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PROPOSED NEW NATIONAL

MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMER

BODY

Summary of discussion paper

prepared by Craze LateralSolutions

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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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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

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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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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