Introduction

In Australia there is a commitment to mental health consumer participation by all levels of government in recognition of the important role mental health consumers play in designing policy, programs and services.

Expanding role - Consumers are increasingly undertaking a range of roles at all levels of the mental health system including: contributing to the education and training of health professionals; sitting on boards; advising on the running of services; assisting with evaluation and service change; being employed as consultants and advocates by mental health services and organizations; and being expert advisers at national decision-making tables as well as in the broader community development setting.

The need for a new organization - The Australian Government is seeking to establish a new peak national mental health consumer organization. In Nov 2008, the Department of Health and Ageing brought together an Expert Reference Group drawn from a range of consumer organizations to consider the next steps in establishing a new national consumer organisation. As a result of the meeting, the Expert Reference Group determined a need for a nationally owned, representative and independent consumer organization.

The project team - Following an open and national tendering process, Leanne Craze and her mental health consulting company, Craze Lateral Solutions, were selected to assist the Department and the Expert Reference Group obtain mental health consumer views, on the most appropriate organizational models for the new peak organization.

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Background

The mental health consumer ‘sector’ has grown rapidly and is now diverse and comprised of numerous formal and informal organisations, groups, alliances and networks. Some are well established with funding whilst others are embryonic but growing in membership and influence. This reflects significant change and development from the early 1990s when small groups of consumers came together at national gatherings including TheMHS conferences to discuss the need for establishing a national mental health consumer organisation.

Change and development - The vision in the 1990s was for a large, active and well supported individual membership in each state and territory which directly elected its representatives to the National organisation’s board. The dedication and commitment of this small but growing group of people led to the establishment of the Australian Mental Health Consumer Network (AMHCN) as well as to its eventual funding by the Department of Health and Ageing.

As the AMHCN developed, so too did a number of mental health consumer organisations and groups. These organizations and groups also began to operate nationally with their members increasingly undertaking numerous roles at local, state and national levels. As a result, the mental health consumer sector to is diverse and growing.

The challenges of growth and diversity - This diversity poses challenges to obtaining consumer representation which is able to truly represent the sector’s varied interests at a national level. Without accompanying state-based organisational infrastructure, the AMHCN faced significant challenges in reaching and representing their members. The Australian Mental Health Consumer Network ceased operations in 2008.

Next Steps - Consequently the Australian Government is seeking to ensure a suitable mechanism to fully represent consumer views can be established to allow continued consumer input to policy and programs at a national level.

This project provides the opportunity for mental health consumers, mental health consumer organizations and groups to reflect on achievements of the consumer movement and also on the difficulties and challenges it faces. Importantly, it enables discussion of how the mental health consumer movement might move forward nationally and shape its own future.

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Purposes of the Scoping Project

The purposes of the Scoping Project are to:

· Set the current context by mapping key existing mental health consumer organizations and groups that are participating at the national level;

· Engage with mental health consumers, hear and discuss their views and ideas on the most appropriate organisational models for a new peak organisation; and

· Through consultation and research, identify possible viable organisational models.

The project will conclude with a report outlining recommendations and possible directions for the new peak national mental health consumer organization.

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Consultation Overview

There are three phases of consultation.

The First Phase – Fact and Idea Finding - Now Completed

 In this phase facts will be sought about existing mental health consumer organisations and groups participating at a national level – what their purpose is; groups comprising their membership; how they are structured and governed; whether they are funded; how they operate; and what they do.

Idea finding – mental health consumers, organisations and groups are invited to provide their ideas about what a new peak organization would be like:

· how it would walk and talk;

· what it would feel like; and

· how it would work with individual consumers and existing consumer organizations and groups.

Ideas will be sought about principles, values, structures, organisational models and business rules that could soundly govern the new body and provide stability and sustainability. Creative thinking and looking outside the box is encouraged. A wide range of consultation forums and activities will be conducted nationally.

The Second Phase – Consultation on a Discussion Paper - Now Completed

Phase One consultations and research will be used to prepare a Discussion Paper which outlines information and ideas to date. Possible organisational models that could support the objectives of the new peak will be identified.

As with the earlier phase, a wide range of consultation meetings and activities will be conducted around Australia. The Consultant will seek the assistance of a number of key mental health consumer organizations who will be engaged to conduct consultations with their membership.

Date	City	Type of Meeting	Time
Mon 23 Nov	Ryde Community Mental Health Centre, 39-41 Fourth Ave Eastwood	Forum for all interested MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & groups	9.30-11.30am
Mon 23 Nov	Kogarah Conference Room St George Mental Health Unit South Street	Forum for all interested MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & groups	1.00-3.00pm
Tues 24 Nov	Sydney NSW CAG Suite 501 80 William St	Forum for all interested MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & groups	1.00-3.00pm
Tues 24 Nov	Newcastle ARAFMI 22 Stewart Ave Hamilton East	Forum for all interested MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & groups	10.30am-12.30
Wed 25 Nov	Brisbane 519 Kesslers Rd Mount Gravatt Neighbourhood Centre, 967 Brunswick St New Farm	Meeting with the Transcultural Mental Health Consumer and Carer Network Forum for all interested MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & groups	10.30am-12.30 1.30-4.30 pm
Thurs 26 Nov	Bundaberg Enterprise Centre Cnr Tantitha & Quay St	Forum for all interested MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & groups	10.30am-12.30
Fri 27 Nov	Cairns RSL Club	Forum for all interested MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & groups	10.30am-12.30
Mon 30 Nov	Darwin New NT COSS office 33 Bayfield Road Malak	Meeting with key MH consumer agencies & groups Forum for all interested MH consumers	10.00am-12.00 1.00-3.00pm
Tues 1 Dec	Alice Springs MHACA 65 Hartley St	Forum for all interested MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & groups	10.30am-12.30
Wed 2 Dec	Perth ARAFMI 182 Lord St East Perth	Forum for all interested MH consumers	2.00-4.00pm
Thurs 3 Dec	Perth ARAFMI 182 Lord St East Perth	Meeting with key MH consumer agencies & groups	2.00-4.00pm
Fri 4 Dec	Geraldton QEII Seniors & Community Centre 88 Durlacher St	Forum for all interested MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & groups	3.00-5.00pm
Mon 7 Dec	Adelaide Pilgrim Centre 14 Flinders St	Meeting with key MH consumer agencies & groups Forum for all interested MH consumers	10.00am-12.00 1.00-3.00 pm
Tues 8 Dec	Bateman's Bay TBA	Forum for all interested MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & groups	1.00-3.00pm
Tues 8 Dec	Wallaroo The Station, 2A John Terrace  Wallaroo	Meeting with individual MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & groups	10.30am-12.30
Wed 9 Dec	Melbourne VMIAC1/22 Aintree Brunswick	Forum for all interested MH consumers	5.00-7.00 pm
Thurs 10 Dec	Melbourne VMIAC, 1/22 Aintree, Brunswick	Meeting with key MH consumer agencies & groups	10.30am-12.30
Fri 11 Dec	Melbourne Hayden Raysmith Rm Level 4 247 Flinders Lane	Meeting with individual MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & groups	1.00-3.00pm
Fri 11 Dec	Burnie RSL Club	Meeting with individual MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & groups	9.30-11.30am
Fri 11 Dec	Devonport RSL Club	Meeting with individual MH consumers, key MH consumer agencies & group	2.00-4.00pm
Mon 14 Dec	Hobart Mecure Hotel 156 Bathurst St	Meeting with key MH consumer agencies & groups and all interested MH consumers	1.00-3.00pm
Mon 14 Dec	Brisbane Institute of Child & Youth Mental Health, Cnr Rodgers & Waters St, Spring Hill	Special Youth Consultations	5.00-7.00pm
Wed 16 Dec	Canberra Griffin Centre	Meeting with key MH consumer agencies & groups and all interested MH consumers	3.00-5.00 pm

Third Phase – Consultation on a draft Final Report - Now Available

Phase Two consultations and research will be used to prepare a draft Final Report with recommendations and directions for a new national peak mental health consumer organization. Following a period for review and input by consumers and organizations and groups around Australia, the report will be finalised and presented to the Australian Government.

Key dates

• Consultation Home Page live – 5 August 2009
• First Phase of Consultations commence – 22 August 2009
• Discussion Paper publicly available – 13 Nov 2009
• Second Phase of Consultations commence – 23 Nov 2009
• Draft Final Report publicly available – 12 February 2010
• Report finalised – 19 March 2010

How you can be involved

1. Send the Project Team your thoughts and ideas at any time – Survey Monkey, email, post, fax
2. Attend a consultation meeting in your state organised by the Project Team
3. Talk with your organization, group or your mental health service about supporting local meetings where consumers can come together to discuss and provide input to the project
4. Hold your own consultation with friends over a cuppa
5. Hold ‘conversations that matter’ – see the guide on our website
6. Form a ‘learning circle’ with friends or members of a local consumer organization or group – see the guide on our website
7. Be artistic and send us art work or poetry that depicts your ideas and vision for the new peak body – see homepage for prizes being awarded throughout the project

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