About Mental Health

Why Is Mental Health So Important?

Mental Health is the concern of every member of our community. Official figures show that 1 in 5 Australians in any 12 month period will have a mental illness. This figure is increased in adolescents and in the older age groups. When you consider it is estimated that at least one-third of all people who have a mental illness do not seek help, then the figure of 1:5 increases dramatically. Add to this number the people who are Carers for people with mental illness and you have a large percentage of the population affected by mental ill health.

The costs to the workplace

Questions you may need to ask yourself if you are a manager:

• Are you aware of how to Performance Manage a person with mental illness?
• Are you aware of the positive aspects of employing a person who has a mental health issue?
• Do you know what mania looks like and the potential positive and negative aspects of it?
• Do you know how to prevent mental illness in the workplace?
• What training have your directors, managers, WHS, HR, and other staff had in mental health?
• What policies and protocols does your workplace have to prevent stress and mental illness from being a burden?
• Are you aware of the changes in workplace legislation about stress and mental illness and the precedents that have now been set in the courts of law about litigation against individual directors, managers and workplaces who have not provided a safe workplace?
• Do you know how to make workplace adjustments to suit a person with mental illness?
• Do you know how to make Wellness/Stay Safe Contracts?

According to Workcover statistics, Manual Handling injuries cost $224 million dollars in Australia in 2004/05, Occupational Overuse claims were $29.7 million and Mental Disorder claims cost $91.6 million. This equates to 36% of these claims, plus one must add into this the number of manual handling injuries that occurred as a consequence of stress and mental illness.

Depression alone is estimated, in economic terms to:

• Reduce workplace performance by 40%
• Cost the workplace $9960 per employee who has undiagnosed depression
• Contribute to the loss of 6 million working days annually
• Constitute 5.8% of workers compensation claims made in 2003, with an average time off of 96.1 days, compared with 28.9 days for other claims. (While official figures of 2005-06 have not been released as yet it is expected that these figures will be a great deal higher, some estimations are of 30% increase).

Add to these figures the cost of other illnesses such as bipolar, schizophrenia, anxiety, ADHD, etc and the time and inability of carers to work as efficiently as possible and you can see that it is imperative for the social and financial cost to our community that people become educated in mental health.

However, people with mental illness who know they can be open about their health and be supported at work take significantly fewer days off work and some researchers say that these people frequently have less time off work than people who do not have mental health issues.

If the business and community sector continue to ignore the warning signs of individuals who may be affected by mental health care concerns, the manifestation of problems may complex and difficult to manage. However if people are proactive and put into place education, training, workplace and social adjustments to ensure that people do not become unwell or are supported so that they recuperate quickly the outcomes will be positive, enlightening, and sustainable.

Consider the famous people throughout history who have had mental illness and the amazing achievements they have brought to our way of living. Where would we be without them? Who are the next Michelangelo’s, Leonardo da Vince’s, John Nash’s, Beethoven’s etc. they may well be in your family, workplace or community.

Links and Info

Mental Health Service

This site offers a range of information about providing initial help to a person experiencing a mental health problem. Also available from the site is information about the courses and training packing offered. Vision in Mind offers this award winning course designed by Betty Kitchener and Professor Tony Jorm. As the name implies it is a course about first Aid for Mental Health. We have found this course liberating for all who attend. It demystifies and destigmatises mental illness. It is a practical yet stimulating tool which will unlock many doors leading to education, confidence, and ability to both prevent and control mental illness. Please see the Mental Health First Aid website by clicking on the heading or visiting www.mhfa.com.au and visit our Testimonial Page.

Corporate Communique for events outside the square:

Corporate Communique is a unique, creative, energetic and highly professional team of event organizers. Fay has spoken at many of their conferences across Australia and can attest to how exciting and captivating their events are. Corporate Communique has used Fay Jackson as a Keynote Speaker at a number of our conferences and we can’t recommend her highly enough. She continues to receive standing ovations for her unique angle on mental health, presented with both captivating stories and serious strategies for working with people affected by mental health. A key strength is her ability to relate the subject matter to any number of different audiences making it both interesting and importantly, relevant.

Fay is flexible to deal with, always punctual, well prepared and strives to get the most out of every one of her presentations.

Feedback from our delegates always has Fay at the top of the list of preferred speakers and we will continue to both use and recommend Fay on a regular basis.

Jenny Boden, Managing Director, Corporate Communiqué,

Events Outside the Square

Phone: 03 5977 0244

Mobile: 0419 582 884

Email: jenny@corporatecommunique.com.au

Total Focus and Life in Balance

Fay Jackson also offers the Total Focus workshop and the Life in Balance Coaching Program. These programs are designed to lead you towards the realization of all of your abilities and possibilities. You will be inspired and educated towards being goal orientated and outcomes focused. You will stop just dreaming about what you want to achieve in your life and make it happen. These programs and Fays coaching will help you kick the procrastination habit for life!!!!!! For more information visit the website by clicking on the heading or visiting www.lifeinbalance.com.au

Australian Rotatory Health Research Fund

The Australian Rotary Health Research fund is an amazing national charity which has as its current focus, Mental Health. The ARHRF is running public forums, symposiums, conferences, work place forums and are working their way around Australia in a safari bus and convoy distributing information, guiding people and providing essential links to agencies which can help people in need. For more information log onto www.arhrf.org.au

Fay has supported this life saving project for the past 5 years and was honoured and humbled to have received their Australian Rotary Health Research Fund.

Medal for Meritorious Service to Community. If you have the opportunity to attend one of their Mental Health Public Forums the ARHRF run in conjunction with Beyondblue you will experience a challenging, educational and encouraging experience. The forums have a panel of speakers which consists of a Carer, a Consumer (a person with mental illness) and a Clinician. Please see the Mental Health First Aid website by clicking on the heading or visiting www.arhrf.org.au

SANE Australia

SANE Australia is a national charity helping people affected by mental illness. What is so unique about this organization is the fact that it is not funded by any state or federal government money. There for SANE is able to have unbiased comment on the state of mental health in Australia. Fay and Vision in Mind is extremely proud to be associated with this charity which not only runs unbiased political and social commentary but also funds news breaking and incredibly important research into the sate of mental health in Australia. For more information on their services please visit their site by clicking on the heading or visiting www.sane.org

Beyond Blue

Is the national depression initiative. It is delivering much needed education and destigmatising programs to the Australian Community. Beyondblue offers comprehensive material on a range on mental health issues. The site contains interactive checklists, printable fact sheets and many other resources. Fay Jackson has been on the Consumer and Carer committee of Beyondblue since its early inception. For more information see the website by clicking on the heading or visiting www.beyondblue.org.au

Mood Gym

Is the free, on line, cognitive behavioral therapy which Fay Jackson and Vision in Mind recommends to people. You can access this through their website at www.moodgym.anu.edu.au

The Life Gym

The Life Gym is a Health and Wellbeing Coaching Service for anyone who wants to develop new positive habits to enhance their energy, motivation and commitment to achieve life goals. Want to lose weight, give up smoking, run the city to surf or just be more positive in your thinking? Just call Eugene on 02 8006 1065 for an informal chat. Eugene has 30 years experience in the health industry and he is passionate about human potential. Your health and wellbeing is the foundation for achieving your goals in life. If you want to move from the lounge to the arena of life, from spectator to participator, just call Eugene on 02 8006 1065 or e-mail him eugene@thelifegym.com.au

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