Our Vision

CREATING HOPE AND RECOVERY

Living with hope and healing in a community that actively fosters and supports good mental

health.

To improve mental health and well-being for individuals and communities

Our Mission

Our Values

We value the

Lived Experience

We value

Respect

We value

Diversity

We value

Creativity & Innovation

We value

Safety

We value

Resilience

A recovery-focused approach to independent living in the community. Participants are supported through life skills, vocational education, housing support, advocacy and recreational activities.

Pathways to Recovery

A structured activity program that supports people with mental illness to rediscover skills and interests, improve self-confidence, and engage with others through recreational, vocational and arts-based programs.

Day to Day Living (D2DL)

Peer Support

Partners in Recovery (PIR)

NT Partners in Recovery helps people with severe and persistent mental

illness with complex needs, and their carers and families, to access and

coordinate the services they need for their recovery.

Bereavement Support

StandBY is a Suicide Bereavement Support Service provides a 24hr co-ordinated community crisis response to families, friends and associates who have been bereaved through suicide.

Mental Health Tenancy Support Program

MHACA TSP is a free service to public or private tenants who are

having problems managing their tenancy. We help tenants with a

diagnosed mental illness increase their knowledge, skills and

capacity to meet their tenancy agreement obligations and protect

their rights

“I was homeless when MHACA gave me a home! It

gives me my own place to live, my own freedom

and my own space. It’s a secure place to live,

Most important it’s MY HOME.”

Resident 1

Raising awareness & Reducing Stigma

Schizophrenia Awareness Week

MHACA has awareness raising events during key days in the Health Calendar. Schizophrenia Awareness Week is one such event where we have conducted seminars or activities.

Suicide Prevention Day

World Suicide Prevention Day – an event to raise awareness about suicide and a healing ceremony conducted every year on R U OK? Day or World Suicide Prevention Day

Mental Health Week

Mental Health Week – usually the second week of October (8 to 16th 2016)

Training Programs

We Offer Training in:Mental Health First Aide (2 day)Youth Mental Health First Aid (2 day)AsistSafetalkSpecial Trainings offered throughout the year.

Training Programs

Suicide StoryWhat keeps our fire strong

Capturing our learning

Water and Rock

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Suicide Story: What is it?

A suicide prevention program developed specifically with and for remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory by the Mental Health Association of Central Australia (MHACA)

An interactive, skills-based workshop, grounded in the practices of suicide prevention education research and ‘two-way’ learning, and comprised of

Storytelling

Group work

Short films and animation

Engages community members with service providers to discuss suicide risk and prevention strategies

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Suicide Story: Aims and Objectives

AIMS

To provide culturally appropriate ways for Aboriginal people to address the issue of suicide in their communities

To build on cultural strengths and stories

To provide communities with a suicide prevention resource

OBJECTIVES

Build on existing knowledge and wisdom of community ways

Define suicide in community terms and break down stigma

Strengthen emotional spirit and equip participants with ‘survival strategies’ of how to stay strong in hard times

Develop the skills to identify the warning signs of suicide and how best to respond

Ensure participants know their available resources

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Mia Mulladad, 2006

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Cultural Safety: Approach and Response

• Safety for you and the person at risk

• Stories of why they are feeling this way and stories of life

• Support in the family and the community

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Underpinned by the philosophy of Cultural Safety

Pre-workshop

• Consultation with community members • Traditional Owners and Elders• Local cultural knowledge • Information about incidence of suicide in the community• Assistance with language and interpretive needs and local resources

• Ensure program is wanted by community, appropriateness of workshop and timing

Facilitator Selection

• All Indigenous Facilitators

• Male to Female ratio

Post-workshop

• Follow up and adherence to community safety plan and goals around suicide prevention

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• Established in 2011 to ensure cultural safety and storytelling integrity throughout program implementation

• The SSAAG provides cultural advice, awareness and consultation, as well as continual guidance on program development

• SSAAG members are made up of individuals who represent a variety of roles in their community and work in a cross-section of organisations in community development, health and in social/ emotional well-being throughout the NT

• Association is voluntary and generally long-term

Suicide Story Aboriginal Advisory Group

(SSAAG)

• .

Contact Details

Janet Wright, Corporate Services Manager MHACANatalie Williams, Suicide Story Manager MHACA

14, Lindsay AvenueEastsideP: 0889504600E: info@mhaca.org.au