Mental Health - Information for Families and Carers

• Carer Participation - examples of best practice
• Program Management Circulars
• Publications
• Links

Carer Participation - examples of best practice

The recently developed Caring Together: a Carer Participation Action Plan reaffirms the importance of effective and responsive partnerships bewteen consumers, carers and professionals. A key strategy to improve carer participation described in the Action Plan is the identification of best practice examples in clinical mental health services and the psychiatric disability rehabilitation and support services.

Recently, clinical mental health services and the psychiatric disability rehabilitation support services sector were requested to provide examples of best practice in relation to the participation of families and carers of people with a mental illness in the planning, development, implementation, delivery or evaluation of mental health services in Victoria.

A wide range of responses was received, representing many different ways of involving families of people with a mental illness. A brief listing of responses is provided with contact details for further information for each response. The purpose of listing the responses and contact details is to share information and good practice across services

Thanks to all who provided these examples - carer participation is obviously continuing to develop and expand in the public mental health service system.

Program management circulars

Mental Health Carer Support Program

Publications

Information for Families and Carers of People with a Mental Illness - Jan. 2004 (Reprint July 2005)(PDF file 125KB) (English)

All files below are in pdf format

Families and friends play vital roles in supporting people with serious mental illness. They are important partners with mental health services in improving the health and wellbeing of the people for whom they care.

We know that the experience of Mental Illness affects not only the individual but also those concerned for their welfare. The impact on others will vary according to the severity, course and outcomes of the illness, as well as the life circumstances of individuals, their families and friends.

You may be a family member or friend providing support and assistance to your friend or relative, or you may just be concerned about the welfare of your friend and interested in finding out more about what assistance is avaliable. If this is the case, you may find this booklet useful.

The booklet provides information about:

• Support, services and information avaliable for family and friends of people with a mental illness.
• The public mental health service system.
• What you should expect when assisting a relative or friend to use mental health services.
• Useful contact details for further information.

Review of the Mental Health Carer Support Program and carer support and resource workers (mental health)- Final report - March 2008 (PDF File 389KB)

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Links

ARAFEMI (Association of Relatives And Friends of the Emotionally and Mentally Ill) - ARAFEMI provides services to the community of the state of Victoria, for the care and support of families and individuals dealing with an emotional or mental illness.

Mental Illness Fellowship Victoria - (formerly Schizophrenia Fellowship of Victoria (SFV) - For People with Mental Illness, their families and friends). The Schizophrenia Fellowship of Victoria has changed its name to the Mental Illness Fellowship Victoria. MIFV supports people with depression, bi-polar disorder, schizo-affective disorder, personality disorders, anxieties and schizophrenia, as well as their families, friends and carers. Its scope is now much broader than just schizophrenia, although this illness is still one of the most stigmatised of illnesses.

Carers Victoria - Carers Victoria has played a significant role in ensuring that carers are recognised and supported, and that their needs and concerns are considered by Government , services and the community. For a wide range of information and resources contact Carers Victoria.

Carers Australia - Carers Australia is a national organisation for carers of people with a disability, mental illness, chronic condition or who are frail aged.

Commonwealth Aged and Community Care - Carers Page - The Commonwealth Government has a range of programs and initiatives which support carers. A carer is a person who, through family relationship or friendship, looks after someone with a disability or chronic illness. Carers look after these people in the community or in their own homes. This site has been developed to provide information on Commonwealth programs and initiatives.

The Bouverie Centre Victoria Family Institute - A specialist psychiatric service providing clinically-based training to psychiatric service professionals, in a wide range of family-based approaches. The centre has specialist project teams providing training and limited clinical services on a statewide basis. Current teams are HIV/AIDS, Acquired Brain Injury, Sexual Abuse (Intrafamilial) and Serious Mental Illness. The centre provides academic training in Family Therapy (Masters level/Graduate Diploma) and professional development courses in conjunction with Latrobe University School of Health Sciences. The centre provides general family-based clinical services to families with an individual child, adolescent or adult member who is affected by serious emotional/behavioural disturbances or mental illness.

The Network for Carers of people with a Mental Illness - The Network is the Victorian carer peak body of organisations and groups which support carers of people with a mental illness. It is a partnership between carers or former carers linked with carer groups, representatives of statewide organisations with a significant carer focus and workers from programs which support carers. The Network aims to work on behalf of people who care for a person with a mental illness.

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