Submission to the Independent Review of the Ageing and Disability Commissioner Act

Mental Health Coordinating Council provided comments as part of a review, conducted by the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, into the Ageing and Disability Commissioner Act 2019. The Act is designed to help protect vulnerable adults with disability and older people from abuse, neglect and exploitation. The review is looking at whether the policy objectives of the Act remain valid and if the terms used in the Act are still appropriate to help meet its objectives. Subject to a few amendments and additions, MHCC believes the Act is fit for purpose.

Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care – Accreditation to the National Safety and Quality Mental Health Standards for Community Managed Organisations – December 2022

Following consultation with our members, MHCC provided feedback to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care consultation process. Key points from our response include, the compliance burden CMOs face and the importance of ensuring the Commission continues to work with other agencies to monitor and mitigate the regulatory burden related to the standards, as well as advocate mutual recognition of standards where possible, and the costs associated for CMOs with undertaking implementation and the accreditation processes.

Joint Standing Committee’s Inquiry into the Capability and Culture of the National Disability Insurance Agency

Mental Health Coordinating Council has provided a submission to the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s Inquiry into the Capability and Culture of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). The submission includes responses from a survey with our members about their experience of the NDIA, which reflects the difficulties community managed organisations and participants have faced over the last few years including the limited understanding of the needs of people living with psychosocial disability.

National Disability Advocacy Framework 2022 – 2025: Submission

In this submission, Mental Health Coordinating Council expresses support for the draft National Disability Advocacy Framework. The Framework is a simple and succinct basis for governments to work towards the alignment of advocacy services and standards to improve outcomes and access for people with disability.

NSW Budget Mental Health Investment Priorities 2022 – 2023

This submission sets out four top investment priorities for the NSW Budget 2022-2023.

• 5,000 additional housing and accommodation support packages for people living with a mental health condition.
• 13 new ‘Step-up Step-down’ prevention and recovery programs to establish a State-wide service.
• 10 new specialist youth services across NSW to increase the availability of psychosocial support for young people.
• Urgently address the significant workforce shortages in the community-based mental health workforce, including developing the peer workforce.

Community Mental Health Australia: Final submission on draft National Safety and Quality Mental Health Standards for Community Managed Organisations

Community Mental Health Australia consulted widely, including receiving extensive input from Mental Health Coordinating Council, on the draft National Safety and Quality Mental Health Standards for community managed organisations. Key among CMHA’s recommendations, the new standards be more explicit about incorporating principles of a trauma-informed recovery-oriented practice approach to service delivery.

Australian Government: National Mental Health Workforce Strategy 2021-2031

The Australian Government has engaged ACIL Allen to support an independent Taskforce to develop a ten-year National Mental Health Workforce Strategy. In its submission MHCC provided feedback to a number of questions including whether the draft Strategy addresses the key challenges facing Australia’s mental health workforce; and to what extent do the aim and objectives provide a strategic framework to develop the mental health workforce the Australian community needs.

National Safety and Quality Mental Health Standards (NSQMH) for Community Managed Organisations: Consultation Paper

The NSQMH Standards for Community Managed Organisations (CMOs) are being developed by the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC). In their submission MHCC welcomed the opportunity to respond to the consultation paper questions. The issues raised by MHCC centred around the need to develop a set of principles and domains that reflect the trauma-informed recovery oriented practice approach exemplified by CMO, expressed in language that aligns with the approach. Whilst acknowledging that the standards may become a requirement under some funding agreements MHCC stressed that the standards should be voluntary.