Darwin: Message from the National President, NT Branch President

To our Northern Territory colleagues - please  know that we are thinking of you as you deal with your own shock and grief around the shooting tragedy, and as you extend your support and assistance to those in the community who will also be trying to make sense of the events of Tuesday night.  Social workers around Australia stand with you.

Christine Craik
AASW National President

Darwin is a tight-knit community and we are all likely to be affected in some way after four lives were taken Tuesday night and others injured.

We send our strongest condolences to everyone who is impacted by these tragic events. The Darwin community is resilient and now is the time to gather around one another to listen, talk and provide support. Our hearts are with the first responders and colleagues who will be helping in the coming days and months – acknowledging social workers will form part of this support. We will share details of locally based assistance, as it emerges.

It is normal to have strong reactions following a distressing event and this incident will affect people in different ways. Support is available:

• Lifeline 13 11 14
• Mental Health Line 1800 682 288

Emma Wooldridge
AASW NT Branch President

	Federal Election 2019

A new Morrison Government Ministry has been announced. Key appointments include:

• The Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP, appointed as Minister for Indigenous Australians
• The Hon Greg Hunt MP, reappointed as Minister for Health
• The Hon Stuart Robert MP, appointed to the new position of Minister for the NDIS
• Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians
• Senator the Hon Anne Ruston appointed as Minister for Family and Social Services
• Luke Howarth MP, appointed as Assistant Minister for Community Housing, Homelessness and Community Services.

The AASW is writing to each of the Ministers holding portfolios of interest to social workers and the profession.

	Reconciliation Week 27 May to 3 June - Grounded in truth: Walk together with courage

National Reconciliation Week 2019 concluded on Monday 3 June, but its theme – Grounded in truth. Walk together in Courage. – continues to resound in our actions and thinking. It is timely that NSW Health has created this video to aid understanding of the significance of culture, family, community and spirituality in the healing journey for Aboriginal people. It can assist services in designing, delivering and evaluating care that improves mental health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal children, youth and their families.

Read our media release and watch the interview between AASW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Board representative director Linda Ford and AASW National President Christine Craik discuss National Reconciliation Week and the theme.

You can also listen to the interview on our podcast.

	Empowering Excellence

Access the Empowering Excellence program to complete your CPD requirements by 30 June. Watch the previews on our Vimeo channel.

Subjects include:

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
• Acceptance Commitment Therapy
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing
• Narrative Therapy
• and more...

Do you need to familiarise yourself with complying with CPD requirements? See our website for information on how to create a CPD plan, updating your CPD record online, our CPD policy and frequently asked questions.

	AASW Submissions and Inquiries

AASW's branches have social policy and advocacy issues they are pursuing and seek input from members. Be in touch with your AASW Branch to contribute to the policy areas that matter to you.

• Productivity Commission inquiry into the social and economic impacts of mental ill-health
• NDIS Thin Markets Project consultation

All submissions are posted to the social policy webpage when we have permission to make them public (as required).

We are currently working on a number of submissions.  If you would like to be part of the Association’s consultation process please contact us. More details are provided below.

	Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety update

We would like to thank our members who were able to participate in our consultation sessions, facilitated by the branches. Thanks to your input, we fostered some fantastic discussion and insight from our members, which we will use to inform our submission.

Submissions to the Royal Commission close on 15 September, and we are considering the next steps in our consultation process to enable as many members with experience of the aged care system as possible to provide input. If you were unable to participate in our consultation sessions, but would like to contribute to our submission, please contact socialpolicy@aasw.asn.au. 

	Victorian Royal Commission into Mental Health

We are preparing a submission for the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System. To ensure we are advocating with the most recent experience and knowledge from our members, we are holding consultation sessions with interested members to contribute to our submission. In these group consultations, we’ll be generating discussion around the terms of reference and other key points relevant to the Royal Commission to inform our submission.

We will be holding three consultations in Melbourne and four regional consultations to ensure we are capturing the voices of rural and regional social workers as well. If you are unable to attend in person to any of these sessions, we may be able to organise for you to videoconference in. Register for one of the consultation sessions below:

Melbourne Consultation 1
Tuesday, 11 June

Melbourne Consultation 2
Thursday, 13 June

Melbourne Consultation 3
Tuesday, 18 June

Grampians Consultation
Thursday, 20 June

La Trobe Valley Consultation
Tuesday, 25 June

Goulburn-Murray Consultation
Wednesday, 26 June

Barwon Consultation
Thursday, 27 June

Whether you work (or have previously worked) in mental health, work with clients living with mental health, or have a lived experience of mental health, we are interested in your contribution to ensure we develop well-informed submission.

We are also interested in hearing from members in other states and territories who work in or are connected with mental health services and issues. Your experiences and knowledge can contribute to recommendations to the Victorian Government on how to improve this state's mental health service system. Contact social.policy@aasw.asn.au to discuss how you can be included.

	Medicare Benefits Schedule review update

Eating Disorders: AMHSWs eligible to deliver services under the new MBS items

The much-needed MBS items announced by the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt in December 2018  will come into effect on 1 November 2019 and will include:

• A dedicated single Medicare Benefits Scheme item number for eating disorder treatment for those with severe and complex illness, delivering up to 60 Medicare-funded sessions of treatment – 40 psychotherapeutic and 20 dietetic across the range of eating disorders – anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and atypical presentations
• Diagnosis by a GP and mental health practitioner recognising that these psychiatric illnesses have a significant physical impact and integrated treatment is essential.

Although it has not been formally reported,we can confirm that Psychological services provided by AMHSWs, clinical psychologists, registered psychologists and occupational therapists will be the framework used for these services as per the existing MBS items for focused psychological services.

The implementation of new MBS items for patients with anorexia nervosa and patients with other eating disorders who have complex needs will also provide for:

• the development of a treatment and management plan by a GP
• the development of a treatment and management plan by a paediatrician or psychiatrist
• review of the treatment and management plan by a GP
• review of a patient managed under a management plan by a psychiatrist or paediatrician
• dietetic services.

Mental Health Items

On 5 February, the reports from the Primary Care Reference Groups, including the Mental Health Reference Group, were released.

The closing date for submissions on the reports has been extended to 7 June.  We will be seeking to present to the Taskforce on our response to the Mental Health report, as well as making a submission to this process. We understand that there will be longer term processes undertaken by the Review Taskforce, including a review of the tiered payment system, and the therapies approved for inclusion under Better Access.

The AASW MBS Review Working Group has been meeting to discuss and provide input to the AASW’s response to the recommendations and proposed changes to the Better Access program. Information on the Association’s response and model for access to mental health services under Better Access is available.

	NDIS update

Understanding demand to prevent market failures in the NDIS

The first large scale study has been conducted by the Institute for Choice, Capital Markets Cooperative Research Centre, and National Disability Services to address the need for an evidence-based understanding of demand in the disability sector. It points out that the transition to the NDIS needs to be managed to ensure that participants have equal access to high quality services that help them achieve their goals.  Our submission to the Thin Markets project builds on this position and advocated for the contribution that members of the AASW can make to participants’ goals through our expertise in the roles of Support Co-ordination and Specialist Support Co-ordination.  We also drew attention to the potential injustice to participants who live in areas where there are not many providers, or who have complex needs for which there are not many appropriate providers.  As opportunities arise, we will continue to promote the value that AASW members add to the outcomes of participants.

Latest NDIS Quarterly Report

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has released the latest quarterly report, covering the period 1 January - 31 March 2019. Disability Services Consulting has prepared a summary of the top 7 takeaways providers need to know.