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PROPOSED NEW NATIONAL
MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMER
BODY
Summary of discussion paper
prepared by Craze LateralSolutions
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A Way Ahead Queensland
ROLE OF NEW BODY
Advocate for change through provision ofadvice to Government
Provide national leadership on consumer
engagement and participation Provide national leadership on consumer
organisation and service development
Engage the community in promoting apositive understanding of people withmental illness and their lived experience
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A Way Ahead Queensland
KEY AREAS OF WORK
Policy development, lobbying & systemic
advocacy
Research & information development &dissemination
Resource development & dissemination
Engagement with community & media Membership development & services
National projects & collaborations
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PEAK BODIES
Association established to act on behalf ofmembers when lobbying government orpromoting the interests of the members.
Examples of Australian national peaks: Athletics Australia
ACTU
Australian Youth Affairs Coalition
ACOSS
AFDO
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POSSIBLE MODELS FOR NEW
BODY
1. Peak of individuals
2. Peak of peaks
3. Peak of organisations
4. Hybrid peak
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1. PEAK OF PEAKS
Peak body of peak mental health
consumer organisations
It is difficult to find enough genuineconsumer bodies in Australia for there
to be a need for a peak to represent
them
8/14/2019 National Consumer Body for Australia
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A Way Ahead Queensland
Australian Examples of Peaks of
Peaks
Athletics Australia
ACTU
Australian Youth Affairs Coalition ACOSS
AFDO
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International Mental Health Consumer
Example
US NCMHCSOMembers Groups whose members are consumers and which are
governed by consumers, and
Regularly communicate with networks to ensure they are
inclusive & representative Boards endorse in writing mission & purpose
Collaboratively work out of differences
Advocate that the voice of consumers be central to
decision making at all levels
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A Way Ahead Queensland
Suggestions in Discussion Paper
CONSUMER
CAN (Mental Health)
Multi-cultural MHN
PANDA
VMIAC ACT MHCN
Maybe
NSW CAG (members donthave to be consumers; 50% of
Board does) Top End MHCN (no info onnet)
Health Consumers Alliance ofSA
NOT CONSUMER orCONSUMER/CARER
GROW
Hearing Voices
Blue Voices
Private MH Consumer CarerNetwork
Inspire Foundation
NMHCCF
Queensland Voice
Butterfly Foundation
Mental Health Association ofCentral Australia
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2. Peak of Individuals
Diverse individual membership
Needs a way to ensure effective two-waycommunication between grass roots and
decision makers
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Australian Examples of Peaks of
Individuals
AMA
Australian Conservation Foundation
Political parties (except ALP) Australian Union of Students
Medical Colleges
Australian Psychological Association
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International Mental Health Consumer
Example
VOX Scotland
Members must be over 16 years and have,
or have had, personal experience of
mental health problems and live, work or
study in Scotland.
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Peak of Organisations
Similar to Peak of Peaks, except that any
consumer organisation can be a member.
Similar problem to the first modelthere are
very few consumer organisations
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Australian Examples of Peaks of
Organisations
Homelessness Australia
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Hybrid Model
Membership comprising individuals, national
and state consumer organisations and
other consumer organisations
Probably the most feasible model right now,
owing to the lack of genuine, independent
consumer organisations in Australia at this
time.
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International Mental Health Consumer
Example
NSUN
Individual users and user groups as well as
allies, both individuals and groups, can
join.
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Why do we need a peak consumer
body
To provide an organised way of informing
government, services, professions and
other organisations about mental health
from a consumer perspective
To provide an avenue for consumers to be
informed about developments in mental
health locally, regionally, nationally andinternationally
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Why is it important that the body be
a consumer body
Consumers are the people most directly affected
by the way mental health services are delivered
Consumers interests are not identical with those
of any other participants in the mental healthsector, although they might be aligned with them
at times
Consumer leadership is a necessity for the
health and well-being of people who have lived
experience of mental illness
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What underpins recovery
Hope
ConnectednessSelf-determination
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Individual autonomy,
selfesteem, and healthare linked together
(Michael Marmot, 2003
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