COVID-19 update - Mental Health Community Coalition ACT

Update from Mental Health Community Coalition ACT 

Last week MHCC ACT and other stakeholders were invited to a meeting with Mr Shane Rattenbury MLA, Minister for Mental Health, regarding the development of a specific mental health response to COVID-19. Discussions covered a range of issues including the already emerging evidence of increased distress, people who are becoming increasingly vulnerable, and the need for a general mental health campaign to support the population to manage the mental health impacts of both the current restrictions and the long term impacts of COVID-19.

The NGO Leadership Group also met with Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith and alerted her to emerging issues. Other issues discussed include the concerns in the disability sector about potential discrimination in access to care, access to training & resources, and the potential for collaboration between Canberra Health Services (CHS) and NGOs.

In the next Mental Health Community Coalition ACT (MHCC ACT) newsletter there is a new section "After the Crisis".

While this might be some way off yet, MHCC ACT wanted to start capturing some of the thinking in this area and it is also something more positive to focus on beyond the immediate crisis.

The latest newsletter can be found here:

https://www.mhccact.org.au/news/categories/newsletter