What We Do
MHCC aims to:
• Advocate for policy development and legislative reform;
• Represent sector views to government and the broader community and health sector through consultation with consumers, carers, and other stakeholders;
• Build sector capacity through partnerships, collaboration, and workforce development;
• Facilitate change through policy initiatives and projects;
• Inform the sector on strategic directions in community mental health and disseminate information;
• Research, publish and report on current directions in community mental health and wider mental health and related areas;
• Provide accredited training in recovery oriented practice, traineeships and a range of educational products; and,
• Support and nurture its member organisations to deliver recovery oriented services and work in collaboration with consumers, carers, other organisations and the community.
Detailed information on what we do is provided throughout this website. A summary is pr
ovided below with links to follow for further information. You might also like to look at the following:
Leadership and representation
MHCC provides leadership and representation to its membership, and seeks to improve, promote and develop quality mental health services to the community. Facilitating effective linkages between government, non - government and private sectors, MHCC participates extensively in public policy development.
Central to MHCC’s leadership role in the sector is as a primary advocate for legislative reform and policy development, to bring about meaningful improvements to population mental health by promoting systemic advances to mental health service provision in the community. This work requires MHCC to build healthy relationships with government and non-government organisations, policy makers and politicians, lobby government and advocate for its constituents by representation on boards, committees and working groups, both state and nationally. Through ongoing liaison and sector representation we aim to promote and develop NGOs thus increasing the profile of the work we do.
Consultation
The organisation regularly consults with all sectors in order to respond to legislative reform and sits on numerous National, State (NSW) and State Government Department (NSW) committees and boards in order to affect systemic change. We also facilitate various consultations with our members in order to respond to various issues.
Working with and developing the sector
MHCC manages and conducts research and develops collaborative projects on behalf of the sector. MHCC also participates in other organisations’ research through advisory, steering and reference groups.
MHCC is responsible for the NSW NGO Development Strategy, an initiative funded by, and run in partnership with MHDAO. Through this strategy the organisation is working to build the profile and capacity of NGOs providing mental health rehabilitation and recovery services and improve linkage and collaboration between NGOs, Area Mental Health Services and other relevant agencies.
In 2006 a Learning and Development Unit (LDU) was established in partnership with MHDAO in recognition of the need for sector training that reflects evidence based best practice with regard to theoretical approaches and methodology for working with people living in the community who have mental health problems. The LDU is now an accredited RTO and the first graduate ceremony was held in April 2008.
Appropriate learning and training based on research evidence of what has been shown to be effective in improving the quality of life of consumers and carers is a major step towards improving community mental health in NSW. Training is conducted broadly across the state in response to identified need, particularly in rural and regional NSW.
MHCC provides other educational opportunities and initiatives through: conferences; seminars; forums; workshops; the quarterly ‘View from the Peak’ newsletter; publications; submissions and sector information freely available to the community via this website.
2012 MHCC Members Survey
The 2012 MHCC member survey was conducted between 4th May and 8th June.
MHCC Member Survey Report 2012