❓ Hon. Linda Savage questions the Minister for Mental Health on the lack of specific mention of domestic and gender-based violence in the "Mental Health 2020" strategic plan and seeks information on strategies and inter-ministerial collaboration to address the intersection of gender-based violence and mental health in WA women. The Minister responds by outlining existing collaborative efforts and relevant programs.
AnsweredQoN 961Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MENTAL HEALTH — DOMESTIC AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
I refer to recent research showing a striking association between gender-based violence and lifetime mental disorder in Australian women, published in Medical Journal of Australia volume 195(8) on 17 October 2011. (1) Is the minister concerned that the government’s 10-year strategic plan “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” does not make any reference to domestic violence or gender-based violence? (2) What specific strategy or policy does the Mental Health Commission have on the close interaction between gender-based violence and mental disorder among Western Australian women? (3) Has the minister to date consulted with the Minister for Child Protection with the aim of developing an integrated approach to interventions that address gender-based violence and mental health disorders? Hon HELEN MORTON
I refer to recent research showing a striking association between gender-based violence and lifetime mental disorder in Australian women, published in Medical Journal of Australia volume 195(8) on 17 October 2011. (1) Is the minister concerned that the government’s 10-year strategic plan “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” does not make any reference to domestic violence or gender-based violence? (2) What specific strategy or policy does the Mental Health Commission have on the close interaction between gender-based violence and mental disorder among Western Australian women? (3) Has the minister to date consulted with the Minister for Child Protection with the aim of developing an integrated approach to interventions that address gender-based violence and mental health disorders? Hon HELEN MORTON
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. Obviously I feel very strongly about gender-based violence and family and domestic violence, and have done so for many years. When we were in opposition I was the shadow Minister for Women’s Interests and did a fair bit of work in that area. (1) “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” focuses on addressing many factors associated with mental health, including relationship difficulties, building coping factors and resilience, strengthening the capacity of families and enhancing connections to community life. The plan encourages connected, holistic approaches to support people with a mental illness to access effective support. Better collaboration between services will improve integrated responses to co-occurring issues. In addition to working with the Department for Communities, the Mental Health Commission has already commenced collaborative work with the Department for Child Protection, the Department of Corrective Services, Western Australia Police and the Department of Housing. A lot of collaborative work is going on with other agencies. (2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
(1) Is the minister concerned that the government’s 10-year strategic plan “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” does not make any reference to domestic violence or gender-based violence? (2) What specific strategy or policy does the Mental Health Commission have on the close interaction between gender-based violence and mental disorder among Western Australian women? (3) Has the minister to date consulted with the Minister for Child Protection with the aim of developing an integrated approach to interventions that address gender-based violence and mental health disorders? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. Obviously I feel very strongly about gender-based violence and family and domestic violence, and have done so for many years. When we were in opposition I was the shadow Minister for Women’s Interests and did a fair bit of work in that area. (1) “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” focuses on addressing many factors associated with mental health, including relationship difficulties, building coping factors and resilience, strengthening the capacity of families and enhancing connections to community life. The plan encourages connected, holistic approaches to support people with a mental illness to access effective support. Better collaboration between services will improve integrated responses to co-occurring issues. In addition to working with the Department for Communities, the Mental Health Commission has already commenced collaborative work with the Department for Child Protection, the Department of Corrective Services, Western Australia Police and the Department of Housing. A lot of collaborative work is going on with other agencies. (2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
(2) What specific strategy or policy does the Mental Health Commission have on the close interaction between gender-based violence and mental disorder among Western Australian women? (3) Has the minister to date consulted with the Minister for Child Protection with the aim of developing an integrated approach to interventions that address gender-based violence and mental health disorders? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. Obviously I feel very strongly about gender-based violence and family and domestic violence, and have done so for many years. When we were in opposition I was the shadow Minister for Women’s Interests and did a fair bit of work in that area. (1) “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” focuses on addressing many factors associated with mental health, including relationship difficulties, building coping factors and resilience, strengthening the capacity of families and enhancing connections to community life. The plan encourages connected, holistic approaches to support people with a mental illness to access effective support. Better collaboration between services will improve integrated responses to co-occurring issues. In addition to working with the Department for Communities, the Mental Health Commission has already commenced collaborative work with the Department for Child Protection, the Department of Corrective Services, Western Australia Police and the Department of Housing. A lot of collaborative work is going on with other agencies. (2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
(3) Has the minister to date consulted with the Minister for Child Protection with the aim of developing an integrated approach to interventions that address gender-based violence and mental health disorders? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. Obviously I feel very strongly about gender-based violence and family and domestic violence, and have done so for many years. When we were in opposition I was the shadow Minister for Women’s Interests and did a fair bit of work in that area. (1) “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” focuses on addressing many factors associated with mental health, including relationship difficulties, building coping factors and resilience, strengthening the capacity of families and enhancing connections to community life. The plan encourages connected, holistic approaches to support people with a mental illness to access effective support. Better collaboration between services will improve integrated responses to co-occurring issues. In addition to working with the Department for Communities, the Mental Health Commission has already commenced collaborative work with the Department for Child Protection, the Department of Corrective Services, Western Australia Police and the Department of Housing. A lot of collaborative work is going on with other agencies. (2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. Obviously I feel very strongly about gender-based violence and family and domestic violence, and have done so for many years. When we were in opposition I was the shadow Minister for Women’s Interests and did a fair bit of work in that area. (1) “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” focuses on addressing many factors associated with mental health, including relationship difficulties, building coping factors and resilience, strengthening the capacity of families and enhancing connections to community life. The plan encourages connected, holistic approaches to support people with a mental illness to access effective support. Better collaboration between services will improve integrated responses to co-occurring issues. In addition to working with the Department for Communities, the Mental Health Commission has already commenced collaborative work with the Department for Child Protection, the Department of Corrective Services, Western Australia Police and the Department of Housing. A lot of collaborative work is going on with other agencies. (2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. Obviously I feel very strongly about gender-based violence and family and domestic violence, and have done so for many years. When we were in opposition I was the shadow Minister for Women’s Interests and did a fair bit of work in that area. (1) “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” focuses on addressing many factors associated with mental health, including relationship difficulties, building coping factors and resilience, strengthening the capacity of families and enhancing connections to community life. The plan encourages connected, holistic approaches to support people with a mental illness to access effective support. Better collaboration between services will improve integrated responses to co-occurring issues. In addition to working with the Department for Communities, the Mental Health Commission has already commenced collaborative work with the Department for Child Protection, the Department of Corrective Services, Western Australia Police and the Department of Housing. A lot of collaborative work is going on with other agencies. (2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
(1) “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” focuses on addressing many factors associated with mental health, including relationship difficulties, building coping factors and resilience, strengthening the capacity of families and enhancing connections to community life. The plan encourages connected, holistic approaches to support people with a mental illness to access effective support. Better collaboration between services will improve integrated responses to co-occurring issues. In addition to working with the Department for Communities, the Mental Health Commission has already commenced collaborative work with the Department for Child Protection, the Department of Corrective Services, Western Australia Police and the Department of Housing. A lot of collaborative work is going on with other agencies. (2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
(2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
(1) Is the minister concerned that the government’s 10-year strategic plan “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” does not make any reference to domestic violence or gender-based violence? (2) What specific strategy or policy does the Mental Health Commission have on the close interaction between gender-based violence and mental disorder among Western Australian women? (3) Has the minister to date consulted with the Minister for Child Protection with the aim of developing an integrated approach to interventions that address gender-based violence and mental health disorders? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. Obviously I feel very strongly about gender-based violence and family and domestic violence, and have done so for many years. When we were in opposition I was the shadow Minister for Women’s Interests and did a fair bit of work in that area. (1) “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” focuses on addressing many factors associated with mental health, including relationship difficulties, building coping factors and resilience, strengthening the capacity of families and enhancing connections to community life. The plan encourages connected, holistic approaches to support people with a mental illness to access effective support. Better collaboration between services will improve integrated responses to co-occurring issues. In addition to working with the Department for Communities, the Mental Health Commission has already commenced collaborative work with the Department for Child Protection, the Department of Corrective Services, Western Australia Police and the Department of Housing. A lot of collaborative work is going on with other agencies. (2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
(2) What specific strategy or policy does the Mental Health Commission have on the close interaction between gender-based violence and mental disorder among Western Australian women? (3) Has the minister to date consulted with the Minister for Child Protection with the aim of developing an integrated approach to interventions that address gender-based violence and mental health disorders? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. Obviously I feel very strongly about gender-based violence and family and domestic violence, and have done so for many years. When we were in opposition I was the shadow Minister for Women’s Interests and did a fair bit of work in that area. (1) “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” focuses on addressing many factors associated with mental health, including relationship difficulties, building coping factors and resilience, strengthening the capacity of families and enhancing connections to community life. The plan encourages connected, holistic approaches to support people with a mental illness to access effective support. Better collaboration between services will improve integrated responses to co-occurring issues. In addition to working with the Department for Communities, the Mental Health Commission has already commenced collaborative work with the Department for Child Protection, the Department of Corrective Services, Western Australia Police and the Department of Housing. A lot of collaborative work is going on with other agencies. (2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
(3) Has the minister to date consulted with the Minister for Child Protection with the aim of developing an integrated approach to interventions that address gender-based violence and mental health disorders? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. Obviously I feel very strongly about gender-based violence and family and domestic violence, and have done so for many years. When we were in opposition I was the shadow Minister for Women’s Interests and did a fair bit of work in that area. (1) “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” focuses on addressing many factors associated with mental health, including relationship difficulties, building coping factors and resilience, strengthening the capacity of families and enhancing connections to community life. The plan encourages connected, holistic approaches to support people with a mental illness to access effective support. Better collaboration between services will improve integrated responses to co-occurring issues. In addition to working with the Department for Communities, the Mental Health Commission has already commenced collaborative work with the Department for Child Protection, the Department of Corrective Services, Western Australia Police and the Department of Housing. A lot of collaborative work is going on with other agencies. (2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. Obviously I feel very strongly about gender-based violence and family and domestic violence, and have done so for many years. When we were in opposition I was the shadow Minister for Women’s Interests and did a fair bit of work in that area. (1) “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” focuses on addressing many factors associated with mental health, including relationship difficulties, building coping factors and resilience, strengthening the capacity of families and enhancing connections to community life. The plan encourages connected, holistic approaches to support people with a mental illness to access effective support. Better collaboration between services will improve integrated responses to co-occurring issues. In addition to working with the Department for Communities, the Mental Health Commission has already commenced collaborative work with the Department for Child Protection, the Department of Corrective Services, Western Australia Police and the Department of Housing. A lot of collaborative work is going on with other agencies. (2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. Obviously I feel very strongly about gender-based violence and family and domestic violence, and have done so for many years. When we were in opposition I was the shadow Minister for Women’s Interests and did a fair bit of work in that area. (1) “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” focuses on addressing many factors associated with mental health, including relationship difficulties, building coping factors and resilience, strengthening the capacity of families and enhancing connections to community life. The plan encourages connected, holistic approaches to support people with a mental illness to access effective support. Better collaboration between services will improve integrated responses to co-occurring issues. In addition to working with the Department for Communities, the Mental Health Commission has already commenced collaborative work with the Department for Child Protection, the Department of Corrective Services, Western Australia Police and the Department of Housing. A lot of collaborative work is going on with other agencies. (2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
(1) “Mental Health 2020: Making it personal and everybody’s business” focuses on addressing many factors associated with mental health, including relationship difficulties, building coping factors and resilience, strengthening the capacity of families and enhancing connections to community life. The plan encourages connected, holistic approaches to support people with a mental illness to access effective support. Better collaboration between services will improve integrated responses to co-occurring issues. In addition to working with the Department for Communities, the Mental Health Commission has already commenced collaborative work with the Department for Child Protection, the Department of Corrective Services, Western Australia Police and the Department of Housing. A lot of collaborative work is going on with other agencies. (2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
(2)–(3) The Department for Child Protection is the lead agency for the “WA Strategic Plan for Family and Domestic Violence 2009–2013”, which is the state-based plan to address gender violence. The Mental Health Commission contributes to this work actively. Key strategies to provide better integrated services responses include strengthening community understanding and awareness that family and domestic violence is not acceptable; focusing family and domestic violence prevention and early intervention initiatives on children, young people and healthy, respectful relationships; providing an accessible, integrated 24-hour response throughout the state that includes crisis and post-crisis intervention; and ensuring that a range of evidence-based programs and interventions for perpetrators of family and domestic violence are provided. The Mental Health Commission is a partner agency in the Family and Domestic Violence Senior Officers’ Group supporting the statewide response. The Mental Health Commission funds programs that align with key initiatives for increasing resilience, prevention and early intervention such as beyondblue and the Aussie Optimism program, and crisis support such as Lifeline WA telephone counselling. The specialist Statewide Indigenous Mental Health Service also provides culturally responsive services. The Mental Health Commission also supports the Western Australian implementation plan for the “National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022”.
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