Inaugural Victroria Mental Health Month 7 October – 6 November 2018 POST-EVENT REPORT 2018 PREPARED BY: AISHA USMAN Project Manager; BSc (Psych), Grad Dip (Psych), Assoc MAPS POST-EVENT REPORT 2018 POST-EVENT REPORT 2018 "THERE IS " Victorian Mental Health Month, NO HEALTH an important reminder to all Victorians that WITHOUT we need to raise much needed awarness about mental health, and to promote wellbeing in MENTAL HEALTH” our communities" David Satcher 2 3 POST-EVENT REPORT 2018 POST-EVENT REPORT 2018 Contents FOREWORD 6 g 15 Oct – Mental Health Forum – Frankston City 36 g 16 Oct – Mental Health Forum – City of Stonnington 37 MESSAGE FROM THE COORDINATOR 7 g 17 Oct – Mental Health Forum – City of Manningham 38 g 18 Oct – Mental Health Forum – City of Whitehorse 39 ACKNOWLEDGMENT 8 g 19 Oct – Mental Health Forum – City of Monash 40 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 10 g 20 Oct – Music and Dance Extravaganza – “East Meets West” 41 g 21 Oct – Nirankari Lunch 42 THE VICTORIAN MENTAL HEALTH MONTH 12 g 22 Oct – Mental Health Forum – Ballarat City 43 g About g 23 Oct – Mental Health Forum – Geelong City 44 g Mission g 24 Oct – Mental Health Forum – Moyne Shire Council 45 g Aim g 25 Oct – Parenting for Resilience – Royal Women Hospital 46 g Purpose g Outcome MELBOURNE g Objectives g 26 Oct – Mental Health Breakfast with Governor of Victoria 47 PLANNING 14 g 26 Oct – Mental Health Forum – La Trobe City 50 g 27 Oct – Special Children’s’ Performance 51 g Theme g Flyers g 28 Oct – Youth Round Table Conference 52 g 28 Oct – Rajasthani Kutumb 53 MARKETING, MEDIA AND PROMOTION 16 g 29 Oct – Local Government Councillors Mental Health Symposium 54 g 30 Oct – Kinder Kids Family Fun Day 56 g MHM Poster g Social Media g 31 Oct – Mental Health Forum – Shepparton City 56 g Events listing g 01 Nov – Mental Health Forum – Bendigo City 57 g Radio g 02 Nov – Mental Health Forum – Moonee Valley 58 g Newspapers g 03 Nov – Wyndham Diwali 58 g Flag banners g 04 Nov – Mental Health Wellbeing Walk 59 g Train Skin-Advertising g 05 Nov – Mental Health Forum – Knox City 62 g 06 Nov – Mental Health Month Celebratory Breakfast 65 MENTAL HEALTH MONTH EVENTS 20 g 07 Oct - Indian Classical Music Concert 21 RECOMMENDATIONS 66 g 08 Oct - Official Launch of Mental Health Month – City of Melbourne 22 THANKYOU TO OUR 2018 MHM SPONSORS AND PARTNERS 68 g 09 Oct – Mental Health Forum – City of Yarra 26 g 10 Oct – Mental Health Forum – Wyndham City 26 DIGNITRIES THAT ATTENDED THE MHM 2018 70 g 11 Oct – Mental Health Forum – City of Greater Dandenong 28 g 12 Oct – Mental Health Forum – City of Casey 29 THE FUTURE 72 g 13 Oct – ‘Marga’ Fundraising Music Concert 30 g National Mental Health Month 2019 73 g 14 Oct – Youth Mental Wellbeing Conference – Deakin University 31 g 14 Oct – Multicultural Gala Dinner – The Atlantic, Docklands 34 4 5 POST-EVENT REPORT 2018 POST-EVENT REPORT 2018 Foreword A Message from the Mental Health Month Coordinator A major goal of Mental Health Month 2018 was The inaugural Mental Health Month was intended to reach to mobilise public opinion as to the crisis currently out to 5 million Victorians through various community engulfing mental health services. groups, schools, TAFE colleges, universities, sports clubs, local government councils and rate payers. The Inaugural Mental Health Month 2018 was conceived long and desperate callers are often frustrated. Police 2017-2018 was a busy and successful year for the Mental Manager Ms Aisha Usman for their hard work, their to demonstrate the Mental Health Foundation and emergency services have had to adopt a role for Health Foundation Australia with many positive commitment and complete support to the inaugural Australia’s commitment to community mental health which they are untrained and never intended; that outcomes towards attaining better mental health for Mental Health Month campaign. I also thank the and demonstrate our advanced capacity to organise a of de facto mental health emergency services. In the all. Being the coordinator for the inaugural Victorian support of our local, state and federal parliamentarians, range of complex events. This was deemed especially context of preventable suicide deaths due to a lack of Mental Health Month, my intention was to promote multicultural ambassadors, our partner organisations appropriate and timely given the Victorian state election timely and existing capacity, such shortfalls are tragic. greater mental health awareness to as many fellow and all other stakeholders who continue to support planned to be held on Saturday 24th November and the Mental Health Month posed the immediate question Victorians as could be reached. The month was intended MHFA’s work. impoverished state of Victoria’s mental health services. for candidates in the coming state election: “What to reach out to 5 million Victorians through various The MHFA will continue to aim for Better Mental Health A complex web of events was planned to highlight the would they do to improve the current, unacceptable community groups, schools, TAFE colleges, universities, not only for Victorians, but for the Nation as a whole. varied and diverse needs of culturally and linguistically circumstances?” sports clubs and local government councils. The concept diverse communities within the state; issues relating Mental Health Month 2018 had the intention of placing of Mental Health Month as opposed to Mental Health to youth and young people; the under emphasised mental health on the political agenda and going Week arose after looking at various mental health importance of local government in mental health beyond awareness. With one presentation every 10 programs occurring across the globe, of which mental service provision; the mental health needs of all schools, minutes for a psychiatric emergency at overburdened health month programs proved to be quite successful. universities and TAFE colleges; and to involve politicians hospital emergency departments, general practitioners We began planning Mental Health Month 2018 and dignitaries at the highest level. It was an ambitious estimating 60% of their patients attend for mental last year with the financial support of the State and and audacious ‘shot over the bow’ of all sections of the health reasons and suicide rates more than double the Federal Governments. Another aim of Mental Health Victorian policy to announce the rebirth of the Mental Victorian road toll, urgent action is required. To some Month 2018 was centred around reaching out to many Health Foundation Australia as a major player in mental extent this objective may have been demonstrated multicultural communities in Victoria. Our idea of health activism. by the Andrew’s governments belated call for a Royal onboarding 55 Multicultural Ambassadors provided Vasan Srinivasan Commission if elected. opportunities to reach out to a range of multicultural 35 major events were planned which targeted Vice-Chairperson of MHFA & organisations and institutions with maximum impact We have a long way to go before mental health communities in which mental health issues do exist but Board Co-ordinator of MHM 2018 on the fore mentioned areas. 21 local government areas services align with the needs and promises of a Royal are regarded as taboo. This proved to be very successful. reflecting marginal state electorates were selected. A Commission. The Royal Commission is welcome but The MHFA organised a multicultural gala dinner as a range of musical and multicultural events, high profile defer real action for at least 2 years. Unfortunately, part of Mental Health Month in which state and federal and status state events and an exceptionally successful the need is current and urgent. Nevertheless, the parliamentarians, community leaders and leaders in Mental Health Walk at Albert Park Lake, were held in Mental Health Foundation Australia can be proud of its the health sector partook. Multicultural performances the hope of impacting 5,000,000 Victorians in some efforts to push the urgent changes needed and all who were organised which successfully raised funds for the way. It was hoped that each event would be self-funding contributed can be especially proud. benefit of Mental Health Month and mental health or would ‘break-even’ financially. In this way grants services in Victoria. received from both state and federal governments The Mental Wellbeing Walk at Albert Park Lake saw a could be used to pay for staff salaries and unexpected turnout of more than 6000 walkers, being the highlight additional costs. of the month long inaugural mental health awareness A major goal of Mental Health Month 2018 was to campaign. mobilise public opinion as to the crisis currently I would like to thank all volunteers, the Chairperson, engulfing mental health services. Waiting periods Jim Goodin Mr Jim Goodin of the MHFA and staff, especially the for psychiatric triage or CAT teams is unacceptably Chairperson, MHFA 6 7 POST-EVENT REPORT 2018 POST-EVENT REPORT 2018 Thank you all from the Board of Directors Acknowledgements The inaugural Mental Health Month 2018 was a great acknowledge Emeritus Prof Bruce Tonge’s support, success. On behalf of Mental Health Foundation advice and for chairing the Youth Mental Wellbeing Australia, I acknowledge the financial support Conference; Ms Carole Crean for chairing the Parenting provided by the Hon. Martin Foley MP, State Minister for Resilience Conference; Mr Huss Mustafa for for Mental Health and the Hon. Greg Hunt MP, Federal supporting the MHFA Multicultural Ambassadors Minister for Health. The MHFA is also grateful to both program and Mental Health Wellbeing Walk; Mr Myles Ministers for generously participating in a number of King for coordinating the Local Government Councillors JIM GOODIN VASAN SRINIVASAN events, including the launch of Mental Health Month, Mental Health Symposium and Mental Health Forum Chairperson Vice-Chairperson Multicultural Gala Dinner and Mental Health Wellbeing at Frankston; Mr Daryl Williams for being MHFA Walk at Albert Park, Melbourne.