School news
A new resource package of ideas has been released for secondary school teachers using the novel "Saving Francesca" by Melina Marchetta (Penguin, 2003) as a class text. The package assists teachers to explore some of the underlying themes relating to parental mental illness within this award-winning book using associated credible Australian resources. The focus of the package is to utilise the themes within "Saving Francesca" to increase student's understanding of mental illness and its effect on families; reduce the stigma associated with mental illness and increase students' 'help seeking' behaviour.
Developed by staff from the national COPMI (Children Of Parents with a Mental Illness) and MindMatters initiatives, with assistance from a wide range of reviewers in the mental health and education sectors, the package is available for download from the COPMI website http://www.copmi.net.au/ (see the Downloads section) and MindMatters website http://cms.curriculum.edu.au/mindmatters/resources/pdf/other_resources/savingfrancesca.pdf
The COPMI and MindMatters initiatives are funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
22 June 2005
21 June 2005
SIEC Altert #58, June 2005
Media Influences on Suicide
The influence of the media on suicidal behaviour is a topic that has long been discussed in the suicide prevention arena. Media can either help or hinder suicide prevention efforts. This 3-page edition of SIEC Alert addresses the role media plays, both negative and positive, and provides brief information to guide responsible media reporting. A list of resources, including links to full media reporting guidelines available online, are provided. read more...
Media Influences on Suicide
The influence of the media on suicidal behaviour is a topic that has long been discussed in the suicide prevention arena. Media can either help or hinder suicide prevention efforts. This 3-page edition of SIEC Alert addresses the role media plays, both negative and positive, and provides brief information to guide responsible media reporting. A list of resources, including links to full media reporting guidelines available online, are provided. read more...
20 June 2005
Consulting with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities
"Why Didn't You Tell Us? Because You Didn't Ask"
A guide for South Australian Government Agencies on consulting with culturally and linguistically diverse communities which contains information useful to everyone consulting these communities.
"Why Didn't You Tell Us? Because You Didn't Ask"
A guide for South Australian Government Agencies on consulting with culturally and linguistically diverse communities which contains information useful to everyone consulting these communities.
A Plan for Action 2005-2007
Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing A Plan for Action, VicHealth's second mental health promotion plan, has been designed not only to guide VicHealth's work in mental health promotion, but also as a resource for those across a range of sectors who are seeking to maximise opportunities to promote mental health and
well-being in their programs, policies and practices. The plan presents a framework to guide practice which addresses key determinants of mental health and broad strategies for addressing them, along with settings for
action and population groups for whom mental health promotion is a particular priority. Up-to-date evidence on factors influencing mental health and well-being and the benefits of mental health promotion are
also included.
From AICAFMHA News: News In Brief Issue #5.06
Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing A Plan for Action, VicHealth's second mental health promotion plan, has been designed not only to guide VicHealth's work in mental health promotion, but also as a resource for those across a range of sectors who are seeking to maximise opportunities to promote mental health and
well-being in their programs, policies and practices. The plan presents a framework to guide practice which addresses key determinants of mental health and broad strategies for addressing them, along with settings for
action and population groups for whom mental health promotion is a particular priority. Up-to-date evidence on factors influencing mental health and well-being and the benefits of mental health promotion are
also included.
From AICAFMHA News: News In Brief Issue #5.06
The Mental Health of America
(adapted from Ivanhoe Newswire)
Four studies published in the June issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry delve into mental health among Americans, and the results are surprising. The first study, from researchers at Harvard in Boston, found more than 26 percent of adults had symptoms in the previous 12 months that would give them a diagnosis of a mental disorder. Most were classified as serious or moderate. The study was conducted on more than 9,200 adults. A second study looked at the lifetime prevalence of mental illness in the United States. The same
researchers from Harvard found half of American adults had symptoms that would qualify them as having a mental disorder over the course of their lives. Most of the disorders began in childhood or adolescence....
The NCS-R results will yield much-needed information about the burden of disease, medical comorbidity, and global patterns of illness. This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005;62: 617-627; 593-602; 603-613; 629-640 and 590-592
(adapted from Ivanhoe Newswire)
Four studies published in the June issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry delve into mental health among Americans, and the results are surprising. The first study, from researchers at Harvard in Boston, found more than 26 percent of adults had symptoms in the previous 12 months that would give them a diagnosis of a mental disorder. Most were classified as serious or moderate. The study was conducted on more than 9,200 adults. A second study looked at the lifetime prevalence of mental illness in the United States. The same
researchers from Harvard found half of American adults had symptoms that would qualify them as having a mental disorder over the course of their lives. Most of the disorders began in childhood or adolescence....
The NCS-R results will yield much-needed information about the burden of disease, medical comorbidity, and global patterns of illness. This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005;62: 617-627; 593-602; 603-613; 629-640 and 590-592
14 June 2005
LIFE (Living is for Everyone)
Launch of LIFE (Living is for Everyone) website On Wednesday May 11, the
Living is for Everyone (LIFE site) was successfully launched at
Parliament House in Canberra by the Hon Christopher Pyne, Parliamentary
Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing. The LIFE website has
been developed by Auseinet as part of its commitment to facilitating
networks for information exchange and learning under the Australian
Government National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS). The site
includes access to online and print based resources, Australian
statistics, information about suicide prevention projects, resources
related to the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples, conference listings, links to media reports,
and related sites.
To visit the site go to: http://www.livingisforeveryone.com/
Launch of LIFE (Living is for Everyone) website On Wednesday May 11, the
Living is for Everyone (LIFE site) was successfully launched at
Parliament House in Canberra by the Hon Christopher Pyne, Parliamentary
Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing. The LIFE website has
been developed by Auseinet as part of its commitment to facilitating
networks for information exchange and learning under the Australian
Government National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS). The site
includes access to online and print based resources, Australian
statistics, information about suicide prevention projects, resources
related to the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples, conference listings, links to media reports,
and related sites.
To visit the site go to: http://www.livingisforeveryone.com/
10 June 2005
New York State Recommends Use of TeenScreen Mental Health Check-Ups to
Prevent Teen Suicide
NEW YORK, June 8 /PRNewswire/ --
The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) recommends that local communities conduct voluntary teen mental health screenings, and specifically encourages use of the Columbia University TeenScreen Program, as part of the state's suicide prevention efforts. The recommendation is contained in the state's new suicide prevention plan, Saving Lives in New York: Suicide Prevention and Public Health. Each year New York loses over 1,300 lives to suicide.
The TeenScreen Program provides consultation, training, screening tools, software and technical assistance free of charge to schools and communities who want to implement their own voluntary mental health screening programs. In addition to OMH, TeenScreen has been endorsed by the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health and more than 30 national health, education and social service groups. Source: Columbia University
Prevent Teen Suicide
NEW YORK, June 8 /PRNewswire/ --
The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) recommends that local communities conduct voluntary teen mental health screenings, and specifically encourages use of the Columbia University TeenScreen Program, as part of the state's suicide prevention efforts. The recommendation is contained in the state's new suicide prevention plan, Saving Lives in New York: Suicide Prevention and Public Health. Each year New York loses over 1,300 lives to suicide.
The TeenScreen Program provides consultation, training, screening tools, software and technical assistance free of charge to schools and communities who want to implement their own voluntary mental health screening programs. In addition to OMH, TeenScreen has been endorsed by the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health and more than 30 national health, education and social service groups. Source: Columbia University
06 June 2005
Media report
Triple J's HACK program is focusing on mental illness for the week
commencing 6th June 2005. It featured a number of young carers from NSW
and explores the issues relating to families. You can also listen to the
audio from the program. The interview can be downloaded from the website
at http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hack/notes/s1386333.htm. It will be on
the front page for about a week, after which time you can get it from
the Archive file for June.
Triple J's HACK program is focusing on mental illness for the week
commencing 6th June 2005. It featured a number of young carers from NSW
and explores the issues relating to families. You can also listen to the
audio from the program. The interview can be downloaded from the website
at http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hack/notes/s1386333.htm. It will be on
the front page for about a week, after which time you can get it from
the Archive file for June.
03 June 2005
Identifying the student at risk
Adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg is conducting a series of one-day workshops for school staff through the Australian Principals Centre (now part of the Australian Council for Educational Research). Schools are often in the front line in the provision of psychological 'first aid' to a generation of school students whose psychosocial health is said to be well below that of their parents at a similar age, and therefore the series of skills-based workshops is tailored to the needs of school staff who are in pastoral care positions.
(From: ACER e-news - May 05)
Adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg is conducting a series of one-day workshops for school staff through the Australian Principals Centre (now part of the Australian Council for Educational Research). Schools are often in the front line in the provision of psychological 'first aid' to a generation of school students whose psychosocial health is said to be well below that of their parents at a similar age, and therefore the series of skills-based workshops is tailored to the needs of school staff who are in pastoral care positions.
(From: ACER e-news - May 05)