Carers' Network Member Directory

Anxiety Recovery Centre Victoria (ARCVic)
http://www.arcvic.com.au/

ARCVic is a state-wide community mental health organisation, providing support, recovery, early intervention and educational services to people and families living with anxiety disorders. ARCVic is a charitable, non-profit organisation, funded by the Department of Human Services, and supported by membership, donations and sponsorships.

ARCVic currently provides a range of services, which include the OCD & Anxiety HelpLine (Telephone Counselling, Information and Referral Service), Support and Social Groups open to people with anxiety disorders and their carers and families, recovery programs and workshops, a family and carer support and education program for families and carers of people with obsessive compulsive disorder, community education, information & library services including information kits, books and videos. ARCVic produces a regular newsletter, which includes articles, stories and up to date research information. ARCVic also provides advocacy, professional education, consultation and training for primary care and mental health professionals, secondary consultations and training programs, and early intervention programs.

ARCVic’s current representative on the Network is Michelle Graeber - Executive Officer of Anxiety Recovery Centre Victoria. She can be contacted at:

Postal address: PO Box 358, Mt Waverley, Vic, 3149

For personal carer support, information or advocacy, it is better to call the OCD & Anxiety HelpLine: 03 9886 9377 (Mon to Thurs, 10.00 am to 4.00 pm).

ARAFEMI - the Association of Relatives and Friends of the Emotionally and Mentally Ill
http://www.arafmiaustralia.asn.au

ARAFEMI’s mission is to promote and improve the well being of families and individuals affected by mental illness.

ARAFEMI offers telephone support and information, individual counselling, mutual support and education groups, and short courses for family members. For people who have experienced mental illness, ARAFEMI provides psychosocial rehabilitation and tenancy management to people in the Cities of Boroondara, Whitehorse and Darebin, psychosocial rehabilitation services to people living in their own housing within the Cities of Boroondara, Whitehorse and Manningham, and an Intensive Outreach Service to people experiencing mental health and housing difficulties in the local government areas of Darebin, Banyule, Whittlesea and Nillumbik. ARAFEMI also offers its members access to the ARAFEMI library and a quarterly newsletter.

ARAFEMI's current representatives on the Network are Frances Sanders - Executive Director of ARAFEMI Victoria & Warren Jenkins - Executive Director of ARAFEMI Australia.

They can be contacted at:
Postal address: PO Box 83, Hawthorn, Vic, 3122.

For personal carer support, information and referral, it is better to call the ARAFEMI Victoria Carer HelpLine: 03 9810 9314 (Mon to Fri, 9.00 am to 5.00 pm)

Carers Victoria
http://www.carersvic.org.au/index.htm

Carers Victoria is the statewide voice for family carers, representing and providing support to carers in the community.

Carers Victoria is the key state-wide organisation in Victoria that has informal carers as its primary focus. Carers of people with a mental illness are part of a diverse group of people in our community who provide unpaid care and support to family members or friends who have a chronic or acute illness, disability, or who are frail aged.

Carers Victoria offers direct services to support carers in their caring role via their Careline that provides information, support, referrals, and resources, and the state-wide counselling program. Support to carers of people with a mental illness forms a large part of the state-wide work. Carers Victoria is also a Registered Training Organisation providing professional development and accredited training for workers and a wide range of education programs for carers. These are tailored to meet the needs of specific carer groups, and have been attended by many mental health carers among whom Assertiveness, Self Care and Advocacy workshops prove very popular. A Speakers Bank and advocacy programs serve to increase awareness of carers and carers issues and push for system change. Carers Victoria also encourages innovative, high quality service delivery through policy and research conducted independently and in collaboration with Carers Australia and other bodies.

Carers Victoria current representative is Ben Ilsley.

For personal support, information or advocacy, it is better to call 1800 242 636.

Victorian Carer Services Network (VCSN)
http://www.vcsn.com.au/

In 1996 the Commonwealth Government through its Commonwealth Respite for Carers Program and the Victorian Government through its Victorian Carers Initiatives provided funds to improve services for carers.

As a result ten new services were set up throughout Victoria, one in each Victorian health region, and two in the Barwon region. The aim of these services is to provide information, carer support and respite co-ordination for carers. These ten services together with Carer Resource Centre and Carers Victoria form the Victorian Carer Services Network.

The Victorian Carer Services Network's current representative is Nick Hanson.

Peter McKenzie

Dr Peter McKenzie is an anthropologist, family therapist and carer who holds the Carer Academic position (mental health) at The Bouverie Centre, La Trobe University.

He has significant personal and professional experience in the mental health sector and sees the Carer Academic position having a leading role in: fostering and promoting recognition and effective responses to carer families and their involvement and participation in mental health services and the community.

Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria (EDFV)

The Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria (EDFV) is a non-profit incorporated association that supports those whose lives are affected by eating disorders, and informs the community about these disorders. The Foundation's community-based board of management comprises people who have a personal or professional interest in eating disorder issues.

The EDFV offers support groups for people experiencing an eating disorder and for families and friends, telephone & e-mail support, referral and information line, education sessions for carers, people experiencing an eating disorder, workers, the general community, a library/resource centre, and a regular newsletter.

EDFV's current representative on the Network is Rebecca Wickham.

For personal support, information or advocacy, it is better to call the speak to a Helpline operator on (03) 9885 0318 or non-metro callers in Vic 1300 550 236, (Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.00pm.)

Helen Lococo

Helen sits on the Network as a carer who also represents the Westgate Support Group Inc for Carers of People with a Mental Illness, one of the founding member groups of the Network.

Helen has been an outreach worker supporting people with mental illness and also a carer resource worker in the northern metropolitan region. Helen works as a carer consultant for Mercy Mental Health - South West Metropolitan Area.

Jenny Burger

Jenny Burger is a carer who works as a Carer Consultant in North West Area Mental Health Service in Coburg and Broadmeadows.
She was previously Deputy Director of the then Schizophrenai Fellowship of Victoria from 1988 - 99 and a member of the Steering Committee which evaluated the National Mental Health Strategy. Jenny was Chair of the Board of Reach Out - Southern Mental Health until 2005 - a psychiatric disability rehabilitation and support service for consumers and carers in Cheltenham. Advocacy and education for clinicians consumers and carers around confidentiality was and still is a key focus of her work. She was Chair of the Organising Committee of the Network's statewide Carers' Conferences in 2002 and 2005 and Chair of the Carer Consultants Network in Victoria in 2005/06. She was on the Ministerial Advisory Committee's Sub-Committee for Consumers and Carers; a carer representative on the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum; and carer representative on the Local Organising Committee of the World Psychiatric Association Congress in Melbourne in November 2007.

Jenny is the Deputy Chair of the Carers' Network and is an Executive Member.

Mental Illness Fellowship
http://www.mifellowship.org/

The Mental Illness Fellowship is Victoria's leading membership-based not-for-profit organisation and its mission is to work with people with mental illness, their families and friends to improve their wellbeing. The Mental Illness Fellowship exists to make a real and positive difference in the lives of people affected by mental illness through working with people with mental illness, their families and friends to achieve their own defined outcomes, creating a research agenda into the impacts of mental illness, and giving people a voice for change, a chance to end the stigma and to improve their quality of life.

Its services include:
- Breakaway Respite
- Day Programs
- Home Based Outreach and Accommodation Support
- Residential Rehabilitation
- Specialist Family Support Programs
- Advocacy
- Community Awareness Campaigns

The Mental Illness Fellowship current representative is Sue Farnan.

For personal support, information or advocacy, it is better to call the Mental Illness Fellowship Victoria Helpline (03) 8486 4222 9am-5pm Mon-Fri.

Sage Hill Carer Services

Sage Hill Carers Service, focuses on the needs of families/carers of those with a mental illness throughout southwest Victoria.

We also provide planned respite :
- Thyme Cottage a Commonwealth (FACSIA funded) residential respite
- A young carers program for children 6-16yrs "Aspire" of which we are a part of is a PDRSS.

Sage Hill's representative on the Network is Peter MacMahon.

The Bouverie Centre, Victoria's Family Institute
http://www.bouverie.org.au/

The Bouverie Centre, Victoria's Family Institute, is a state-wide integrated clinical, academic and consultation agency specialising in family approaches in mental health service provision. The Bouverie Centre provides a range of programs to individuals and family members, service providers and agencies. Services include direct clinical services such as family sensitive work and family therapy, community services such as training and consultation to mental health organisations, and academic services such as university accredited courses and continuing education workshops relevant to mental health workers.

The Bouverie Centre's current representative is Dr. Brendan OHanlon, Program Manager - Mental Health Coordinator.

Brendan is an Executive member of the Carers' Network.

Victorian Transcultural Psychiatry Unit (VTPU)
http://www.vtpu.org.au/

The VTPU was established in 1989 within the Office of Psychiatric Services, State Government of Victoria. It is a statewide service which evolved from a small clinical service to a service which supports area mental health services and psychiatric disability support services in working with consumers, carers and communities from diverse cultural backgrounds throughout Victoria. In 1996 it was awarded Commonwealth funding to establish the Australian Transcultural Mental Health Network. Currently the VTPU is funded by the Mental Health Branch of the Victorian Department of Human Services and is administered by St Vincent's Hospital.

The mission of the VTPU is to strengthen the capacity of Victoria's mental health system to provide effective, equitable and culturally appropriate services to Victoria’s culturally and linguistically diverse population.

The VTPU current representative on the Network is Sue McDonough.

Sue is an Executive member of the Carers' Network.

Kerry Meiers

Mental Health Respite Program Coordinator Carer Support Services Bendigo Health

Carer Consultant Network Victoria (CCNV)

The CCNV membership consists of carer consultants and peer support workers from area mental health services and related agencies across Victoria within the public sector.

The CCNV's representative on the Network is Robyn Jones who is currently the chair of the CCNV. Robyn also sits on the Network as a representative of Adult Carer Consultants.

Robyn is the Adult & Aged carer consultant at Goulburn Valley Health Area Mental Health Service in Shepparton, Melbourne. She has a broad knowledge of the issues faced by those caring for a relative or friend living with serious mental illness which she has gained through her extensive lived and professional experience negotiating and working with public adult mental health services.

Robyn actively promotes family needs within area mental health services to achieve a more responsive and inclusive approach to working with carers.

MIND Australia
http://www.mindaustralia.org.au/

The journey people take to reclaim their lives when they have a mental illness or are homeless is a very personal process. MIND encourages individual solutions that help people take control of their lives, foster self-belief and connect people with the community. MIND does this through a holistic approach that facilitates people to:

- Set goals and achieve them
- Manage their mental and physical health
- Develop a clearer sense of personal identity
- Develop trusting and supportive relationships
- Get back to work, school or tertiary studies
- Develop skills to live independently in the community

MIND provides a comprehensive range of programs including; residential rehabilitation, outreach services, transition to independent living, transition to stable and secure accommodation, respite for carers, volunteer and mentor programs, individual service packages and programs that foster healthy living, creative expression and participation in employment.

MIND Australia’s current representative on the Network is Steve Morton - Manager of Consumer, Carer, Family and Peer Engagement.

Steve is an Executive member of the Carers' Network.

Colin Fryer

Colin, a retired engineer and business manager, is a carer with experience in adolescent and adult mental health services in metropolitan Melbourne. He has a particular interest in the needs of young people with mental illness and in the support of their families.

Colin is the Chair of the Carers' Network and an Executive Member.

Marg Leggatt

Background:
Founding Director - Schizophrenia Fellowship (now Mental Illness Fellowship)
Founding Director SANE - Australia
Past President World Fellowship Schizophrenia & Allied Disorders
Deakin University Social research Unit
ORYGEN Youth Health - Coordinator Family Participation Project

Estelle Malseed

Estelle is the Secretary of the Carers' Network and an Executive Member.

Helen Callanan

Helen sits on the Network as a representative of Aged Carer Consultants. She is currently the Aged Carer Consultant at Caulfield Aged Mental Health Service.

Michelle Swann
http://www.arafemi.org.au/

As Victoria's Carer Advocate through ARAFEMI, Michelle advocates for carers within the public and private sectors of Victoria and can assist carers in being heard in the way they wish to be heard within the mental health services they're in contact with, support their involvement within mental health services and support them in making better use of mental health services.

Nola Kervarec

Nola is currently employed as a Mental Health Carer Support Worker within the Ballarat Health Service.

Forensicare
http://www.forensicare.vic.gov.au/

Forensicare was established as a statutory agency in 1997 to provide forensic mental health services to adults in Victoria. Forensicare is governed by a 10 member Council that is accountable to the Minister for Mental Health.

Forensic mental health is a specialist area within the health system. It is required to meet the needs of mentally disordered offenders, the mental health and justice sectors and the community. We primarily focus on providing clinical services, which includes the effective assessment, treatment and management of forensic patients and clients and people with a mental illness who have offended or are at risk of offending. We also provide a comprehensive research program and specialist training and professional education for our staff and the broader mental health field.

Forensicare's current representative is Mary Macrae, NCSO Clinical Liaison Officer.

Action on Disability within Ethnic Communities (ADEC)
http://www.adec.org.au/

In 1982 the Commonwealth Schools Commission funded the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria (ECCV) to establish a service for ethnic children with disabilities which maximise their opportunities for gaining access to services. ADEC grew out of this base, originally under the management of the ECCV’s Committee on Disability and Ethnicity. A year later in 1983 ADEC became an independent organisation with the support of the ECCV and an interim committee of management comprised of parents, people with a disability and interested community members.

ADEC’s Vision
To empower people with disabilities from ethnic backgrounds, their carers and families to fully participate as members of the Victorian community.

ADEC’s Mission
The Mission states that the way to achieve full citizenship is:
To assist people with disabilities from ethnic backgrounds, their carers and families to access services and ensure that service systems are inclusive and responsive to their needs.

Goals that enable the mission to be accomplished
- To ensure ADEC addresses client needs in a nurturing and supportive manner.
- To create an effective service that advocates on behalf of clients of all ages, their carers and/or significant others.
- To ensure that ADEC delivers and operates services within an ethical framework and also within a duty of care for each client.
- To foster the development of services for communities across Victoria through strategic alliances.
- To foster research that identifies client needs, carer needs and the needs of significant others and to promote planning based on this research.
- To work towards building capacity in the community and within the agency.

ADEC believes
- Individuals and their needs should be the primary focus of human services.
- In the potential of each individual regardless of the complexity of issues.
- In working in partnership with each individual to fulfil their goals.

ADEC's current representative is Shehani De Silva, Transcultural Mental Health Access Coordinator.

Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA)
http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/

The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) is the Australian Government's main source of advice on social policy and manages about one fifth of the federal budget.

FaHCSIA works in partnership with other government and non-government organisations managing a diverse range of programs and services designed to support and improve the lives of Australians.

FaHCSIA works closely with other government agencies, including Centrelink, to support the recovery of Australian individuals, families and communities following both domestic and international disasters. The focus of assistance is to enable people to re-establish their lives and communities. Assistance can take the form of individual and family ex-gratia payments and using existing community programs to contribute to strengthening local Australian communities.

FaHCSIA's current representative is Sonja Pase, Assistant Section Manager - Disabilities & Carers.