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Conferences

Future conferences

Rural & Remote Mental Health Conference 2008
4 - 7 November 2008, Geraldton, Western Australia

The WA Country Health Service (Department of Health) is conducting an annual Rural and Remote Mental Health Conference to demonstrate examples of initiatives that utilise collaboration, best practice and innovative solutions to addressing the challenges of providing rural and remote mental health care.

The theme of the conference will be ‘Where to from Here’. The theme will be to look at current and future initiatives in the mental health arena that will assist in determining service models, planning and direction for the future.

A few of the key elements are:

  • Recovery
  • Aboriginal mental health
  • Workforce
  • Consumer & Carers
  • Accommodation

The keynote speakers will be:

  • Barbara Hocking
    Executive Director, SANE Australia
  • Isobel Collins
    Director, Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council
  • Dr Andrew Campbell
    Consultant Psychiatrist
  • Ron Coleman
    Mental Health Trainer & Recovery specialist

View announcement and call for abstracts (PDF - 233KB)

Deadline for submission of abstracts is 31 July, 2008

For further information:
Michele Young
Rural & Remote Mental Health Conference Coordinator
Ph: (08) 9956 1999
Fax: (08) 9956 1930
Email: michele.young@health.wa.gov.au
Website: http://www.wacountry.health.wa.gov.au/mentalhealthconference2008

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2008 Australian Association for Infant Mental Health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Conference
5 - 8 November 2008, Adelaide, South Australia

This conference is for people who are interested in promoting education, therapy, research, and study of the effects of mental, emotional and social development during infancy including social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, teachers and early childhood professionals. The theme of this year's conference is "Angels in the Nursery" from Alicia Lieberman's paper of the same name and its theme is focusing on building relationships and strengths in families and others who care for infants.

Keynote speakers:

  • Dr Anthony Bateman from UK
    One of the pioneers of mentalisation training
  • Dr Julie Larrieu from US
    Works with infants and trauma
  • Dr Judith Woodhead from the Anna Freud Institute in UK
    Specialises in mother infant therapy
  • Professor Judy Atkinson
    From Southern Cross University in NSW and author of "Trauma Trails: Recreating Song Lines, The Transgenerational Effects of Trauma in Indigenous Australia"

Abstract Submission Deadline: 1st July 2008
Abstract Notification: 1st September 2008
Early Registration Deadline: 10th September 2008

Further information:
Ms Janine Power
Ph: (08) 8274 6056
Fax: (08) 8274 6000
Email: jpower@sapmea.asn.au
View website: http://www.sapmea.asn.au/conventions/aaimh08/index.html

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Our Mob, Our Minds, Our Spirits - Indigenous Mental Health Conference
13 - 14 November 2008, Fremantle, Western Australia

The conference will showcase and promote effective ways of working with the Indigenous community to address issues in mental health. The conference will give clinicians and workers the opportunity to be exposed to effective ways of working with the Indigenous community.

Themes of the conference include:

  • drugs, alcohol and mental health
  • sorry business (loss and grief)
  • Indigenous ways of working (effective service delivery models)
  • culturally effective counselling
  • suicide
  • who’s your mob (loss of identity)
  • workforce employment /professional development
  • wrong way (family violence)
  • healing arts (ie. art therapy)
  • men’s and women’s business (gender specific issues)


View submission details (DOC - 147KB)

Closing date for submissions 26 September 2008

Submission contact details:
John van der Giezen
Triage W Block
Fremantle Hospital
PO Box 480
Fremantle WA 6959
Fax: (08) 9431 3571
Email: ourmob.papers@health.wa.gov.au

Further information:
The Fremantle Hospital and Health Service
Website: http://www.fhhs.health.wa.gov.au/news/default.aspx

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Making it happen: responding to Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) issues across the sectors
12 - 13 May 2009, Fremantle, Western Australia

The Making it Happen Conference is a collaborative event organised by the Western Australian Drug and Alcohol Office, Palmerston Association, Department for Child Protection, Department of Corrective Services, Department of the Attorney General and the Mental Health Division (Department of Health).

The 2009 Conference is unique in that it is the first time these government and non-government agencies from specialist drug and mainstream sectors will come together to present best practice interventions and initiatives to respond to clients affected by drug and alcohol issues.

This event will provide numerous opportunities for professional networking, collaboration, discussion and debate around the Conference title: “Making it Happen”: Responding to alcohol and other drug issues across the sectors.

Keynote speakers:

  • Professor Richard Velleman, University of Bath Mental Health Research and Development Unit
  • Professor David Castle, Chair of Psychiatry St Vincent's Hospital
  • Dr Scott D. Miller, Co-director Institute for the Study of Therapeutic Change, Chicago, USA
  • Dr Toni Makkai, Dean College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University
  • The Hon Wayne Martin, Chief Justice of Western Australia
  • Associate Professor Amanda Baker, NHMRC Senior Research Fellow Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle
  • Associate Professor Simon Lenton, Associate Professor & Deputy Director National Drug Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University of Technology
  • Associate Professor Colleen Hayward, Manager, Kulunga Research Network, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research

Closing date for abstracts: Friday 12 September 2008

For further information contact:
EECW
PO Box 749
Wembley, WA 6913
Ph: (08) 9389 1488
Fax: (08) 9389 1499
Email: info@eecw.com.au
Website: Making it Happen

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Past conferences

Creating Futures: Research, Practice and Policy
22 - 25 September 2008, Cairns, Queensland

The Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health Queensland organised the Creating Futures Conference, which had the theme: Indigenous, rural & remote and Island Nations in transition. The conference focused on theoretical debates and evidence based interventions with particular attention to three groups of interest: residents of rural and remote communities, Indigenous populations (of Australia and elsewhere) and Island Nations experiencing social transition.

Invited speakers included:

  • Ian Anderson
  • Joanne Baxter (NZ)
  • Tom Calma
  • Mick Gooda
  • Tony Jorm
  • Brian Kelly
  • Helen Milroy
  • Mark Wenitong

For further information:
Creating Futures Conference
C/- The Conference Organiser
146 Leicester Street
Carlton VIC 3053
Ph: (03) 9349 2220
Email: info@conorg.com.au
Website: Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health Queensland

Insights and solutions: The combined 2nd International Conference on Alcohol and Other Drug Related Brain Impairment and the Brain Injury Australia National Conference 2008
1 - 3 September 2008, Melbourne, Victoria

Leading acquired brain injury organisations, arbias and Brain Injury Australia, joined forces for this informative three day event. This conference recognised the need for innovative approaches and improved practice in the field of acquired brain impairment and this featured throughout the conference program.

The overarching theme, Insights and solutions, provided a focal point for exploring all facets of acquired brain impairment and provided an opportunity for people with acquired brain impairment, their families and carers, clinicians, professional workers, researchers and policy makers to:

  • access cutting edge national and international research
  • drive education and prevention campaigns
  • build stronger treatment and support networks

For further information contact:
Australian Drug Foundation
Email: events@adf.org.au
Ph (03) 9278 8137
Website: Brain Injury Australia
Website: arbias

From Margins to Mainstream: International Mental Health Conference
10 - 12 September 2008, Melbourne, Victoria

The fifth world conference on the promotion of mental health and prevention of mental and behavioural disorders was held in Melbourne. The conference was organised by VicHealth, the World Federation for Mental Health, the Clifford Beers Foundation and the Carter Center Mental Health Program and supported by Auseinet, the Australian Department of Health and Ageing and the World Health Organization.

The conference focused on four determinants: social participation, violence, discrimination and poverty, and five methodologies: research and evaluation, advocacy, coalition building, program design an implementation, and building the capacity of workforces, communities and organisations.

A key outcome was the development of a Charter for mental health promotion and prevention and prevention of disorders.

For further information:
Think Business Events
PO Box 415
Ascot Vale VIC 3032
Ph: (03) 9370 1265
Fax: (03) 8610 2170
Email: info@margins2mainstream.com
Website: www.margins2mainstream.com

TheMHS 18th annual conference: Be the change you want - workforce ingenuity
2 - 5 September 2008, Auckland, New Zealand

Th MHS organises a large mental health services conference annually. The 2008 conference theme was: 'be the change you want - workforce ingenuity'.

People are the biggest resource in mental health services. For this conference people were invited to share and demonstrate how they are “being” the change they want to see (or enabling such change) in the mental health workforce. TheMHS would like to see and hear workforce innovations from consumers, Indigenous peoples, refugee/new immigrant groups; families/carers, clinicians, service managers, human resource managers, community support workers, researchers, health promoters, primary healthcare workers, academics, whether people work in a community agency, public or private mental health service.
How can we model the change we want? How can we be effective change agents? What tools, techniques and methods support workforce change and innovation?

Keynote speakers included:

  • Antony Sheehan - Chief Executive, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and Professor of Health and Social Care Strategy at the University of Central Lancashire, and a Visiting Professor at the University of Central England. 
  • Steven J. Onken - focuses on innovative research to support an emerging evidence base for service user, Indigenous and cultural approaches to mental health wellbeing and recovery. Dr. Onken holds an associate faculty appointment with the School of Social Work and a affiliated appointment the Social Science Research Institute of University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, serving as a Research Specialist within the Mental Health Services Research, Evaluation and Training Program.

The Mental Health Achievement Awards were be presented at this Conferene.

For further information contact:
The Mental Health Services Conference Inc. of Australia and New Zealand
PO Box 192
Balmain NSW 2041
Phone: (02) 9810 8700
Fax: (02) 9810 8733
Email: info@themhs.org
Website: http://www.themhs.org

Psychology and Indigenous Australians: Teaching, Practice and Theory
 14 - 15 July 2008, University of South Australia, South Australia

Following the successful inaugural annual conference in 2007, and the workshops on Effective Teaching and Practice in 2005 and 2006, this conference presented current advances in teaching cultural competence in relation to Indigenous Australians.

The main themes for 2008 included:

  • Indigenising psychology: What could a truly Australian psychology look like?
  • Indigenising treatment: Can a combination of Indigenous healing practices and Western psychology work?
  • Mapping the terrain of cultural competence training in Australia : Where do different models fit into the overall picture?
  • Murky spaces: Exploring discomfort in teaching and training
  • Barriers to systemic change
  • What works, or doesn't work, in teaching and practice?

This conference was followed by a two day workshop titled 'Working with Indigenous Australians: Essential Foundations of Cultural Competence' on Wednesday 16 - Thursday 17 July.

Key speakers:

  • Pat Dudgeon, ‘Healing Journeys: After Decolonisation'
  • Linda Waimarie Nikora, 'Indigenising psychology: The Maori way'

For further information contact:
Lisa Hodgson
University of South Australia City
West Campus, Hawke Building
Email: Lisa.Hodgson@unisa.edu.au
View website: Disseminating Strategies for Incorporating Australian Indigenous Content into Psychology Undergraduate Programs throughout Australia

Congress of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists
25 - 29 May 2008, Melbourne, Victoria

The theme of the congress was “Community and Politics” and highlighted some of the critical issues facing psychiatry in Australia and New Zealand in the first decade of the 21 st Century. Psychiatry as a profession needs to acknowledge its inevitable interaction with the community at large and politics at all its levels. If psychiatrists wish to continue to act as an effective force for the mentally ill, the need for this engagement is self-evident.

For further information contact:
The Meeting Planners
91-97 Islington Street
Collingwood VIC 3066
Ph: (03) 9417 0888
Fax: (03) 9417 0899
Email: ranzcp2008@meetingplanners.com.au
Website: http://www.ranzcp2008.com.au

Joining the dots - Creating community
8 - 9 May 2008, Melbourne, Victoria

The Psychiatric Disability Services of Victoria (VICSERV) organised this biennial international mental health conference, designed to showcase, present and discuss new ideas, promote innovation, and challenge the status quo.

Issues faced by people with a mental illness discussed at the conference, include:

  • social inclusion
  • economic participation
  • freedom from discrimination
  • adequate and appropriate housing

For further information contact:
Psychiatric Disability Services of Victoria (VICSERV)
PO Box 1117
Elsternwick VIC 3185
Ph: (03) 9519 7000
Fax: (03) 9519 7022
Email: vicserv@vicserv.org.au
Home Page: http://www.vicserv.org.au

Health Professionals Conference
5 - 7 May 2008, Port Fairy, Victoria

Greater Green Triangle University Department of Rural Health (GGT UDRH) is a partnership between Flinders University and Deakin University.  The Department is organising a Health Professionals Conference. The conference is focused on mental health services and professional development workshops. It is an opportunity to meet mental health academics, practitioners, and colleagues working in rural health.

If you would like to conduct a half-day workshop at this conference, contact Professor Prasuna Reddy, ph: (03) 5563 3501, email: director.hsr@greaterhealth.org

View conference flyer (PDF - 403KB)

For further information contact:
Ms Amanda Gaudion
Ph: (03) 5563 3501
Email: Amanda.Gaudion@greaterhealth.org
Website: www.greaterhealth.org/education-training/

First National Indigenous Family and Community Strengths Conference
14 - 16 April 2008, Newcastle, New South Wales

This conference was convened by the Family Action Centre and the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care. The conference preceded the Fifth Australian Family and Community Strengths Conference. The theme of both conferences was: Community Engagement: A Rewarding Business.

The conference focussed on the strengths of Indigenous families and communities. Recognising that connection to community, country and culture is central to Indigenous family well being, delegates explored how Indigenous cultures strengthen families and communities. The conference presented stories from those working to strengthen Indigenous family and community engagement.

The conference explored strengths-based community engagement in relation to:

  • Building child friendly communities
  • Developing sustainable social enterprises and community programs
  • Providing care, connection and belonging
  • Promoting ownership and control
  • Valuing diversity, culture, creativity, spirituality and meaning
  • Furthering research on strengths-based practice
  • The role of schools and other educational organisations

View conference flyer (PDF - 609KB)

For further information contact:
Conference Secretariat
Tulips Meetings Management
Ph: (02) 4984 2554
Fax: (02) 4984 2755
Email: family@pco.com.au
Website: http://www.pco.com.au/family/

TheMHS Summer Forum - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander's mental health and emotional wellbeing
21 - 22 February 2008, Sydney, New South Wales

The title of the 2008 Mental Health Services (TheMHS) Summer Forum was ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander's mental health and emotional wellbeing', and had the theme: 'time to listen, time to act'.

Speakers at the forum included:

  • Helen Milroy
  • Tom Calma
  • Coralie Ober
  • Ernest Hunter
  • Tom Brideson
  • Alan Rosen
  • Evan Lewis
  • Lesley Podesta

Some of the conference presentations are available for download from the TheMHS website .

View HealthBulletin current topic

For further information contact:
The Mental Health Services Conference Inc. of Australia and New Zealand
PO Box 192
Balmain NSW 2041
Phone: (02) 9810 8700
Fax: (02) 9810 8733
Email: info@themhs.org
Website: http://www.themhs.org

World Psychiatric Association International Congress: Working Together for Mental Health, Partnerships for Policy and Practice
28 November - 2 December 2007, Melbourne, Victoria

The theme of the 2007 international congress of the World Psychiatric Association was: 'Working Together for Mental Health, Partnerships for Policy and Practice'.

This congress aimed to bring together the perspectives of clinicians, researchers, allied health professionals, consumers and carers. It had a particular focus on the Asia-Pacific Region. The program was grounded in the latest scientific research and advances, but also incorporated a wide range of views and opinions to ensure full discussion and debate.

The program consisted of the following streams:

  • Regional and cross-cultural collaboration
  • Advances in the management of psychosis and mood disorders
  • Psychiatry and physical illness
  • Addiction psychiatry
  • Policy development
  • Psychology
  • Old age psychiatry
  • Nursing
  • Service models: evidence and implementation
  • Infant, child and adolescent psychiatry
  • Biological psychiatry/psychopharmacology
  • Community linkages
  • Primary care and mental health

For further information:
The Meeting Planners
Ph: (03) 9417 0888
Fax: (03) 9417 0899
Email: wpa2007melbourne@meetingplanners.com.au
Website: http://www.wpa2007melbourne.com/

Healing, Trauma and Alcohol in Aboriginal Australia Seminar
27 November 2007, Perth, Western Australia

The National Drug Research Institute organised the Healing, Trauma and Alcohol in Aboriginal Australia seminar. The seminar described what is meant by healing in various Aboriginal Australian and North American Native communities, and described its relationship to post-traumatic stress syndromes and alcohol and other addictions in these settings. The public policy implications of healing for contemporary Aboriginal Australia were also explored.

Key Speaker: Dr Gregory Phillips, Executive director, Abstarr Consulting.

View conference information (PDF - 110KB)

For further information contact:
NDRI Reception
Ph: (08) 9266 1600
Email: ndri@curtin.edu.au
Website: http://www.ndri.curtin.edu.au/home/seminars.html

International Mental Health Conference
17 - 19 August 2007, Gold Coast, Queensland

The eighth International Mental Health Conference was a joint initiative by Griffith University, the Gold Coast Integrated Mental Health Service and Queensland Health.

The conference consisted of four streams:

  • Policy initiatives: State, Federal and International initiatives to address mental health needs. Planning and initiatives of the COAG task force will be explored by the keynote speakers
  • Primary interventions: research validation of early intervention strategies and treatments for drug induced psychosis, trauma and depression
  • Promoting recovery: research validated treatments designed to facilitate recovery particularly in the areas of depression and trauma
  • Preventing relapse: research validated relapse prevention strategies

Keynote speakers included:

  • Prof Gordon Parker, Executive Director, Black Dog Institute
  • Dr Aaron Groves, Director of Mental Health, Queensland Health
  • Dr William Kingswell, Director of Mental Health, Gold Coast, Queensland Health
  • Prof Harvey Whiteford, Kratzmann Prof Of Psychiatry & Population Health (UQ)
  • Prof Tony Jorm, Orygen Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne
  • Prof Grant Devilly, Centre For Neuropsychology, Swinburne University of Technology
  • A/Prof Carolyn Quadrio, School of Psychiatry (UNSW)
  • Prof Lyn Litttlefield, Australian Psychological Society
  • Prof Sandy McFarlane, Centre of Military and Veterans' Health - University of Adelaide

View conference program

For further information:
Conference secretariat
AST Management Pty Ltd
PO Box 10508
Southport BC 4215 QLD
Ph: (07) 5528 2501
Fax: (07) 55285291
Email: health@gcimh.com.au
Website: http://www.gcimh.com.au/conference/

Psychology and Indigenous Australians: Teaching, Practice and Theory Conference
12 - 13 July 2007, Adelaide, South Australia

Following the successful workshops on Effective Teaching and Practice in 2005 and 2006, this conference presented current advances in teaching cultural competence in relation to Indigenous Australians, effective practice with Indigenous clients and communities, and their theoretical underpinnings.

The conference is sponsored by the School of Psychology and the David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research, University of South Australia, and the Interest Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Psychology, Australian Psychological Society.

The conference was followed by a Cultural Awareness Workshop on Saturday 14 July 2007.

For further information:
Conference secretariat
Lisa Hodgson
Ph: (08) 8302 4275
Email: Lisa.Hodgson@unisa.edu.au
or
Conference convenor
Rob Ranzijn
Ph: (08) 8302 4468
Email: Rob.Ranzijn@unisa.edu.au

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Other news

New association launched for Indigenous pscyhologists

A new association for Indigenous psychologists was launched at the Australian Psychological Society's (APS) 43rd annual conference in Hobart. The new Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association (AIPA) aims to increase the number of Indigenous psychologists in Australia, as well as ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have access to high uality mental health services.

Lynch launches Wilcannia mental health support scheme

The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Paul Lynch, has launched a program to support Aboriginal people caring for those with a mental illness.

Indigenous Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Workers Wellbeing Online Survey

The National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA) at Flinders University has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing to undertake national research on the wellbeing of Indigenous and non-Indigenous health workers (who see a high proportion of Indigenous clients) working in the Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) field. This national study includes AOD specialist and generic health workers across government, non-government and community controlled organisations.

As part of this project, NCETA is currently undertaking an online survey and would like to invite interested Indigenous and non-Indigenous health workers (who see a high proportion of Indigenous clients) working in the AOD field to let us know their views on the level of stress and wellbeing that they experience.

To have your say through the online survey, please go to www.nceta.flinders.edu.au, and follow the links to the Indigenous AOD Worker Wellbeing Survey.

Please note: survey takes about 20 minutes to complete, hard copies can be provided if internet access is problematic.

For further information please contact:
Donna Weetra
Ph: (08) 8201 7538
Email: donna.weetra@flinders.edu.au

or

Amanda Tovell
Ph: (08) 8201 7543

Coroner told Kimberley desperate for mental health workers

Coroner Alastair Hope visited a remote Aboriginal community as part of his inquest, and was told there is no help for young people suffering from mental illness in this community.

Mental Health & Psychological Assessment of Aboriginal Clients: workshop dates available

This two day workshop will be held by Dr Tracey Westerman, Managing Director of Indigenous Psychological Services (IPS). Participants will learn how to merge mainstream training with cultural paradigms of mental illness.

The workshop will be held at different cities across Australia, on the following dates:

  • Adelaide: 12 & 13 March (sold out)
  • Adelaide: 27 & 28 May (sold out)
  • Brisbane: 18 & 19 June (for non psychologists)
  • Cairns: 24 & 25 July
  • Perth: 6 & 7 August
  • Brisbane: 28 & 29 August (for psychologists only)
  • Sydney: 23 & 24 September
  • Darwin: 16 & 17 October
  • Melbourne: 30 & 31 October
  • Adelaide: 13 & 14 November

View brochure and registration form (PDF - 337KB)

For further information:
Indigenous Psychological Services (IPS)
Ph: (08) 9362 2036
Fax: (08) 9362 5546
Email: ips@ips.iinet.net.au
Website: www.indigenouspsychservices.com.au

Mental Health First Aid Scholarships

The ORYGEN Research Centre has been funded by OATSIH to conduct a series of workshops nationally to provide instructor training on Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who work with clients affected by or at risk of developing a mental health condition. OATSIH-funded scholarships are available to cover the cost of the instructor training as well as travel and accommodation to attend regional workshops.

The 120 scholarships available in 2007 and early 2008 are designed for staff of OATSIH-funded health and wellbeing services, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and its State and Territory affiliates, and students and graduates of the specific at Charles Sturt University and the Bachelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education.

For further information:
Leanne Northausen, MHFA Program Administrator
ORYGEN Research Centre
University of Melbourne

Postal Address:
Locked Bag 10 , Parkville , Vic 3052
Email: leannen@unimelb.edu.au
Fax: (03) 9342 3745

For details of courses, view information

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Job opportunities

Currently no information available

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Last updated: 8 October 2008