Mental health Royal Commission announces themes

SUICIDE prevention and the stigma associated with mental illness will be two of the key themes explored at next month’s public hearings as part of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s mental health system.

Commission chair Penny Armytage announced there were 10 key themes that would be explored throughout the month of hearings, including access and navigation, prevention and early intervention, the role of carers and families and the barriers that culturally and linguistically diverse communities face when accessing mental health services.

“The themes for each day of our hearings will help us explore these important issues in much greater detail and will be critical to inform the next phase of our work, including the development of our interim report in November.

“Public hearings are an important next step for the Commission. The hearings will help us formally collect evidence from expert and community witnesses to build on the reflections and insights we have heard during our community consultations and through the submission process so far.”

Hearings will start at the Melbourne Town Hall on July 2 and run until July 26.

Maryborough will host a day of public hearings on July 15 to consider the issues facing those accessing and delivering mental health services in rural Victoria.

The commission will also hold a dedicated day of hearings at the Aborigines Advancement League in Thornbury on July 16 to consider issues specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities.

A full list of the topics is available at rcvmhs. vic.gov.au/hearings, and daily schedules and witness lists will also be released online before the hearings begin

The hearings will be open to the public and will be streamed live on the commission’s website, except in particularly sensitive circumstances.

Online submissions remain open until July 5 – head to rcvmhs.vic.gov.au.

If you need help to make a submission or have any questions, phone 1800 00 11 34 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or email contact@ rcvmhs.vic.gov.au. The Commission can also be contacted using a phone interpreter service on 03 7005 3010.

If you or a family member has immediate concerns or requires assistance, phone beyondblue on 1300 224 636 or Lifeline on
13 11 14.