TICP News and Events
Events
June & October 2013
Sydney, New South Wales
The Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health has two training courses running in Sydney this year:
Trauma-focussed Therapy - Working with Children and Adolescents, June 6-7
Trauma-focussed Therapy - Working with Adults, October 17-18
For further information click here
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June 17- 21, 2013
Broome, Western Australia
Plans are underway for 2 events in Broome, a 2 day Men's Healing Yarn (Male Survivor Workshop) and a 2 or 3 day Healing the Healers Retreat for men and women who work with survivors (male or female) professionally or in the voluntary sector. These events will be sponsored by AnglicareWA/Kinway of the Kimberley and Men's Outreach. The primary organiser is Jennie Gray Contact her for further information or if you are interested in organising an event in your area. It is early days in the organising process. Watch this space for updates as things develop.New Zealand in June: It is still undecided whether there will be a male survivor weekend recovery workshop in New Zealand this year. Please check the Events page of the below Website for updates.
Visit the Web Site at:
http://www.nextstepcounselling.org
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Mike Lew in Australia and New Zealand in 2013
Broome, WA 17-20 June. Men's Healing Yarn (male survivor workshop) and a Healing the Healers retreat for people who work with survivors. For more information from the organisers: Jennie Gray
Arrangements have been made for several events in New Zealand
Christchurch - Victims No Longer weekend recovery workshop for male survivors Event will be held
28-30 June, Living Springs in Lyttleton
Wellington, 5-7 August. The venue is still to be determined.
Between the two weekends, A day long training in Wellington for ACC staff.
For information and registration, contact Ken Clearwater
Various events this year in Europe (Norway and the UK), South Africa, or the USA, obtain information on the Events page of Web site:
http://www.nextstepcounseling.org/upcomingevents2.htm
News
ACSSA Practice & Program Register
Living Well assists men who have been sexually abused in childhood or sexually assaulted as an adult to address the impact of sexual violence on their lives and relationships. The services also supports partners, family and friends and service providers to assist in reducing the influence of sexual violence in people’s lives and relationships.
ACSSA are now seeking profiles of innovative and evidence-informed practice and programs from around Australia to add to our recently revised Practice & Program Register. If you are working in prevention, early intervention or service responses in relation to sexual assault we would love to add your profile to register.
The register will be a valuable resource for those working in the sexual assault sector striving to prevent and reduce the incidence of sexual violence in the Australian community.
Research Update from the Institute of Child Protection Studies
The ICPS aims to enhance the well-being of children, young people and families through quality research, evaluation, training and community education.
The Quarterly Research Update aims to keep key stakeholders informed about current projects .The March 2013 Update provides information on the following current research projects:
- Evaluation of Intergenerational Trauma Initiatives (new project)
- Evaluation Plan for the ACT Child, Youth and Family Services Program (new project)
- Identity and Meaning for Vulnerable Young People
- Children of Prisoners: Building Resilience in a Uniquely Vulnerable Group
- FAHCSIA Homelessness and Services: ‘Connecting the Dots’
- Literature Synthesis: What works for children experiencing homelessness and/or family violence (completed)
- See also New Publications at the end of the Update.
GREAT NEWS - NOW RELEASED - ASCA’S Practice Guidelines for Treatment of Complex Trauma and Trauma Informed Care and Service Delivery
MHCC are delighted to inform you that ASCA’s Practice Guidelines for Treatment of Complex Trauma and Trauma Informed Care and Service Delivery have now been published after final sign-off from Federal Department of Health and Ageing.
They are available with registration for download from ASCA's website
See also the article written by Dr. Jan Resnick from ASCA’s Advisory Panel and published in the e-journal, Consult Magazine.
Message from Minister Jenny Macklin
Royal Commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse
I am very pleased to let you know that, on the Australian Government’s advice, the Governor-General has now appointed six Commissioners for the Royal Commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse. We have also today released the Terms of Reference that will guide their inquiry.
The Commissioners have been selected because of their broad skills, knowledge and expertise.
- The Royal Commission will be led by Justice Peter McClellan AM, a Supreme Court Judge from New South Wales who brings a wealth of experience as a Judge and as an inquirer. Justice McClellan has been the Chief Judge at Common Law of the Supreme Court of New South Wales since 2005. He has also been Chief Judge of the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales, Chairman of the Sydney Water Inquiry and Assistant Commissioner at the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
- Bob Atkinson, the former Queensland Police Commissioner, brings over 40 years of policing experience to the Royal Commission, including 12 years as Police Commissioner.
- Justice Jennifer Coate has served for twenty years as a magistrate and county court judge in Victoria, including five years as President of the Children’s Court and five years as the Victorian Coroner. Justice Coate has also now been appointed to the Family Court of Australia.
- Robert Fitzgerald has served as a Commissioner in the Productivity Commission since 2004. He has experience in commerce, law, public policy and community services, including as Community and Disability Services Commissioner and Deputy Ombudsman in New South Wales.
- Professor Helen Milroy is a Director of the Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health at the University of Western Australia and a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with the Specialist Aboriginal Mental Health Service. She brings extensive experience in child and adolescent mental health and Aboriginal health and mental health.
- Former Senator for Western Australia Andrew Murray brings a tremendous background as a legislator and as a campaigner for those who have spent time in institutional care as children.
We have asked the Commissioners to submit an initial report by June 2014, so that we can start acting on early recommendations as quickly as possible. We have asked the Commissioners to aim to finish their inquiry by the end of 2015, but this date will be subject to advice from the Commissioners in their interim report.
The Commissioners will now work on setting up processes for hearing and collecting evidence, including arrangements for people who have special needs. They will also consider what services are needed to support witnesses to the Commission. And in doing so, they will be informed by the experiences of survivors.
An investigative unit within the Royal Commission will ensure the timely referral and criminal investigation of allegations of child sexual abuse that come before the Commission, should victims seek such action.
We received input from more than 800 individuals and organisations on the terms of reference, which has been invaluable in helping shape the scope of the Royal Commission and in selecting Commissioners.
We also worked closely with the state and territory governments in developing the Terms of Reference, and we are pleased that they all support this inquiry.
The Government is committed to do everything we can to make sure that we fix the system for the future. We also want to help survivors of past abuse receive support and justice.
Here you will find an explanation of the Terms of Reference, a general fact sheet on royal commissions and their powers, and a list of support services.
The full Terms of Reference are contained in Letters Patent, which are the formal instructions from the Governor-General to the Commissioners.
For more information, including a copy of the full Letters Patent go to www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au. Or you can call 1800 099 340.
ASCA Respond
Read ASCA Response to: Consultation Paper on the Establishment of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse - December 2012
Click here to access discussion paper and submission
Building workforce capacity in Trauma - Informed Care
Abstract: Trauma frequently leads to mental illness and a variety of co-existing problems. Trauma survivors characteristically present at a diversity of mental health and human services and are likely to have histories of physical and/or sexual abuse as well as other types of trauma including chronic neglect and/or protracted emotional abuse, have witnessed domestic violence, experienced wars and civil unrest, and combatant trauma. The consequences of such experiences often lead to poor physical health, substance abuse problems, eating disorders, relationship and self-esteem issues and contact with the criminal justice system.
The Mental Health Coordinating Council (MHCC) and partners organisations ASCA; ECAV and the PMHCCN are leading the call for a national approach to Trauma Informed Care which embodies a cultural shift in service delivery to create an environment that is more supportive, comprehensively integrated, empowering and therapeutic. As part of the initiative to progress the agenda is the development of workforce training and professional development to support the approach. The MHCC Learning & Development Unit now offer two Certificate IV courses for general mental health workers and managers: Orientation to Trauma Informed Care which aim to support the sector transform mental health and allied human services organisations and better serve people with histories of violence and trauma. The courses include elements that enable participants: identify the factors involved in working with people who are impacted by trauma; work effectively from a trauma informed care perspective; utilise self-care strategies when working in trauma informed care and contribute to the continuous improvement of trauma informed care in services, will need to be tailored differently for managers to people working directly with service users.
Listen to Audio of MHCC Presentation at the Queensland Alliance Altering States Conference June 2012 - look at power-point presentation whilst listening to the recording
Dr Bruce D.Perry: Neuroscience approach to Trauma and Recovery
Dr Bruce Perry is a leading expert in childhood trauma. His ground-breaking research revealed that exposure to trauma has a discernable effect on a child's developing brain.
He now heads up The Child Trauma Academy (CTA), a not-for-profit organisation based in Houston, USA and has developed a model that is designed to assist professionals to support people in their recovery from early traumas.
March
MINDSCIENCE TV - FREE initiative
Network for information, education and professional development.
Free-to-view interviews with global experts
Click here
23 & 24 February 2012
TheMHS Summer Forum - Presentations on the recent THEMHS Summer Forum 2012 on self-harm are now available on the TheMHS Website.
13 February 2012
A great piece of news was confirmed to the TICP partners today that in the final document presented by the Coalition of Organisations Committed to the Safety and Wellbeing of Australia’s Children From Crisis Response to Prevention Proposals to Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments for the 2nd three-year action plan (2012-2015) under the National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2009-2020. Adults Surviving Child Abuse (ASCA) successfully secured the inclusion of the following recommendation: “A trauma-informed approach to care is integrated into all child protection and related human services systems” (page 11). Well done ASCA. To read the document click here
1 February 2012
MHCC & ASCA recently responded to the Commonwealth Government’s paper Ten Year Roadmap for Nation Mental Health Reform: Draft 4. Both organisations refer in their submissions to the gaps in the Roadmap and specifically identify the need to promote a cultural shift to trauma informed care and practice in all human service contexts to be reflected across the key directions, and the need to prioritise service delivery access to adult survivors with complex need related to childhood abuse, neglect and family violence and dysfunction. To read MHCC’s submission click here and to read ASCA’s submission click here.
2011
15 December 2011
MHPN webinar presenter calls for focus on complex trauma
As a publicly declared survivor of child abuse, Dr Cathy Kezelman has had a significant period of time to reflect–and act–on the subject of complex trauma. Dr Cathy Kezelman is the director of Adults Surviving Child Abuse (ASCA).She is also the author of Innocence Revisited, a memoir chronicling her battle with depression and suicidality, at the core of which was childhood trauma. In December 2011 Dr Kezelman was one of the presenters for a Mental Health Professionals Network complex trauma webinar. In a wide ranging conversation, she talked about her passion for reform, and the role MHPN could play in bringing it about. Dr Kezelman became involved with MHPN in running a webinar around complex trauma because the whole area of trauma in general, and complex trauma in particular, had not received the focus it deserves within mental health reform.
19 November 2011 - ASCA Forget – me – knot Day
22 November 2011 - Parliamentary Briefing
During the week following the ASCA Forget-me-knot day on Saturday 19 November 2011, ASCA hosted a number of events nationally. In NSW with the support of Jillian Skinner MP, Minister for Health parliamentarians were invited to attend a briefing session Working with Government to achieve positive outcomes for Australian adults affected by childhood abuse in the Waratah Room in Parliament House. The briefing was provided ( in order of presentations) by Dr Cathy Kezelman, Director Adults Surviving Child Abuse, Corinne Henderson, Senior Policy Officer, and professor Beverley Raphael, AM, Professor population Health, Mental Health and Disasters, UWS. Click here for Corinne Henderson's presentation and here to read Dr Cathy Kezelman's presentation
21 October 2011
Listen to a broadcast discussion arising out of the recent publication of the book, "Sybil Exposed" by Debbie Nathan. The moderator/host is Ira Flatow. The participants are Debbie Nathan, Paul McHugh and Bethany Brand who discuss MPD, and its modern equivalent—dissociative identity disorder. In a new book writer Debbie Nathan digs into archived material documenting the experiences of a patient known as "Sybil," who reportedly suffered from multiple personality disorder. Copyright © 2011 National Public Radio ® Listen here
10 October 2011
Early childhood trauma and long-term health -The Crikey Health Blog. Melissa Sweet.
6-9 September 2011
Dr Cathy Kezelman, ASCA & Corinne Henderson, MHCC, presented at the recent THEMHS Conference in Adelaide. Click here for the paper: Trauma Informed Care & Practice –Using a wide angle lens
23 July 2011
The Weekend Australian featured an article in its July 23-24 edition on the importance of acknowledging the prevalence of childhood trauma in adults accessing mental health treatment.
The article highlighted the key issues addressed in the MHCC Trauma Informed Care and Practice Conference held last month. It also includes contributions from speakers at the Conference.
Read full article(external link)