BEING - Mental Health Consumers

Join us next week for a lively discussion about Queer Mental Health. The passing of the Equality Bill this year was a good first step but last minute changes removed things like protections for teachers and students and members of the LGBTQiA+ community continue to be over-represented in mental health statistics. How do we build positive momentum and what still needs to be done? Join our experienced panelists to discuss this important topic: Ash Watson (Experienced Peer Worker and Coordinator of the National LGBTIQA+ Suicide Prevention Network (VIC) Fi Paskulich (Senior Policy Advisor, NSW Mental Health Commission) Naif-Jamie Martin (Trans Suicide Prevention Peer Worker at ACON) and Alastair Lowrie (Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Justice and Equity Centre.) When: Thursday 7th November (2.45pm-5.00pm) Where: BEING offices at Work Club Barangaroo, 201 Kent Street, Sydney Cost: FREE (includes afternoon tea.) You can attend in person or remotely online (but you must register to secure an in person place as space is limited.) Click the appropriate link below to register In Person https://bit.ly/3C1H6EB Livestream https://bit.ly/4hl7Gc7 The panel discussion will be preceeded by readings from lived experience poets Tim Heffernan and Arlea Whelan.

Come & hear fab young talented poet Arlea Whelan at our "Poetry & Panel" event next week. Check out this taster clip https://ow.ly/HFwU50TUZMl and find her on RedRoomPoetry https://bit.ly/4hnSR8A Registration essential. In person https://bit.ly/3C1H6EB or online https://bit.ly/4hl7Gc7

Have you signed up to next week's "Poetry and Panel" event yet? Hear poets Tim Heffernan and Arlea Whelan share some of their work. Then we'll explore "Queer Mental Health" with Fi Paskulich, Naif-Jamie Martin and Ash Watson. What has the recent Equality Bill achieved, how much will it improve mental health in the LGBTQiA+ community and what still needs to be done? When: Thursday 7th November (2.45pm-5pm) Where: Work Club Barangaroo, 201 Kent St, Sydney Click here to attend in person (Places are limited so registration is essential.) https://bit.ly/3C1H6EB Click here to register to watch remotely via livestream. https://bit.ly/4hl7Gc7

"HE WOULD RATHER CHOOSE DEATH THAN NOT HAVE POWER, CONTROL OR CHOICE." Today is World Mental Health Day and to mark it BEING held a discussion entitled "Suicidality, Suicidism & Human Rights." Click to watch in full https://lnkd.in/gN7r3VPy Too often, the voice of the consumer, the person at the centre of the storm, is minimised or ignored by the system or society around them, including in discussions of suicide. As consumers, unless we feel safe talking about how we are feeling, it's more likely that we will bottle up those feelings leading to much worse consequences. BEING stands for the rights of all those with living or lived experience of mental health issues to be heard and involved in the decisions that affect us. Please look after yourselves this World Mental Health Day and show empathy to others living with mental distress. #nothingaboutuswithoutus

Health of the Nation 2024 report released. Mental health continues to be the #1 reason for a GP visit with 36% saying it is their area of greatest concern, up from 31% in 2023. We urgently need federal and state governments to work more closely to invest and reform the mental health system or face an accelerating mental health crisis. Click here to read the report in full. https://ow.ly/p3MT50THmw8

Concerned at the increase in the cost of the NDIS, the commonwealth government has been reviewing what services and items should/ should not be included under the NDIS to address concerns of waste and exploitation and to ensure that they system is sustainable. On Tuesday they published the long awaited list of items covered by the NDIS with those changes taking effect from today. The next 12 months will be treated as transitional with various safeguards in place to mitigate client concerns. Click this link to visit the NDIS website and see all the changes that might affect you. https://bit.ly/4eF7suo

BEING's AGM will take place on Thursday November 4th and our constitution encourages new board membership. If you are a member and interested in joining the BEING board, click the link below to find out more and apply. https://bit.ly/3zJHmHw Nominations must be received by midday on Oct 31st.

Register now for our discussion and lunch and to hear from special guest, Ellie Hodges, CEO of LELAN. Ellie is a nationally recognised thought leader on lived experience-led transformative systems change and founder of LELAN (the Lived Experience Leadership & Advocacy Network) South Australia’s peak lived experience consumer organisation. LELAN 's 38-minute film "Care not Treatment" put the spotlight on people with lived experience, sharing their wisdom on what helped, what harmed and what could be done to better respond to suicide distress and crisis. From this, LELAN developed the "Alternatives to Suicide" approach which is demonstrating that peer-led community-based options work and is now also available in NSW. When: Friday October 4th, 11am-2pm Where: NSW Parliament House Your FREE entry includes morning tea and lunch, but tickets are limited so click on the link NOW to guarantee your place. https://bit.ly/4eCwslV

Get your tickets now and hear from Stephen Smith, a suicide prevention peer worker. Having his own lived and living experience, Stephen has listened to and reflected on dozens of people's stories and will share his personal thoughts on what support people living through suicidality really want. When: Friday October 4th, 11am-2pm Where: NSW Parliament House Your FREE entry includes morning tea and lunch, but tickets are limited so click on the link NOW to guarantee your place. https://bit.ly/4eCwslV

Wednesday September 25th 2024 BEING - Mental Health Consumers, in collaboration with the Official Visitors Programme, has today released a comprehensive report evaluating the current situation concerning the use of restrictive practices in NSW mental healthcare settings, such as seclusion and restraint. BEING believes that a future without restrictive practices is not just possible but desirable. A key demand from the report is greater transparency in the data collection of the use of restrictive practices so that we as consumers can be involved in the decisions that affect us. Click the link below to read the report in full https://lnkd.in/g7ZrckEW