took more action to support people who have Schizophrenia.

It is Australia's last "big un-discussable illness". The simple fact is that it is very misunderstood and affects up to 1 million Australians.

We want to make readers aware that there is an important FREE service that can support people in your area. This free service is for people living with mental illness and their carers and family members, to help them find the support they need.

The initiative is called "MiNetworks" and local people in your area will be referred to the information and services they need by simply calling 1800 985 944. You can also go to www.minetworks.org.au.

It is astonishing how much stigma there is around Schizophrenia in the community. Many think it is scary, hopeless, violent and untreatable. That is simply inaccurate.

Schizophrenia is a mental health condition. It can be managed. People with schizophrenia do not have a "split personality". They have one personality like everyone else.

We ask people to lobby local politicians and demand better services and more funding to support people with mental illness. It is very disturbing to know that only about half the people affected by Schizophrenia are even accessing clinical assistance. In regional areas, services to support people are - at best - sparse.

National Schizophrenia Awareness Week runs from May 11th. Schizophrenia is a common illness. It is treatable. Recovery and a good quality of life is possible for most people. Anyone wanting more information should go to www.mifa.org.au.

I want to specifically pay tribute to all the people in your local area supporting people with mental health issues. The amazing and vital work of carers must be applauded by us all.

Yours sincerely,

David Meldrum,

Chief Executive Officer,

Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia.

“May I always be curious”

Janice Tiller / May 22 2014

I recently attended two separate training/education events.

The first one was: Embedding Hope and Learning in Mental health. An Appreciative Inquiry Workshop for Leaders and Practitioners – The training was provided by the Work Force Council and the presenter was Eileen Hayward.

This was an opportunity to revisit the value of having conversations and the advantage of looking for positives in every situation. For me personally it was also an opportunity to reflect on my values, attitude and work ethics. I also spent time with some great people and shared and learned much. Below is a website that maybe of interest.

www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work

The second one was: Suicide Risk Assessment and Management. The training was provided by Queensland Centre for Mental Health Learning.

This training was primarily attended by Qld Health Staff. I revisited established and learned new skills that will be of benefit to clients and also benefit when communicating with Queensland Health Staff in particular in critical situations. To have the same framework as Qld Health Staff improves communication and outcomes for clients and families.

During this training I was also able to gather some knowledge and information about various services available that can provide suicide support and information.

Below are some websites to resources that may be of interest the first one is about Media Guidelines

www.mindframe-media.info/home/resource-downloads

The second one is about “Living is for everyone “which is a kit that contains good information and useful tip sheets.

www.livingisforeveryone.com.au

Thank you to MIFNQ for providing support and opportunity for me to attend the training.

MiNetworks

Helping connect you with the information and services you need. Call us on 1800 985 944

Page 13 of 22

Half of Australian Teenagers Avoiding Alcohol: Study Norman Hermant & Alison Branley / Apr 10 2014

A rising number of Australian teenagers are choosing not to drink alcohol, new research shows.

The findings of a survey of more than 2,500 young people published today in the medical journal Addiction shows half of Australian teens do not drink.

Between 2001 and 2010 the number of teens aged 14 to 17 abstaining from alcohol rose from 33 per cent to more than 50 per cent, the research shows.

The study looked at 1,477 teens in 2001 and 1,075 teens in 2010.

Study author Dr Michael Livingston from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre spoke with the ABC today and says the trend away from drinking alcohol is widespread and it also reflects similar studies both in Australia and overseas.

"It's really happening across the whole youth culture," he said.

"It's happening for boys and girls, young teenagers and old teenagers, in rich and poor households, for English speaking and non-English speaking groups."

Teenagers drinking less but not turning to drugs

The study also shows teens have not abandoned alcohol in favour of illegal drugs or smoking.

"In this same group we've seen a reduction in drug use. Quite a dramatic one over the same period," Dr Livingston said.

"These kids are drinking less; they're not taking drugs."

Researchers have theories about why young people are making different choices at a time when alcohol is cheaper and more heavily promoted than ever.

"We know from other survey data the general public is getting more concerned about alcohol as a problem and so we're thinking possibly that's reflected in parenting practices, also in teenagers' beliefs," Dr Livingston said.

"There's also a sense that the current generation is very focused on health and well-being and this is one step they're taking to try and stay fitter and healthier.

"There's some research from Sweden that just engaging in [online] activities, social networking and gaming, is associated with less drinking."

Good news for Life Education

The study's findings have been welcomed by Life Education, which teaches Australian primary school students about healthy habits.

National program development manager Robyn Richardson says the research helps bust myths among young people about drinking.

"Children in primary school are telling us that they know that when they go to high school there's going to be pressures to drink and that most people in high school are drinking and we're actually readjusting their thinking about that," she said.

"This report is confirming that normalisation, that there's safe and healthy choices around drinking and it's an OK choice not to drink and it's an OK choice for your friends not to drink.

"The reality is most young people are making great choices about their health and safety."

Review of Mental Health Act 2000

Overview

The purpose of the Mental Health Act 2000 is to provide for the involuntary assessment and treatment, and the protection, of persons with mental illness while safeguarding their rights and freedoms, and balancing their rights and freedoms with the rights and freedoms of other persons.

The review of the Mental Health Act 2000 commenced in June 2013 with the public release of Terms of Reference and an invitation for interested persons to make submissions to the Review.

Visit the Review webpage for the Discussion Paper:

www.health.qld.gov.au/mentalhealth/news/MHA2000-review.asp

Consultation

The first round of consultation and research undertaken for the Review has resulted in more than 200 recommendations for improvements. The extent of the proposals is such that their implementation in legislation would require the repeal and replacement of the Mental Health Act 2000.

The Discussion Paper provides a further opportunity for interested persons to comment on the future of mental health legislation. The recommendations in the Discussion Paper do not represent government policy. The government's position on the matters under review will be decided following analysis of responses to the Discussion Paper.

Submissions

Submissions to the review are to be made by Friday, 25 July 2014 to:

Email: MHA.review@health.qld.gov.au

Post:

Mental Health Act Review

Department of Health

PO Box 2368, Fortitude Valley BC Qld 4006

Phone: 3328 9674

Submissions to the Review will not be made publicly available. However, submissions may be subject to disclosure under the Right to Information Act 2009, and access applications for submissions will be determined in accordance with that Act.

Page 14 of 22

Federal Drought Money Delivering for Mental Health abc.net.au/news / Apr 24 2014

A mental health care provider in Queensland says federal drought assistance funding will improve their services in remote locations.

The Mental Illness Fellowship of North Queensland (MIFNQ) will trial free counselling via video link, to remote locations in the Etheridge, Croydon and Flinders Shires.

The organisation is still negotiating a service agreement and aren't able to disclose how much money they will receive from the 320 million dollar drought package announced by the Department of Agriculture in February.

A number of health care providers have been selected to provide free counselling services for drought affected communities across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

The chief executive officer of MIFNQ, Jeremy Audas, says they are taking a holistic approach to improving mental health across entire communities.

"We're not just targeting graziers, but also families and other community members, because we've all got a part to play in improving people's wellbeing and mental health."

MIFNQ will initially conduct face to face individual and group counselling services, before organising long-term access which may occur via video link.

Mr Audas hopes the funding will continue into 2015.

"For far too long, there has been a lack of funding in the area of mental illness, especially when you consider that mental illness will affect one in every four Australians in any given year.

"This drought assistance package is very helpful, but it needs to be joined up with other services and other packages of funding to provide a comprehensive, national funding strategy."

He says it's an oversight that the white paper currently looking at developing northern Australia doesn't focus on mental health care.

"We do hear some very frightening stories, particularly about men in drought-affected areas where they can no longer run their cattle and they've taken their lives. There's absolutely evidence of that.”

"It's occurring at a higher rate in parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory than anywhere else in Australia."

MIFNQ can be contacted on 1800 985 944

Question mark over long term services

The Federal drought assistance funding is a short term solution and there are serious concerns for the ongoing support in regional communities as the future of Medicare Local is uncertain.

Speculation has been mounting that the local health bodies, which were set up under the Rudd government in a $1.8 billion initiative to organise community-specific health programs, will be scrapped in next month's budget.

Well known mental health advocate Alison Fairleigh is also the State Manager of Rural Services at MIFNQ.

She says it's conflicting that the Government will give funding for some services but take it away from others.

"I think a lot of what happens in budget allocation turns out to be robbing Peter to pay Paul."

She says the uncertainty is making it difficult for some mental health service providers to properly support their clients.

"What they're [the Government] doing is creating difficult and long term problems on the ground by not allowing us to have that continued long term support to give to people who need it, when they need it.

"We have to be able to say 'these are the service agencies you can go to to get help' but if we don't know that those services are even going to be there, where do we send them and where do we tell them help is available?

"One of the critical things is that mental health patients receive continuity of care because there's a therapeutic relationship between somebody who is seeking support from a mental health professional.

"When that's broken the bonds are broken for them to try and seek out a new person to build a relationship with and is often a setback in their recovery."

Mental Health First Aid Training

The Mental Health First Aid Program is run by Mental Health First AidTM (MHFA) Australia, a national non-profit health promotion charity focused on training and research. More information about MHFA Australia here:

www.mhfa.com.au

Standard Mental Health First Aid covers the most common disorders such as depression, anxiety, psychotic disorders and alcohol and drug problems.

2014 Dates:

5th & 6th August 2014

4th & 5th November 2014

Youth Mental Health First Aid is for adults who live or work with young people. This course also addresses self-harm and eating disorders.

2014 dates:

1st & 2nd July 2014

9th & 10th December 2014

Both courses cover the development of a 5-step action plan for mental health first aid, managing suicide, panic attacks, psychotic behaviour and general communication skills.

Training Location:

Arcadian Surf Lifesaving Club

The Strand Rockpool

North Ward Qld 4810

Duration: 2 days

Cost: $100 per person

Registration Forms available online at:

http://www.mifa.org.au/mental-health-first-aid

To find out more contact our Qld Manager Education and Training, Philippa Harris on 4725 3664, or email training@mifnq.org.au.

Page 15 of 22

Drift Restaurant Owner Who Lost Business in 2011 Flood Now Helping Others Overcome PTSD

abc.net.au/news / May 5 2014

David Moore, the former owner of the Drift floating restaurant in Brisbane - which was destroyed in the 2011 flood - has fought back from post-traumatic stress and is now helping other stress victims get their lives back together.

The 45-year-old former chef is one of the faces that became synonymous with the destruction felt by hundreds of locals in 2011.

A large section of his floating restaurant was ripped from its moorings in the Brisbane River and smashed against the Go Between Bridge.

For Mr Moore, reliving the experience is still painful.

"It was just this absolute sense that I had just lost my life. I had just lost everything, every effort and ounce of hard work and everything just gone," he said.

Uninsured, and ineligible for natural disaster relief funding, Mr Moore says he was left with an estimated $4 million bill to repair the damage.

After a two-year battle for compensation, and an attempt to revive the restaurant at a golf course at Brookwater near Ipswich, it all became too much.

"I woke up one morning probably about three weeks after I stepped out of Brookwater and I just got hit with everything that was bottled up in my head, in my body, and I just got smashed against the wall with post-traumatic stress," he said.

Last year his business went into liquidation and he abandoned any hopes he had of reviving his dream.

David Moore says the road to recovery is a long one, but he is well on his way.

Psychologist Grant Devilly says it is a story that resonates with many other natural disaster victims.

"We do have trauma following man-made and natural disasters. Man-made disasters are more likely to incur post-traumatic stress, but natural disasters (like) earthquakes, floods, fires also," he said.

He says the short-term effects can be paralysing.

"The most common is depression, people feeling low, helplessness and hopelessness... people can have different anxieties about the future."

David Moore now helping others overcome post-traumatic stress

But Mr Moore is testimony to true resilience. This year he started a stress management business called Transforming Lives Now.

Business partner Andrew Clark says Mr Moore has helped him overcome his own demons.

So far Mr Moore estimates he has helped about 1,700 people. He says he finds his motivation in the very events that caused him so much pain.

He says the road to recovery is a long one, but he is well on his way.

"If you surround yourself with the right people and you surround yourself with the people to help you move forward, then that process does go a lot quicker."

For My Daughter Shannon, Love Mom

Lesley Locke / 2013

Written by Lesley Locke in memory of her daughter Shannon who loved life and her family but struggled to live the way she wanted to.

I know you don’t want me to be sad today you’re going to give life, but what a price we have to pay.

It my time Mum I can hear you say, please understand that I need to make this journey on my own.

I’m a big girl now you have to let me do this my way.

You can only walk with me so far, you have to let go of my hand, stay with Dad he’ll hold you tight.

Be proud of your daughter, she’s going to give some people life.

When you can and it may be a while, remember the good that I have done and I hope one day it can make you smile.

Well my darling you got your wish, don’t know what happened but you went on your own and someday down the track it will hit home and we will be so proud of what you have done.

At the moment though, we just miss you.

David Moore says the road to recovery is a long one, but he is well on his way.

Page 16 of 22

Calendar of Events – June & July2014

JUNE 2014 – CALENDAR OF EVENTS SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

BOWEL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH • Prevent • Detect • Connect • bowelcancerawarenessmonth.org

1 Run Townsville 100% supports the Townsville Hospital

Childrens Ward runaustralia.com.au

2 3 Mabo Day

Commemorate Eddie Koiki Mado for

indigenous rights

4 5 6 Mackay Friday Film Night

’The Gilded Cage’ CQ Conservatorium of Music - 7:30pm

7

8 Cairns Ironman

www.ironman.com

9 Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday

Men’s Health Week June 9 -15

menshealthweek.org.au

10 Understanding Hoarding &

Squalor Workshop

Ozcare, Townsville

11

12

13 World Elder Abuse

Awareness Day -Respect for

Seniors Street March,TSV

Leagues Club,10am

14 Upper Ross Community Centre

Family Expo 10am – 2pm

15 World Elder

Abuse Awareness Day

16

17 Mental Health, Alcohol & Drugs Clinical Network

Forum Royal Brisbane

Hospital

18 NRL STATE OF ORIGIN

Free TV - Channel 9

19 Mackay Show Day

20 Smoking in Disadvantaged Communities

Forum Brisbane 9am -3pm

cancerqld.org.au

21

22 23

24

25 26 27 Red Nose Day For SIDS & Kids

28

29 Mackay Community

Fun Day Seaforth Markets & Beachfront 10am –

2pm

30 Townsville Show Day

JULY 2014 – CALENDAR OF EVENTS SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

DRY JULY • Clear Your Head, Make a DIFFERENCE • au.dryjuly.com

1 Coming of the Light Holiday

Torres Strait Islander holiday

2 3 4 V8 Supercars Townsville

5 Townsville Strand Bowls Club

turns 100! 8-12 the Strand,

Townsville

6 NAIDOC Week Begins

www.naidoc.org.au

7 8 NRL STATE OF ORIGIN

July 9th - Channel 9

9 Townsville NAIDOC

Breakfast 139 Charters

Towers Rd 7am $30pp

10 11 12 Townsville

Triathlon Festival www.townsville trifestival.org.au

13 National Diabetes Week

July 13 – 19 faceofdiabetes.org.au

14 15 16 17 18 Cairns Show Day

19

20

21

22 23 24 25 Lifeline Stress

Down Day stressdown.org.au

26

27

28 World Hepatitis

Day

29

30 31

Page 17 of 22

Budget 2014: Schizophrenia Sufferers and Mental Health Carers Worried Cuts Loom

abc.net.au/news / May 12 2014

Those with mental illness, their carers and support organisations say schizophrenia needs greater public attention and they fear what this week's federal budget holds.

There are almost 250,000 Australians with schizophrenia and another million people help care for them.

Anne Smith (not her real name) is 32, married, in a successful job and would like to have children.

She remembers a turning point seven years ago when she was in a road accident.

"I got rear-ended and the stress threw me into some psychosis but I didn't know what I had and I just didn't get better," she said.

"It was a psychiatrist who saw me for the sake of the insurance company and he said, 'You've got schizophrenia'."

Anne Smith had a follow-up session with her own specialist and testing confirmed the diagnosis.

"It's like any diagnosis with a lifelong illness when you find out you've got it, it hurts. It took a good six months to come to terms with it," she said.

"But it also explained a lot, so in a way it was a relief, all of a sudden a lot of my eccentricities made sense."

Anne Smith's issues including hearing voices.

"[It] turns out I've been hearing them my whole life, I thought it was normal," she said.

"I thought it was normal to walk down the street and have everyone talking about me and saying my name and calling me. I just though everyone knew me which wasn't unbelievable because I came from a small town."

Functioning with illness

Anne Smith gets a lot of help from her psychologist, psychiatrist and GP and counts herself as lucky.

"Only 10 per cent of people with the illness function as well as I do, that's a blessing and a curse because it means I can go to work but I've got to deal with the schizophrenia," she said.

The woman has used her graphic design skills to create a 'mindfulness' smartphone app as a way to help deal with anxiety when in busy places.

"Imagine a leaf floating on a stream, floating away from you and you can attach the things causing you anxiety onto the leaf and watch it go," she said.

Another woman, Helen, has a daughter who was diagnosed with schizophrenia at 23, after a bout of depression.

"[I felt] shocked, fearful of the unknown, but you know it's not all that scary, a lot of people overreact to the word, to the name, but it's about separating the illness from the person," she said.

Helen's daughter is studying and living independently, but has had relapses and hospital admissions along the way.

Helen says carers also face stresses and must look after their own health.

"If they identify increasing stress [they need] to seek support for themselves and their family and to try and create a self-care plan in order to stay well so they can support their loved ones in a time of crisis," she said.

How Does Facebook Affect Our Sense of Belonging?

medicalnewstoday.com / May 12 2014

Researchers from The University of Queensland's School of Psychology have conducted two studies on how Facebook affects our self-esteem and sense of belonging. Social networking sites - most notably Facebook - have had a powerful influence on how friendships are mediated in today's world.

A continually updating stream of information detailing the public activities, thoughts and feelings of friends enables a constant sense of connection. Some studies have observed that, in this sense, Facebook and related sites make it easier than ever to satisfy the need to belong.

But other studies have noted that this type of social interaction can also create opportunities for social rejection and bullying.

In general, research weighing up the psychological benefits and negative outcomes of this technology has been mixed in its findings - reflected in a recent Medical News Today feature on social media and mental wellbeing.

For instance, a 2013 study found that greater use of Facebook predicts negative outcomes, such as less satisfaction with life. But a 2007 study found that greater use of Facebook is associated with positive outcomes, such as enhanced social capital.

A study in 2011 discovered that high engagement with the "social contribution features" of Facebook - posting status updates and photos, commenting on other users' statuses and photos - was associated with lower levels of social loneliness. But that study also found that users who had stronger preferences for "passive consumption" - groups, games, fan pages - reported higher levels of social loneliness.

Further investigation into how users responded to specific types of interaction found that it was receiving composed text from other users - rather than one-click actions, such as a "like" - that predicted increases in social support and social capital experienced by the users.

A woman with schizophrenia has designed mindfulness animations, now available on smartphones, to help calm anxiety.

Page 18 of 22

Fundraising with Entertainment Book

The 2013 | 2014 Townsville Entertainment™ Book will expire on 1 June 2014. To make sure you don't miss out, and continue to enjoy the many benefits of your Membership, purchase your new 2014 | 2015 Entertainment™ Membership today!

Choose from the traditional Entertainment™ Book or the NEW Entertainment™ Digital Membership, which puts the value of the Book into your iPhone or Android smartphone!

Plus, 20% from every Entertainment™ Membership we sell contributes towards the Mental Illness Fellowship North Queensland programmes and services! The more Entertainment™ Memberships we sell, the more we raise – so please share this offer with your family and friends!

To purchase your book visit our Townsville office or online:

www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/2700u79

For just $60, you'll receive over $20,000 worth of valuable offers!

Here are just a few of the many businesses in this year's Entertainment™ Membership:

Mental Health Fears Over Budget's $7 GP Co-Payment

abc.net.au/news / May 26 2014

South Australia's Public Advocate thinks a GP visits co-payment announced in the federal budget will have a severe impact on the health of those with mental illness.

John Brayley says a $7 co-payment could discourage people from going to a doctor and is dangerous for both physical and mental health.

"We've seen surveys in northern Adelaide looking at the high rate of metabolic syndrome amongst people with significant mental illness, that's high blood pressure, high glucose, abdominal obesity, problems with cholesterol," he said.

"People need regular check-ups.

"Research indicates that in the three months before people take their lives ... 77 per cent of people have seen their general practitioner. Now it might have been for a physical or other reason but the big aim is trying to use those visits to prevent the loss of life."

Despite co-payments for GP visits not yet having been implemented, there are indications fewer people are visiting their GPs since the federal budget.

For the full interview with John Brayley please visit:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-23/interview-with-sa-public-advocate-john-brayley/5475182

John Brayley being interviewed on 7:30 South Australia.

Page 19 of 22

Reading and Sleep Key to a Healthy Mind! thehealthside.com / May 1 2014

Seven hours of sleep a night and lots of reading. That seems to be the magic formula for keeping mentally alert into old age, according to the findings of a new study out of Spain. After analyzing the lifestyles of 245 seniors aged 65 and older, researchers from the CEU Cardenal Herrera University in Valencia, Spain found that those who slept either too much or too little and abstained from brain-stimulating activities like reading were at increased risk of developing cognitive impairment.

According to their study, published in the journal Revista de Investigacion Clinica, seniors who slept more than eight hours or less than six, were 2.6 times more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment compared to those who got six to eight hours a night.

Likewise, the absence of brain-boosting activities like reading also contributed to cognitive decline: Those who admitted to not reading were 3.7 times at increased risk, while those who said they read occasionally increased their risk by 2.5 times. Overall, 12 percent of the participants suffered from cognitive impairment. Researchers point out that age-related cognitive decline affects 35.6 million people worldwide. According to the World Alzheimer Report, that figure is expected to spike to 100 million cases in 2050. Other known lifestyle habits that can help seniors keep their brain sharp is to adopt a regular exercise regime and a healthy diet that includes brain-boosting foods rich in omega-3s and antioxidants.

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative mental disease that causes problems with memory, thinking and behaviour. It is the most common form of dementia and is commonly seen in the elderly. While the chances of developing the disease increase with age, it is now seen that younger people are also now being diagnosed with the disease.

During the course of Alzheimer’s disease, nerve cells in areas of the brain that control language, reasoning, sensory processing, and conscious thought die due to plaque deposition. Symptoms include confusion, mood swings, impaired reasoning or judgement, long-term memory loss and a gradual loss of bodily functions. Dementia is the most prominently visible symptom. People with Alzheimer’s begin to have problems recognising family and friends. They also find it exceptionally difficult to learn new things, carry out tasks that involve multiple steps (like getting dressed) and cope with new situations. They might suffer from insomnia. In the more severe stages of Alzheimer’s disease, the brain completely shrinks and they become increasingly dependent on others.

The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is usually based on collective symptoms and family history. Other tests that can be performed are mental status tests and radiological tests. A recent advancement in the diagnosis of the disease is the use of biomarkers. Current treatments for Alzheimer’s are based on treating the symptoms but they do not eliminate the cause. The best way to slow the process and prevent it from progressing is early medical intervention. The earlier the condition is identified, the better the prognosis. Treatments include medications for memory loss and treatments for behavioural and sleep changes. Intervention therapies like reminiscence therapy, simulated presence therapy and validation theory may improve the quality of a patient’s life.

Supporting MIFNQ

There are many ways that you can support us and the work we do at MIFNQ. If you haven’t done so already, why not become a member. Membership is free and an application form is on the back page or you can join online at our website.

Volunteering is another way you can make a valuable contribution. We always have lots of opportunities for volunteers to make a difference to our services and programs. You may like to volunteer with administration tasks, assist with our extensive library, are a handyman or assist with our program courses which can range from reading, music, cooking, arts and crafts and a whole lot more. Many of our volunteers find they can receive as much themselves as they generously give.

Partnerships/Sponsors

You might also consider becoming a business partner or sponsor of the Fellowship. Our dedicated staff put in many hours of unpaid work to enable us to provide the best service we can in the community. Business partnerships allow us keep the corporate services department running effectively and efficiently while allowing us to plan for future growth and the ever increasing demand for services. And donating to MIFNQ online is easy.

Online Donations

You can make secure online donations through the Give Now website through this link www.givenow.com.au/mifnq

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Coffee Break

SUDOKU

Beginner Level Medium Level

Living with Schizphrenia Video

Published on Feb 20, 2014

A feature on Studio 10 on living with schizophrenia. Check it out.

http://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/studio-10/extra/season-2013/14-may--living-with-schizophrenia

CWA Orange Cake Recipe

Submitted by Pip Rose

Ingredients

1 ½ cups plain flour

2 well heaped teaspoons of bicarb of soda

1/3 cup sugar – whatever you have in the cupboard

3 eggs

125gm melted butter (cooled), margarine works just as well, but don’t bother melting it

¼ cup of milk

Juice and zest of 1 orange

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease 20cm cake tin. Place ingredients in the order as they are listed above. Combine well and beat with beaters for 3 mins on medium speed. Pour mixture into a prepared tin and place in oven. Reduce heat to 175°C and cook for ½ hour then reduce to 160°C and cook for a further 20-25 mins

When doubling the recipe don’t double the sugar and butter only use 1 ¾ of the doubled amount, otherwise the mixture is too sweet and oily.

Everyone’s oven is different, and it will depend on your oven as to how long this takes to cook. I put a sheet of alfoil over the top of the cake if it has browned enough and still hasn’t cooked enough inside.

The Sudoku puzzle consists of 81 squares divided into nine 3 x 3 blocks. Some of the squares already have numbers in them. To solve a Sudoku puzzle you have to use the numbers 1-9 to fill in the blank spaces so that each row, each column and each 3 x 3

square has all the numbers 1-9 appearing once.

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Mi Networks AUSTRALIA

Mi Networks is our promise that we can help connect you to information and services you need. From the moment you walk in the door or pick up the phone, we will welcome you. We will listen and discuss your needs. Many of our staff and volunteers have some understanding of what you are experiencing, in part because they’ve experienced mental illness or have cared for someone living with mental illness.

Our Promise

A place you are welcome -- We promise to treat you like a person, not a number. We will always have time to listen, question and discuss. We want to know how you are, what you need and how we can help.

Peer Support -- Many of our staff and volunteers have lived experience: either living with mental illness or as the carers of someone with mental illness. We are people with similar experiences and we will have some understanding of what you are going through.

Relevant Information -- We offer tailored and up-to-date information to assist you, your family members, friends and carers. If we don’t have the information you require, we will help you find it.

Community Networks--We are linked into our local networks and have established strong and supportive working relationships with other services. We are connected to a broad range of programs, supports and information.

A National Network --We offer a range of one-on-one and group support programs for you, your family members, friends and carers across Australia. If we can’t assist you on-site at one of our locations, we will connect you with someone who can.

Personalised Referral -- We will refer you to the services and supports that best meet your needs. This may be a program we offer or it may be provided by someone else. We will support you to find the best fit for you.

For further information go to the

MiNetworks website or call 1800 985 944

Living Proof – Positive Stories of Mental Illness

Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc

MIFNQ-Cairns Mental Health Carers’ Support Hub

MIFNQ-Day To Day Living

MIFNQInc

@CairnsCarersHub

@MIFNQ

@LivingProof

@Roads2Recovery

MIFNQInc

www.mifnq.org.au

Townsville has an extensive collection of books, DVD’s, CDs, VHS and cassettes for members to borrow. Feel free to come in and browse around.

Library Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm

Membership Application Form

I would like to become a member of Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc.

Individual Family Organization

Please select the category/categories which relate to you:

Family Member Friend Someone who experiences mental illness

Health Professional Student Other _____________________________

What Program/s are you current enrolled in (if any):

Day to Day Living Early Psychosis MH First Aid Well Ways

Living Proof Respite Assisting Families Counselling

DONATIONS AND REQUESTS I wish to support the work of the Fellowship and I enclose a donation of:

$100 $50 $25 Other ____________________________________

Please contact me about a regular contribution

I wish to donate in other ways…. __________________________________________________

Please contact me with information about helping the Fellowship through my Will

YOUR DETAILS Name: ___________________________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Phone Home: _____________________________ Work: _________________________________

Fax: _____________________________________ Mobile: ________________________________

Email: ____________________________________________________________________________

Email Consent (please sign) ____________________________________________________________

(This consent allows MIFNQ to contact you via electronic media)

Image Consent (please sign) ___________________________________________________________

(This consent allows MIFNQ to use your image on print and/or electronic media)

On completion return to:

Doc ID: Document13 Version: 1.10 Approved by: Chief Executive Officer Effective date: 16/01/2014 Review date: 16/01/2015 Page 22 of 22

The Master document is controlled electronically. One printed copy of each version is held for reference in the Quality Management System Master Document File. All other hard copies are uncontrolled.

Email: townsville@mifnq.org.au

Fax: (07) 4725 3819

Post: Membership Administration Mental Illness Fellowship NQ Inc PO Box 979 HYDE PARK QLD 4812