10 June 2015
The mental health and wellbeing of people living in regional, rural and remote communities will come under the spotlight at an important conference in Port Lincoln this month.
The third Sustainable Mental Health – Sustainable Communities Conference: Let’s Walk the Talk of Service Integration will provide an opportunity for mental health clinicians, carers and consumers to share their experiences of how rural mental health services can work together.
The conference is being facilitated by the University of South Australia’s Department of Rural Health (DRH) and the Country North SA Partners in Recovery Program.
UniSA DRH mental health academic Lee Martinez says the conference will provide a space to explore what and how the integration of services at both operational and clinical governance levels contributes to the mental health and wellbeing of people living in regional, rural and remote communities.
“The conference will explore how incorporating integration into practice contributes to sustainable mental health and sustainable communities,” Martinez says.
“There will be opportunities for people who work and live in mental health including clinicians, managers and people with a lived experience of mental illness to network and showcase how ‘Walking the Talk of Service Integration’ contributes to sustainable mental health and sustainable communities.”
Martinez says she hopes the conference will “inspire, create discussion and inform”.
“Ultimately this conference will come up with some recommendations on how mental health services can walk the talk of service integration for regional, rural and remote communities,” she says.
“These recommendations will be presented to the relevant mental health leaders and decision makers at local, state and national level.”
Eight keynote international, national and local speakers have been secured for the conference, which is being held at the Port Lincoln Hotel on June 25-26.
For more information on the conference and to register, go to the website.
Contact for interview Lee Martinez office (08) 8302 6008 email lee.martinez@unisa.edu.au
Media Contact Kelly Stone office (08) 8302 0963 mobile 0417 861 832 email Kelly.stone@unisa.edu.au
