10 October 97 ~ next edition 24 October
Omega graphic courtesy of Rainier Web Design
concept by the people of the Madness list
** FOR SALE - five toner cartridges (Max. memory) for TexasInstruments printer. Email us or write to PO Box 469, Carlton South 3053 Australia
** (VIC) "CONSUMERS TO HIT THE INFO SUPERHIGHWAY IN NEW $100,000 PUSH .. by Allan Pinches
.. (he's done it again - thank you Alan) As reported last time, H & CS Psych. Services are going InterNet ..
Consumers at many mental health day programs across Victoria will get access to the Internet and training through a $100,000 project just announced.
The innovative NetGain program, developed by VicServ, the psychiatric disability support peak body, aims to open up the Information Superhighway to any interested consumers at Victorian day programs.
NetGain project worker, Mr Colin Brokenshire, said mental health consumers were often among the so-called “information poor” in the modern technological age, and the project aimed to make consumers information richer and empower them through access to the Internet.
There’s no limit to the possibilities -- it’s wide open to consumers to use it any way they like,” Mr Brokenshire said.
Mr Brokenshire said consumers would be able to:
Access online resources from around the world. Talk to and share their stories and information with other consumers everywhere and communicate between centres and with the wider community. Run community education campaigns to promote awareness of mental health issues and counteract “stigma.” Publish poetry, short stories, magazines, multi-media arts and video. Lobby governments and carry out community development activities, group advocacy and political actions.One consumer and one staff member at each centre would receive VicNet hands-on Internet training, and would in turn become instructors to consumers wanting to access the Net. Grants to centres of around $2000 to $3000 would cover computers, modems, software and the first 12 months Internet connection. At least a few day programs are expected to pay consumers to act as instructors, but this is not required of them under the scheme and is up to each individual centre. Mr Brokenshire said however, consumers involved would benefit from the experience gained and the project would enhance their employment prospects. The NetGain program is auspiced by VicServ, the peak body of Victoria’s psychiatric disability support services, which came up with the successful funding application. The funding came through the Victorian Government’s SkillsNet Program, through MultiMedia Victoria. About $4 million worth of grants are going out to other Victorian community groups in the next few weeks.
Approach, Ballarat ASPS, Warrnambool Balgartnie, Ararat Barwon Psychiatric Resource Council, Geelong Bromham Place Clubhouse, Richmond Eastern Region Mental Health Association, Dandenong Finchley Support Services, Glenroy Inner Eastern MH Services Association (Terra Firma), Box Hill Loddon-Campaspe Combined Support Services, Bendigo Macaulay Community Support Program, Flemington Mallee Family Care, Mildura NEAMI Catch 23, Thornbury North West Community Resource Exchange, Brunswick Outer Eastern Council, Lifeworks, Ringwood Outer East Council, Halcyon, Ferntree Gully Outer West Psychiatric Disability Services, Outlooks, Melton Outer West Psychiatric Disability Services, Halcyon Prahran Mission, Second Storey, Prahran Rivendell Community Support Program, Healesville Southern MH Association, Resource Club, Bentleigh SMHA, Sails, Moorabbin St Luke’s, Bendigo Workspan, Impact, Oakleigh Wyndham Clubhouse.
** (VIC) Alicia Fiorito died this week, a well-known Vic. consumer. What can we say
** (NSW) Consumer representative training - a programme run over 2 half-days at the NSW Institute of Psychiatry. This aims to develop knowledge & skills for consumers starting as consultants in their local MH services. Contact Liz Hay (02)9840 3833
** (VIC)A competition: the first consumer "viewer" who names the error of fact in this excerpt will win a mystery prize! Taken from the glossy 1997 report published by the Vic. Government (page 15) -
"A Leader in Mental Health" ... Victoria's record on MH stands firm. The National MH Report last year commended Victoria for establishing one of the strongest community care systems in the country for people with a mental illness. Victoria's leadership in this area of health is due to the innovative restructure of psych. services which has taken place over the last 5 years. Patient care has dramatically risen since 1992, with community contacts for people with a mental illness doubling to 1,364,000 in just 4 years. Help in emergencies is available 24 hours a day, and less critical assistance is available on call. Child and adolescent services have made significant gains. linking in with work on youth suicide. An extra $8 million has been allocated to strengthen specialist services, creating places for 75 additional community workers across the state. Changes in adult MH have overseen the dismantling of outdated institutions, and $110 million in new services are being built closer to those who require access. Victoria has 140 new community care unit beds, with a further 192 in the planning.
** Another quotable quote: "the walking wounded, that is what we are, maybe our time has come" ..... David
**(VIC) The annual general meeting of the Vic. Mental Illness Awareness Council will be held 16/10/97 at 1:30 pm. @ Brunswick Community Health Centre. enq. (03)9387 8317 BH
**(VIC) "Psychiatry is marked by its almost total disregard of spirituality, in considering the mental health of individuals. ... the standard medical model of mental illness is based on rather mechanistic and reductionist theories about physiological, biochemical and genetic factors, and where they consult psychology, ego-based psychological theories predominate." Allan Pinches is a former metropolitan newspaper journalist and a mental health consumer activist. He is a consumer consultant employed at NEAMI (North Eastern Alliance for the Mentally Ill) in Preston, Victoria. This quote is taken from his essay "Spirituality is the missing link in psychiatry"
**(NATIONAL)THEMHS is the annual conference for mental health services AND consumers; THEMHS was in Sydney this year during August. There were several consumer events, including the AGM of the Aussie MH Consumer network, and papers given by Aussie consumers.
