(VIC) The rumours were correct .. Department of Human Services is considering a major restructure of primary H & CS services in this State. A policy discussion paper is currently being examined by Mr. Rob Knowles, and may be released this month. A brief consultation period will follow to the end of January. "Recommended providers" under the new structure will be approved in September, and the change-overs will commence in January 1999... any organisations which remain outside the new structure will lose funding. Existing Dep't. regions will be preserved.

Psychiatric services affected will be psych. disability support, all HACC programs and community health services. These and other services will be "tendered out". Clinical MH services (eg. hospitals) are excluded from this re-structure; fortunately for the cønsumers who may desperately need them. UPDATE: THIS RE-STRUCTURE HAS NOW BEEN POSTPONED TO NEXT YEAR

There will be a forum conducted by Vicserv about this proposed DHS restructure on Wed. 10/12 from 2 pm. at the AEU, 112 Trenerry Crescent, Abbotsford. RSVP to Salma, phone (03) 9417 2866

(NATIONAL) On May 2,1998, Australian consumers will join a global Walk, inspired by the United States project "Walk the Walk: for lives touched by mental illness" on that day.

Globally, mental health activists and consumers/survivors and ex-patients of the public mental health system are mobilising their resources to create an offshoot of this project, called the Million Mad March, by and for c/s/x (consumer/survivor/ex-patient) individuals ..

The Million Mad March in the USA will take place at the "Walk...", in Washington DC, over 2 totally crazy days. The first day will be dedicated to a day-long consumer/survivor conference (focus to be worked out). On those days, Australia's own Mad Million will March in every capital city,(except NT & ACT) and a consumer/survivor conference in Sydney/Melbourne will open the event.

The march contact in Victoria is Rod, phone (03)9350 3035 AH. If you want to help with organisation please contact him. March organisers are needed in the other States too. The Aussie E-mail address for the march is MadMarch.au@madnation.org .. also check the US page on MadNation.

(VIC) Both the clinic and Training Institute of the Hofbauer Centre in St. Kilda will be closing at the end of 1998 .. many people doubt that the respected psychotherapy services offered at Hofbauer will be replaced in Melbourne

(VIC) Cønsumers who like to go to the Catch 23 day centre in Preston will find that the drop-in has been closed until December 1997. People who then wish to use Catch 23 will be required to come to an interview at the NEAMI office. Enq: phone (03)94706022. All other NEAMI programs will continue as normal.
** UPDATE : THE CATCH 23 PROGRAM WILL RE-OPEN WITH REDUCED HOURS IN DECEMBER **

(VIC) The NetGain program outlined in last issue is up and running. avoca.vicnet.net.au/~vicserv/netgain/netgain_nf.htm NetGain aims to give consumers access to the InterNet, more info later.

(NATIONAL) The Report of the recent National Mental Health Peak Body Consultation has been issued to some stakeholders. This report discusses the results of the consultation on the peak body conducted from April to June this year. The consult'n consisted of a survey, a call for submissions, a number of discussion forums around the country and individual meetings with 37 "key" stakeholders. The survey (12 questions) received 357 responses. The Report proposes the formation of a national "MH Council of Australia", to be the peak body for mental health in this country. The Council will:

• be the peak national (non-gov) organisation representing the interests of the Australian MH sector
• be governed by a Board of 20 representatives which will represent clinical service providers, disability support, rural/remote, promotion/prevention groups, NGO's, NESBs, Aboriginals and TSI's, consumers and carers ... these reps. will be elected by 8 reference groups ... 5 consumers chosen by the consumer reference group will be members of this board and yes, they will be reimbursed for expenses.
• consist of a staff of 3 or 4 : an exec. Director, 2 project officers and an Admin. officer
• would be established by a steering committee and require an establishment budget of $96,600(first year) with a budget total over two years of $291,651

(NATIONAL) THEMHS is the annual conference for mental health services AND consumers; THEMHS was conducted 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. Here is an informal summary of what went on.