1st Australian Rural and Remote Mental Health Symposium

http://www.anzmh.asn.au/

 

The recent incidents of natural disaster in Victoria (bushfires) and Queensland (floods, cyclones, oil spills) have left a trail of death and destruction, shattered communities, and displaced people. Such events severely impact on the Mental Health of individual survivors, and impact on community functioning.


What lessons can be learned from our response to these events? How can Mental Health professionals prepare themselves more effectively to deal with such events in rural and remote communities? How can the resources of Government, mental health professionals, emergency services, and private practitioners be better utilised for optimal benefit?

 

What long term planning is required to provide ongoing support, treatment and infrastructure?

 

Can our response to recent disasters provide the roadmap to build capacity in rural and remote areas?

 

Themes:
Community Preparedness & Context
Early Interventions
Medium Term Interventions
Long Term Interventions

Stream Topics:
Emergency Services & Administration
Mental Health Services Delivery
Development of Individual and Community Resilience

 

I invite you to participate in our symposium and join with me and the symposium committee in learning from our keynote speakers and their analyses of our responses to recent disasters and to examine the long term mental health needs of Rural Australia. With their input and our interactive symposium program we can be guided in our efforts to be better prepared in rural and remote communities to meet future needs.


This symposium will explore ways to develop skills related specifically to the mental health needs of rural and remote communities now and in the future.


I look forward to seeing you in Canberra at the first of many nationally relevant Australian Rural and Remote Mental Health meetings.

 

Dr Norm Barling

Conference Chair

 

Invited Speakers Include:

 

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP - Minister for Health and Ageing

Prof Peg Le Vine, Professor of Psychosocial Health, Monash Asia Institute confirmed

A/Prof Sabina Knight, Director, Rural Health Education Foundation, Senior Lecturer at Centre of Remote Health confirmed

Mr Bruce Esplin, The Emergency Services Commissioner, Victoria

Prof Gavin Andrews, UNSW at St Vincent's Hospital confirmed

Dr Rob Gordon, Consultant Psychologist, Victoria Emergency Recovery Plan
Ms, Patricia Canning, Director, The Australian College of Health Service Executives
Dr Peter Butterworth, Senior Research Fellow, The Australian National University Centre for Mental Health Research
Assoc Professor Dennis Pashen, Mount Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health
Prof Beverley Raphael, Professor & Head of Psychological Medicine, Australian National University, Professor of Population Mental Health and Disasters and Director of the Centre for Disasters and Terrorism (DAT) at the University of Western Sydney confirmed
Dr Helen J. Stain Senior Lecturer, Clinical Psychologist, Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health, University of Newcastle confirmed
Professor Don Gorman, Director, Centre for Rural & Remote Area Health, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba confirmed
Dr Keith Miller, BSc (Adel), BTh(Hons), BSocPlan (Hons), BSW, PhD, Lecturer, Flinders University confirmed

 

Delegates will include;

 

  • Academics

  • Allied Health Professionals

  • Carers

  • Clinicians

  • Commonwealth Government

  • Community representatives

  • Counsellors

  • Educational Institutions

  • General Practitioners

  • Local/State/Governments

  • Emergency Service / Defence / Police / Volunteer personnel

  • Policy Makers

  • Non-government organisations

  • Nurses

  • Workers in the provision of rural mental health services

  • Public health services

  • Private health services

  • Private practitioners

  • Psychologists

  • Psychiatrists

  • Researchers

  • Social Workers

  • Rehabilitation Consultants

  • Health Professionals