We've held Peer Group Chats on a lot of mental health topics, and you can read through them at anytime for support and ideas. 

Victorians living with mental health issues are set to benefit from a transformative new arts program which offers creative expression and social connection for 35 beginner or accomplished artists.

Welcome to Mental Health Month!

While any time is a good time to talk about mental health, having a dedicated awareness month helps remind us that we are not alone, help is available if needed, and there are many things we can do to stay on top of our mental health – now and all year round.

SANE has announced a new partnership with The University of Melbourne, delivering innovative research to reduce structural stigma and discrimination for the four million Australians impacted by complex mental health issues.

The partnership sees Professor Nicola Reavley, Principal Research Fellow in the Centre for Mental Health at The University of Melbourne’s School of Population and Global Health, appointed Research Director for SANE’s Anne Deveson Research Centre – promoting social and economic inclusion for Australians with lived experience of complex mental health issues, their family, friends and colleagues. 

A few months ago, the Victorian Government announced an unprecedented $3.8 billion dollars to start implementing all 65 recommendations handed down by the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

It is clear that the voices of SANE’s communities were heard by the Royal Commission. SANE Peer Ambassador Sandy Jeffs OAM, gave evidence during the Commission’s hearings, along with Janet Meagher AM, Patron of the Anne Deveson Research Centre and a range of other experts associated with SANE. Many of the issues that SANE raised in our 2019 submission to the Royal Commission were reflected in the Final Report.

Opportunity: An author and journalist who has previously collaborated with StigmaWatch for journalistic purposes asked StigmaWatch to review chapters of her upcoming debut book which has a focus on mental ill-health.  

The author asked for feedback on any stigmatising language, whether it was appropriate to add help-seeking information, if any disclaimers were required at the start of the book, and the potential implications of naming a mental health facility in the publication.  

Result: The author’s chapters are well researched and written with consideration, and after reviewing the work, StigmaWatch provided feedback on small changes to copy, suggested to add appropriate help-seeking information, and offered considerations for her decision-making in naming the mental health facility.  

Why it mattered: Mental health is an important topic for the Australian media, authors, and communications professionals to report on and discuss, however it is equally important to do this in a safe and responsible manner that doesn’t contribute to stigma in the community.  

The author was proactive and sought support from StigmaWatch to ensure her work would not cause harm in the community, and instead could very well reduce stigma surrounding mental ill-health in the community.