Mental Health Week

 As part Mental As week, 4 – 11 October 2015, the ABC is providing programs on ABC TV and Radio National as well as links to various articles and support services from their home page

http://www.abc.net.au/mentalas/ 

 

Spend some time doing a relaxation activity.  These guided exercises from the University of Sydney are quite good and include breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic relaxation and visualisation. 

by Jerome

September PD activites

Find below some of the great PD opportunities available in September.  Comment or email the library if you have anything to add.

 

Read – professional reading

Queensland AIDS Council (2015). Many shades of blue: Enhancing service delivery to address the mental health needs of LGBTI populations

http://www.healthygc.com.au/MedicareLocal/media/Site-Pages-Content/GP%20Resources/LGBTI/Good-Practice-Guide-Many-Shades-of-Blue-LGBTI-Mental-Health.pdf

Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs (2014) Managing methamphetamine dependence: interventions and beyond.  Special online edition of Drug and Alcohol Review

http://bit.ly/1lcnVKf

Roche, A., Pidd, K. and Kostadinov, V. (2015), Alcohol- and drug-related absenteeism: a costly problem. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1753-6405.12414/epdf
 

Attend – informal learning sessions, journal club, seminar series

Journal club (available to Healthy Options workers only)

This month’s journal club will be presented by the CARER team.  Topic to be announced.
When: Thursday, 17^th September, 2pm

Australian Winter School presentations

Missed Winter School 2015?  Not to worry; presentations are now available to download from their website.
http://winterschool.org.au/great-speakers/

Health Literacy and Communication for Health Professionals – online course

This inter-professional course will help educate a variety of health professionals about health literacy efforts and improved communication skills. It will require your active participation in creating health literate interactions at various organisational levels. This course will provide the opportunity to reinforce existing opportunities to work together as a multidisciplinary team or fill a gap if you haven’t had an opportunity to do so yet!
When: 13 September
Duration: 8 weeks, 3-6hr/wk
https://www.coursera.org/course/healthliteracy

Attend - conferences

2015 NDARC Annual Research Symposium
The symposium examines the current issues and future solutions in regards to emerging problems in alcohol and drug use
When: 15^th September
Where: Sydney, N.S.W.
Cost: $220+
https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/2015-ndarc-annual-research-symposium

3rd Population Health Congress

The theme for the 2015 congress is “One vision, many voices”. This theme will be explored and discussed through the following six sub themes:

• Engagement and advocacy action
• Research and knowledge transfer
• Healthy places, healthy spaces
• Grand challenges and wicked problems
• Vulnerable populations
• Advancing public health

When: 6^th-9^th September
Where: Hobart, Tas.
Cost: $350 - $1150, see website for details
http://populationhealthcongress.org.au/

Kornar Winmil Yunti - National Domestic & Aboriginal Family Violence Conference

Conference theme is “New and innovative ways to address early intervention, primary prevention and response.  The conference looks at child abuse prevention, domestic abuse prevention, and Aboriginal family violence prevention
When: 15^th-16^th September
Where: Adelaide, S.A.
Cost: $750
http://kornarwinmilyunti.org.au/

3^rd Indigenous Social Work conference

The 3rd International Indigenous Social Work Conference (3IISWC) brings together Indigenous social workers from around the world to share solutions to issues that affect Indigenous peoples.
Featuring internationally renowned Indigenous leadership, this gathering will develop positive relationships and understanding between peoples, governments and community for the betterment of all through Indigenous well-being, productivity and immense socio-economic growth.   It is relevant to all Indigenous and non-Indigenous social workers and welfare workers. Allied health workers and others who work with Indigenous people through legislation, policy development and the implementation of services to communities should also attend.
When: 14^th – 17^th September
Where: Darwin, N.T.
Cost: $575 - $1195, see website for details
http://3iiswc.com/

Listen – podcasts, webinars

Dovetail podcast - Harm reduction and ecstasy use

In this episode, Dovetail's own Cameron Francis talks about the harms of MDMA (ecstasy) and strategies that can reduce these harms.  This includes adulterant screening devices such as home pill testing kits, but also more formal adulterant screening programs such as those operating in the United Kingdom, the United States and Europe.  These programs are designed to identify highly dangerous substances such as PMA which have appeared recently around Australia and overseas.  Cameron also discusses the other acute harms of MDMA including overheating and dehydration and provides tips for workers who are engaging with young people who are currently using MDMA.
https://soundcloud.com/dovetail-qld

Supporting the Wellbeing of People Experiencing a Trauma Response

Available from the Mental Health Professional’s Network (MHPN), an interdisciplinary team discusses responding to clients with a trauma response using a case study.
http://bit.ly/1QYdRUx

Insight webinar series

http://www.dovetail.org.au/insight/webinars.php

It’s not a one-way street: AOD client engagement and participation

Presented by Ms Leisa Brandon, MNMH-ADS Client Participation and Engagement Project
(Project Gauge) and Ms Niki Parry QPAMS Coordinator - QuIHN; President - QuIVAA; President -
AIVL
This presentation will focus on the importance of involving clients of Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) services in active and meaningful participation and engagement activities. Niki and Leisa will provide an overview of the current research, legislative context, AOD specific barriers and benefits of client engagement and participation. Niki has worked in the community sector for many years and is an advocate for AOD client engagement. Leisa is employed as a Client Engagement and Participation Project Officer at Metro North Mental Health – Alcohol and Drug Services (MNMHADS) to review practice and focus on improving current AOD client engagement and participation.
Wednesday, 2^nd September, 9am (EST)

Alcohol and drug harms, mental health and self-harm in the population: Ambulance data and timely, robust monitoring and responses

Presented by Dr Belinda Lloyd, Senior Research Fellow, Turning Point Alcohol & Drug Centre
Although AOD harms, mental health and self-harm are priority areas for development of effective policy and treatment, there is currently a lack of robust, timely data for monitoring these harms at a population level. This presentation will focus on the use of an internationally unique national monitoring system of acute overdose, self-harm and mental health-related ambulance presentations. This data is invaluable in identifying emerging patterns in AOD related harms and mental health and suicidal behaviour, including differences across subpopulations or geographic regions, and clustering within distinct time periods.
Wednesday, 9^th September, 9am (EST)

The Weird and Wonderful World of Sleep

Presented by Dr Sandy Sacre, Associate Professor, Nurse Educator, Metro North Mental Health –
Alcohol and Drug Service
Sleep loss and sleep disorders are extremely common and cause an enormous public health burden in terms of direct and indirect health costs and lost productivity. Sleep disorders and their proper diagnosis and management are often poorly understood. This presentation will cover a wide range of sleep disorders to help clinicians better understand these problems when they encounter them in daily practice.
Wednesday, 16^th September, 9am (EST)

Being Insane: A voice listener’s story

Presented by Mr Eddie Blacklock, RN BA MA Private Counselling Consultant
This presentation is a brief analysis of a recently published narrative based to raise public awareness about schizophrenia from a lived-in perspective; to demystify and de-stigmatise what it means to be diagnosed with schizophrenia; to raise public and professional awareness about the debilitating effects antipsychotic medications have on many patients and make transparent some routine process of an acute mental health unit.
Wednesday, 30^th September, 9am (EST)

August PD activities

A list of some of the available PD sessions coming up in August.  Comment below or contact library@healthyoptions.org.au if you have something to add.

Write – presentations and papers

The 2015 Australian Stop Domestic Violence Conference

Abstracts now open for this year’s conference on the topic of “Connecting the dots…”
Presentation topics include:

• Community (e.g. Educational Programs, Homelessness, Intervention, Helplines)
• Communication and Interstate Collaboration
• Law Enforcement, Protection and Legal System
• Government and Policy Making
• Mental Health (e.g. Impact on service provider personnel, Preventative care, Access to services, Identification of core issues and diagnosis)
• Indigenous Communities
• Special Topics/Open (e.g. Children, CALD, Disability, Elder Abuse, IPV and Sexual Assault, LBGTI, Parental Violence)
• Research

Authors or organisations interested in speaking at the Conference, are invited to submit an abstract or paper of no more than 300 words outlining the aims, contents and conclusions of their paper or presentation; or about their intended role in a workshop.
There are spots available for oral presentations, workshops, and poster presentations.
Submissions due: 29^th August
http://stopdomesticviolence.com.au/submit-abstract/

Read – professional reading

Renner, P., O'Dea, B., Sheehan, J. and Tebbutt, J. (2015), Days out of role in university students: The association of demographics, binge drinking, and psychological risk factors. Australian Jnl of Psychology, 67: 157–165.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajpy.12077/epdf

Degenhardt, L., Coffey, C., Hearps, S., Kinner, S. A., Borschmann, R., Moran, P. and Patton, G. (2015), Associations between psychotic symptoms and substance use in young offenders. Drug and Alcohol Review.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dar.12280/epdf

Furr, S. R., Johnson, W. D. and Goodall, C. S. (2015), Grief and Recovery: The Prevalence of Grief and Loss in Substance Abuse Treatment. Jrnl Addictions & Off Counsel, 36: 43–56.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.2161-1874.2015.00034.x/epdf
 

Attend – informal learning sessions, journal club, seminar series

Journal club (available to Healthy Options workers only)

Journal club this month will be presented by the Early Interventions team
When: Wednesday, 19^th August 10am
Where: Boardroom and Skype meeting

Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI) – Professional eLearning courses

COPMI have a range of online courses available for free for professionals.  The online courses require Internet access, an up-to-date browser and Flash player
Topics include:

• Keeping children and families in mind
• Supporting infants and toddlers
• Let’s talk about children
• Child aware practice
• Child aware supervision

Duration: 2-4 hours – can be accessed over several sessions
http://www.copmi.net.au/professionals-organisations/how-can-i-help/professional-development/elearning-courses

Sociology – Free online course

This course is offered by the University of Western Sydney.  Sociology examines individuals in their social contexts and provides insights into factors such as class, gender and age shape societies at the individual and institutional levels. This introductory course introduces you to key concepts and theories used in examination of and for understanding social action, social institutions, social structure and social change.
Starts: 3^rd August
Duration: 4 weeks, 2-4hr/week
https://www.open2study.com/courses/sociology
 

Attend - conferences

Australian Youth AOD Conference

This conference is for workers interested in the best possible care for young people experiencing drug and alcohol problems.  The conference theme this year is “A Powerful Future for a Radical Tradition”
When: 13-14^th August
Where: Melbourne
Cost: $495
http://www.youthaod.org.au/conference2015/ 

16^th International Mental Health Conference

This conference will bring together leading clinical practitioners, academics, service providers and mental health experts to deliberate and discuss Mental Health issues confronting Australia and New Zealand.
Topics include:

• Early intervention and treatment advances
• Recovery oriented practice e-Health, technology and social media
• Suicide prevention and support Child, youth and family mental health promotion and services demands for an aging population
• Targeted services for vulnerable groups Indigenous mental, social, emotional and environmental health LGBTI mental health promotion and resilience
• Workplace health and wellbeing
• Mental health in the custodial and forensic setting
• Consumer and carer participation and opportunities
• Offering hope: stories from the front line and lived experience

When: 12^th-14^th August
Where: Gold Coast
Cost: $975-$575, see website for details
http://anzmh.asn.au/conference/index.html

Fifth Annual International Drug Abuse Research Society/Fourth Asian-Pacific Society for Alcohol and Addiction Research Meeting

This conference will bring together basic scientist, clinical scientists and medical practitioners from the international community to present and discuss the latest findings on alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, other central nervous system (CNS)-acting drugs, the treatment of AOD use and other addictive disorders.
Conference themes include:

• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
• Treatment of drug addiction: methamphetamine, cannabis, opiates
• Frontiers in addiction pharmacotherapy
• The nature and diagnosis of addictive disorders
• Anesthetics, inhalants and opiates
• Epigenetics, omics and cocaine
• Substituted amphetamine neurotoxicity
• MDMA/ecstasy, GHB and designer drugs
• Novel behavioural and pharmacological approaches to preventing drug-seeking and relapse
• Novel neurobiological targets for the treatment of alcoholism
• AOD use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Internet gaming and social media
• The vulnerable brain

When: 18^th-21^st August
Where: Sydney
Cost: $700-$550, see website for details
https://ekiddna.eventsair.com/QuickEventWebsitePortal/4th-apsaar-5th-idars-conference/event-info-site

Listen – podcasts, webinars

Foster families – podsocs

Foster families work the well-being of children in their care often with little recognition. In this podcast, Alyson Rees talks about her research with children and their foster families from a strengths perspective.
Duration: 35mins
http://www.podsocs.com/podcast/foster-families/

The National Methamphetamine Symposium: Making Research Work in Practice

All presentations and slides are now available from NCETA’s methamphetamine symposium, which was held in May this year. Links to slides and YouTube clips are available here:
http://nceta.flinders.edu.au/nceta/events/methamphetamine-symposium/

AOD treatment services 2013-14

Last week the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services 2013-14 report.  The data for this report series comes from the National Minimum Data Set (NMDS).  NMDS is collected by Healthy Options programs as well as other organisations' programs funded by the government.

Some of the main trends and findings in the data:

Client demographics

• Nationally, there were 118,741 clients (1 in 200 of the population).  112,573 were attending the service for their own drug use; 7174 were significant others 
• Two thirds of clients identify as male and 14% identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
• Two thirds of significant others were female
• The treatment population seems to be ageing, with a slight decrease in 20-29y/o and an increase in 40+y/o

Drugs of concern

• The most common primary drug of concern is alcohol (40%), al though this has decreased from 2009-10 (48%)
• There has been an increase in clients with amphetamines as the reported primary drug of concern up from 7% to 17%
• There has been an increase in clients reporting inhaling and smoking as their method of use for amphetamines
• 54% of clients have more than one drug of concern

Treatment

• Over half of all agencies are located in major cities.  Only 7% are in remote or very remote areas
• The most common stated intervention remains "counselling" 43%, followed by assessment and withdrawal management 
• The median duration of treatment episodes was 3 weeks.  79% of episodes were closed within 3 months and 24% within one day
• Clients whose principle drug of concern is amphetamines or heroin generally have longer treatment episodes   
• 64% of client cessations were expected (e.g. treatment completion).  Unexpected cessations (e.g. non-compliance) accounted for 20% of cessations
• Expected cessation was highest for ecstasy (87%) and lowest for buprenorphine (45%)
• Unexpected cessation was highest for amphetamine (25%) and lowest for ecstasy (8%)

Full report available here:  http://tinyurl.com/o8eqqm6

July PD activites

Some of the professional development activities available during July.  Be sure to add any further suggestions in the comments or contact the library.

 

Write – presentations and papers

Rural and remote mental health symposium

Abstracts now open for the symposium and this year’s topic is Innovation and Opportunity
Conference topics include:

• Working smarter: overcoming the challenges and innovative solutions
• Developing programs that build resilience, reduce stigma and offer accessibility to services
• Service delivery strategies, development, implementation, management and evaluation
• Child and youth mental health: prevention and early intervention
• e-Health, tele-Health, technology and social media
• Suicidal and self-harming: behaviour and prevention
• Aboriginal health and engagement
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) community programs, support and education
• Recovery in the Bush
• Building healthy communities: policy, practice, community innovation
• Employment opportunities for better health outcomes
• The voice of the lived experience

Submissions due: 17^th July 2015

http://anzmh.asn.au/rrmh/

The 2015 Australian Stop Domestic Violence Conference

Abstracts now open for this year’s conference on the topic of “Connecting the dots…”

Presentation topics include:

• Community (e.g. Educational Programs, Homelessness, Intervention, Helplines)
• Communication and Interstate Collaboration
• Law Enforcement, Protection and Legal System
• Government and Policy Making
• Mental Health (e.g. Impact on service provider personnel, Preventative care, Access to services, Identification of core issues and diagnosis)
• Indigenous Communities
• Special Topics/Open (e.g. Children, CALD, Disability, Elder Abuse, IPV and Sexual Assault, LBGTI, Parental Violence)
• Research

Authors or organisations interested in speaking at the Conference, are invited to submit an abstract or paper of no more than 300 words outlining the aims, contents and conclusions of their paper or presentation; or about their intended role in a workshop.

There are spots available for oral presentations, workshops, and poster presentations.

Submissions due: 29^th August

http://stopdomesticviolence.com.au/submit-abstract/

Read – professional reading

Gorman, D. M. (2015), ‘Everything works’: the need to address confirmation bias in evaluations of drug misuse prevention interventions for adolescents. Addiction, doi: 10.1111/add.12954.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.12954/full

Darvishi N, Farhadi M, Haghtalab T, Poorolajal J (2015) Alcohol-Related Risk of Suicidal Ideation, Suicide Attempt, and Completed Suicide: A Meta-Analysis. PLoS ONE 10(5): e0126870. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0126870 

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0126870

Morandini, J. S., Blaszczynski, A., Dar-Nimrod, I. and Ross, M. W. (2015), Minority stress and community connectedness among gay, lesbian and bisexual Australians: a comparison of rural and metropolitan localities. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 39: 260–266. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12364

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1753-6405.12364/abstract?campaign=woletoc

Attend – informal learning sessions, journal club, seminar series

Journal club (available to Healthy Options workers only)

Journal club for this month is yet to be finalised.  Below date is tentative only.  Details will be provided as soon as possible.

When: Thursday, 16th July, 2pm

The addicted brain – Emory University

This is a course about addiction to drugs and other behaviours. It will describe what happens in the brain and how this information helps us deal with and overcome addiction. It will also discuss other topics such as government policy and our vulnerability to take drugs.  Course is delivered in 7 online modules

When: Available anytime

https://www.coursera.org/learn/addiction-and-the-brain

Attend - conferences

Aboriginal Health Conference

The conference theme Healthy families - healthy futures will be addressed through presentations, clinical updates, practical workshops, hands-on concurrent sessions and case study learning opportunities that are professionally accredited and delivered by expert specialists and speakers.  Includes optional family program/child care.

When: 4-5^th July

Where: Perth

Cost: $320-450

http://www.ruralhealthwest.com.au/professional-development/conference/2015/07/04/default-calendar/aboriginal-health-conference-2015

Australian Winter School Conference

Now in its 28th year, AWS aims to support health care professionals in developing skills and knowledge in responding to and treating alcohol and drug related issues, including mental health. It brings together practitioners, researchers, policy makers and workers from across the sector including community and private practice and all levels of government and provides a forum for cross-disciplinary dialogue. The conference suits those working in alcohol and other drugs, including nurses, allied health, GPs and other support agencies. It also appeals to those working in EDs and mental health care.
When: 22-24 July
Where: Brisbane
Cost:  See website for costs (and for the clever names they’ve given the various ticket types)
http://winterschool.org.au/

Listen – podcasts, webinars

Dovetail webinar: Practical harm reduction

This webinar will include an overview of the types of harms that young people using substances might experience and practical strategies that young people can use to reduce these harms.  The webinar will cover cannabis, MDMA (ecstasy), LSD and methamphetamine, with strategies that can be applied at any stage of a young person's engagement with a service from intake / assessment, through to treatment and relapse prevention.
When: 9am – 10am (AEST) Friday, 3^rd July.
http://www.dovetail.org.au/latest-news/2015/june/dovetail-webinar-practical-harm-reduction-friday-july-3rd-9am-10am.aspx

Everyday racism – Podsocs

Everyday racism is alive and well in Australia. But do we know what it is, how it manifests and how it affects people in our community. Jessica Walton talks about everyday racism.
Duration: 23mins
http://www.podsocs.com/podcast/everyday-racism/

June PD opportunities

Write – presentations and papers

Rural and remote mental health symposium

Abstracts now open for the symposium and this year’s topic is Innovation and Opportunity
Conference topics include:

• Working smarter: overcoming the challenges and innovative solutions
• Developing programs that build resilience, reduce stigma and offer accessibility to services
• Service delivery strategies, development, implementation, management and evaluation
• Child and youth mental health: prevention and early intervention
• e-Health, tele-Health, technology and social media
• Suicidal and self-harming: behaviour and prevention
• Aboriginal health and engagement
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) community programs, support and education
• Recovery in the Bush
• Building healthy communities: policy, practice, community innovation
• Employment opportunities for better health outcomes
• The voice of the lived experience

Submissions due: 17^th July 2015
http://anzmh.asn.au/rrmh/

The 2015 Australian Stop Domestic Violence Conference

Abstracts now open for this year’s conference on the topic of “Connecting the dots…”
Presentation topics include:

• Community (e.g. Educational Programs, Homelessness, Intervention, Helplines)
• Communication and Interstate Collaboration
• Law Enforcement, Protection and Legal System
• Government and Policy Making
• Mental Health (e.g. Impact on service provider personnel, Preventative care, Access to services, Identification of core issues and diagnosis)
• Indigenous Communities
• Special Topics/Open (e.g. Children, CALD, Disability, Elder Abuse, IPV and Sexual Assault, LBGTI, Parental Violence)
• Research

Authors or organisations interested in speaking at the Conference, are invited to submit an abstract or paper of no more than 300 words outlining the aims, contents and conclusions of their paper or presentation; or about their intended role in a workshop.
There are spots available for oral presentations, workshops, and poster presentations.
Submissions due: 29^th August
http://stopdomesticviolence.com.au/submit-abstract/
  

Read – professional reading

Keane, C., Magee, C. A. and Lee, J. K. (2015), Childhood trauma and risky alcohol consumption: A study of Australian adults with low housing stability. Drug and Alcohol Review, 34: 18–26.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dar.12177/abstract

Wardle, J. L., & Chang, S. (2015). Cross‐promotional alcohol discounting in Australia's grocery sector: a barrier to initiatives to curb excessive alcohol consumption?. Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, 39 (2): 124-128.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1753-6405.12291/epdf

Posselt, M., Procter, N., Galletly, C., & Crespigny, C. (2015). Aetiology of Coexisting Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drug Disorders: Perspectives of Refugee Youth and Service Providers. Australian Psychologist, 50(2), 130-140.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ap.12096/epdf

Gowing, L. R., Ali, R. L., Allsop, S., Marsden, J., Turf, E. E., West, R., and Witton, J. (2015), Global statistics on addictive behaviours: 2014 status report. Addiction, 110, 904–919.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.12899/epdf

 

Attend – informal learning sessions, journal club, seminar series

Journal club (available to Healthy Options workers only)

This internal professional development session is held both in the library and via Lync meeting this month.  June’s session is being presented by the Library (woot!) looking at some amazing article (yet to be determined).
When: Wednesday, 17^th June, 10am

Questionnaire design for social surveys
This course covers the basic elements of designing and evaluating questionnaires.  The process of responding to questions, challenges and options for asking questions about behavioral frequencies, practical techniques for evaluating questions, mode specific questionnaire characteristics, and review methods of standardized and conversational interviewing is reviewed.
Duration: 6 weeks, 4-8hr/wk
Cost: free or $63 to receive verified certificate
Starts: 1st June
https://www.coursera.org/course/questionnairedesign

Becoming a resilient person: the science of stress management
The purpose of this course is to teach individuals the science behind becoming a resilient person. Stated simply, resilience is the ability to survive and thrive. Resiliency is not only about your ability to positively adapt in the face of adverse or challenging circumstances (that is, survive), but it is also about learning the positive skills, strategies and routines that enable you to live a happy, fulfilling, and meaningful life (in other words, thrive). This course gives you the permission to take care of yourself in order to effectively manage life stressors and do what matters most in life.
Duration: 8 weeks, 2-3hr/wk
Starts: 2nd June
https://www.edx.org/course/becoming-resilient-person-science-stress-uwashingtonx-ecfs311x-0#!

 

Attend - conferences

2015 National Aboriginal Wellbeing Conference

This year’s conference theme will be “Lateral Violence – Everybody’s Business” and the conference will focus on the issues related to lateral violence and showcase the innovative programs being delivered within our communities to address the effects to ourselves and our families. 
When: 9-10^th June
Where: Ballina, NSW
Cost: $450
http://www.aboriginalwellbeingconference.com/

AH & MRC Harm Minimisation Summit

Registrations are open for the Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council of NSW ‘Sustainable Futures: Investing in Everyone’ Summit.  The Summit will focus on identifying the most effective ways to address injecting drug use in Aboriginal communities using a harm minimisation framework, and is for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service staff, Aboriginal workers from other settings and others who work with Aboriginal communities in NSW around injecting drug use.
When: 10-12^th June
Where: Sydney
Cost: $250
http://bit.ly/1Rj2MuL

Suicide and self-harm prevention conference

The Suicide & Self-harm Prevention Conference 2015 is about bringing together researchers, practitioners, health workers, the “key players” within the suicide prevention sector, those within the community and anyone affected by suicide.
When: 24-26^th June
Where: Cairns
Cost: See website for packages
http://www.kochfoundation.org.au/Suicide-Prevention-Conference-2015.77.0.html

 

Listen – podcasts, webinars

‘Troubled’ or ‘disadvantaged’ families?

Podcast conversation with Sue Bond-Taylor Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Lincoln, England.  Troubled Families programs have been introduced in England for those most ‘troubled’ families. Sue Bond-Taylor discusses an evaluation of one these programs and the differences between political and practice meanings of words like empowerment and troubled.
Duration: 32mins
http://www.podsocs.com/podcast/troubled-or-disadvantaged-families/

ReGen - Innovation in action seminar 2015

View presentations from this year’s “Innovation in Action” seminar held on 30^th April.
Video footage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euF5UnP3KCs&feature=youtu.be&a
Slides/presentations:
http://www.slideshare.net/ReGenUC

Gender identity: responding to gender incongruence and/or people who identify as Transgender

MindOUT!’s seminar/webinar from April is up and available for viewing
Duration: 1hr
http://www.instantpresenter.com/WebConference/RecordingDefault.aspx?c_psrid=EB55D784864B

Insight Webinars

Catch up on the Insight webinars you’ve missed on their Vimeo channel
https://vimeo.com/user38079975

NCPIC Quitting cannabis 1-6 sessions - clinical interventions
The National Cannabis Prevention & Information Centre UNSW is presenting a new 4-part webinar series ‘Quitting Cannabis? 1-6 sessions (QC 1-6) - A Clinical Intervention’ starting in three weeks on 12, 19, 26 June and 3 July 2015.  Registration and attendance for each of the four ‘Quitting Cannabis? 1-6 sessions (QC 1-6) - A Clinical Intervention’ 1 hour webinars is free of charge.  The intervention is especially suitable for counsellors and psychologists who have a thorough understanding of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
NCPIC 12^th June 2015
11am-12noon AEST ‘Quitting Cannabis? 1-6 sessions (QC 1-6) - A Clinical Intervention’ PART 1 presented Etty Matalon, National Clinical Training Manager, NCPIC.
http://www2.redbackconferencing.com.au/NCPIC_12th_June_2015

NCPIC 19^th June 2015

11am-12noon AEST ‘Quitting Cannabis? 1-6 sessions (QC 1-6) - A Clinical Intervention’ PART 2 presented Etty Matalon, National Clinical Training Manager, NCPIC.
http://www2.redbackconferencing.com.au/NCPIC_19th_June_2015

NCPIC 26^th June 2015

11am-12noon AEST ‘Quitting Cannabis? 1-6 sessions (QC 1-6) - A Clinical Intervention’ PART 3 presented Etty Matalon, National Clinical Training Manager, NCPIC.
http://www2.redbackconferencing.com.au/NCPIC_26th_June_2015

NCPIC 3^rd July 2015

11am-12noon AEST ‘Quitting Cannabis? 1-6 sessions (QC 1-6) - A Clinical Intervention’ PART 4 presented Etty Matalon, National Clinical Training Manager, NCPIC.
http://www2.redbackconferencing.com.au/NCPIC_3rd_July_2015
 

Assessed learning – short courses, certs, dip., bachelors, post-grad

Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma in AOD studies

The Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma in AOD Studies deliver an applied approach to alcohol and drug studies with subjects including; Assessment, Treatment and Planning, Counselling Interventions, Group Work, Dual Diagnosis as well as Evaluation and Reflective Practice. Graduates may be employed in the specialist AOD field and satisfy requirements for the Minimum Qualification Strategy for working in services funded by the Department of Health and Human Services in Victoria. Graduates can take on more senior specialist AOD clinical and treatment roles, as well as roles in research, evaluation and policy development. Applicants require a bachelor degree in a relevant discipline and must apply through Turning Point. Most subjects in the courses are delivered online. The graduate awards are received from Turning Point.
Applications due for mid-year entry: 15^th July, 2015
Delivery: Online
For costs and prerequisite requirements see website
http://www.turningpoint.org.au/Education/Graduate-Programs.aspx

Federal budget 2015/16

Here are a few of the relevant points from last night's budget for AOD and mental health.



New way of working for grants
$55.6 million over 3 years to continue front line community services whilst the "New Way of Working for Grants" framework is implemented. 

Illicit drugs campaign
$20 million over 2 years to renew the National Drug Campaign, a media campaign to prevent and encourage people to cease illicit drug use.  No surprises at the documented focus on "ice".

Streamlining health services
Cuts in funding including cuts to the Health Portfolio Flexible Funds

Plain packaging litigation
Undisclosed amount will be given to defend international legal challenges to the Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011,

NDIS
Sector Development Fund to be transferred to the Department of Social Services from the National Disability Insurance Agency.  NDIA will continue with focus on care packages for individuals.

National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness
Extended to 2017

Domestic violence awareness
Contribution of $16.7 million to the Council of Australian Governments' planned $30 million awareness campaign 

Stronger relationships trial

Trial, which included $200 vouchers for relationship counselling services, has been discontinued

Department of Human Services/Welfare integrity

$1.7 billion over 5 years for increased fraud prevention, debt recovery and improved assessment processes.

Efficiency review to take place.  Phase-out of cheques and credit EFTPOS in favour of electronic funds transfer for Medicare and Pharmaceutical Benefit payments.

Implementation of new Centrelink IT systems.

 

Young job seekers

The Government will reverse the 2014‑15 Budget measure Stronger Participation Incentives for Job Seekers under 30, requiring a 6 month waiting period for income support and instead require young people under 25 years of age without significant barriers to employment to actively seek work for a four week waiting period.

$212 million of funding allocated to young people at high risk of long term unemployment.

Low income supplement

Abolished. 

Microfinance

Continuation of microfinance services including StepUp and No Interest Loan Scheme.

Health

Government not proceeding with Medicare co-payments and redefinition of time requirements for type A and B medical consultations.

Continuation of e-health system. Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records (PCEHR) to be renamed My Health Record 



Feel free to add anything I missed in the comments.  There was a small reference to prevention in health, but I will need to investigate more to see what this was about.