AASW welcomes the Royal Commission into aged care

The AASW welcomes the announcement of a Royal Commission into aged care and hopes it will address the cultural changes that are needed to correct a range of failings. Experiences shared on Tuesday night’s 4 Corners program are devastating, but do not come as a shock to Australia’s social workers.

Read our full media release.

	AASW WA Branch Trauma Informed Care Symposium

AASW’s WA Branch is hosting the Trauma Informed Care Symposium: structuring recovery, creating healing spaces on the 9 November 2018, Parmelia Hilton, Perth. This will be one of the leading Trauma Informed Care events for Western Australia in 2018, with three respected thought leaders in their field speaking on the day: Dr Alicia Boccellari, Christine Craik and Dr Ann O’Neill.

It will be followed by the AASW's Annual General Meeting at 5.00pm.

For more information and to register, please visit our website.

	Empowering Excellence: AASW's social work online training

The second live webinar in the AASW NDIS SWOT Series (hosted by Brooke Kooymans) was held on Monday 17 July, providing an engaging opportunity for participants to expand and consolidate content through a case study, pose questions relevant to their practice, and to obtain further information regarding the pre-planning process and eligibility criteria.   

All webinars and pre-recorded content are available for registrants to view via the AASW SWOT platform (including PowerPoints). The final live webinar is scheduled for 8 November. You can register for the NDIS Series via the Empowering Excellence page, watch a video snapshot here or alternatively contact cpd@aasw.asn.au for further information.

Register for our webinars in the Empowering Excellence program:

• Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
• Masterclass: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Flexibility
• Mindfulness-based CBT
• CBT Fundamentals
• CBT and Motivational Interviewing in the context of co-occurring mental health substance use issues
• CBT Package
• ACT Package

Registrant feedback about the NDIS series:

“Just wonderful. Cannot wait for the next one!”
“The presentation provides valuable information for social workers”
“This was a GREAT and purposeful seminar  - thank you”
“It has been fantastic!  Thank you”
“Thanks a lot. Enjoying the webinar!”

	Social policy & advocacy

Recent submissions

The AASW has recently made a submission to the following the inquiries:

• My Health Record – System
• My Health Record -  Strengthening Privacy

We will make these submission available on our website shortly.

Submissions in progress

The AASW is currently working on several submissions including:

• Intergenerational Welfare Dependency
• Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Bill
• Community Development Program
• Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission bill
• Fair Work Amendment (Family and Domestic Violence Leave) bill

Please contact the social policy team at social.policy@aasw.asn.au if you would like to contribute to any of these submissions

Royal Commission into aged care

The AASW has welcomed the announcement of the Royal Commission into aged care. Although the Terms of Reference have not yet been announced, we are already planning to make a submission to this inquiry. We aim to undertake a comprehensive consultation process using a range of mechanisms to enable members who work in aged care, or have a connection with the aged care system to provide input to our submission and recommendations.

If you work in aged care, and are interested in participating in this process, please contact the social policy team at social.policy@aasw.asn.au. We will provide additional information about how you can contribute your experience and knowledge as more details about the  royal commission become available.

Other news

Workforce Transition project

Work is continuing on the development of resources to assist Accredited Mental Health Social Workers make the transition into the new commissioning environment for PHNs to ensure the materials reflect the breadth of social workers’ experience. We are keen to hear from any members with experience either tendering for work from PHNs or involved in contracting to PHNs in other capacities.

Please contact angela.scarfe@aasw.asn.au to participate. 

Medibank Schedule Review Update

The Mental Health Reference Group has concluded its consultation process and has prepared its report and recommendations for the Primary Care and GP Committee of the Review Taskforce. We have been advised that our key issues and recommendations have been incorporated into the report and that overall it is favourable for social workers and increasing their recognition under Better Access.

A further targeted consultation may be held in the coming months in response to the input and recommendations the Taskforce has received.

A survey to support our advocacy activities was recently conducted with AMHSWs. The fantastic response to this survey has given us valuable detail about the work undertaken by AMHSWs, their location, qualifications, experience, and the people they work with.

Debra Parnell, Manager, Social Policy and Advocacy recently met with representatives of the Department of Health about the next steps in the review, and the outcomes from the MH Reference Group consultations.

We will keep members informed on any further developments. Visit our webpage for more details about the review.

National Mental Health Reform

AASW sits on the National Mental Health Reform Stakeholder Reference Group, convened by the and recently attended a meeting of this group in Canberra. Issues discussed at the meeting included:

• My Health Record
• Updates on the mental health services commissioned through PHNs, including services for older people
• Measures announced to support communities affected by drought
• Mental health measures announced in the last federal budget
• Mental Health Workforce issues.

Mental health services for older people

• Mental Health measures were announced in the Federal Budget for provision of mental health services for older people in residential aged care services. A working group, drawn from the MH Reform Stakeholder Group and the Department’s Aged Care Reference Group, has been established to provide input to the PHN commissioning process for these services. A Communique has been released from the working group on progress to date.
• In the federal budget funding for services to address mental health issues for older people living in the community, was also announced. This funding will be rolled out over 4 years, but in the initial stages will comprise a pilot to test models of support for older people identified at risk of mental health issues due to isolation and loneliness. The Australian College of Mental Health Nurses is overseeing this project.

NDIS

• AASW has met with Mental Health Australia to discuss a project they are undertaking on Improving health service pathways to the NDIS for people with psychosocial disability. MHA will work with AASW to consult our members who work in the health system about initiatives that will assist them to help their clients to have a better NDIS access experience.  We will provide more information about this opportunity in the coming weeks.

AASW has recently written to key politicians on a variety of issues

We wrote to the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, and Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Ken Wyatt on their reappointment as Ministers for these portfolios in the Morrison Government cabinet. We are seeking a meeting with both Ministers on budget announcements for funding for mental health supports for older people in residential aged care and in the community and the MBS Review.

We also wrote to Paul Fletcher, newly appointed Minister for Families and Social Services and Linda Burney, new Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services to congratulate them and to seek meetings.

AASW quoted in Choice Magazine

Choice magazine has published an article on government pensions and allowances, quoting the AASW National President Christine Craik.  From original interest in the availability of information about benefits, Christine’s comments have broadened the article’s focus to critique the government’s overall approach and underline the right of everyone to a decent standard of living.

Read the full article at Choice magazine.

The UN’s Sustainable Development goals and social workers

In a webinar last week, AASW Social Policy officer Dr Sebastian Cordoba spoke about his recent representation of the profession at the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, focusing on how to work together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The presentation highlighted key areas for actions and the important role of social workers in meeting the targets. A recording of the webinar will be made available shortly.

	Your feedback is sought on veteran-specific e-training for providers

Medical and allied health providers are invited to provide input into a review of DVA’s online professional development programs on veteran healthcare.

Complete a brief survey about your motivations for undertaking these types of programs, even if you have not completed any DVA e-training. The survey closes Friday, 21 September 2018.