AICAFMHA:
promoting mental health for young Australians
Australian Infant, Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association Ltd
ABN 87 093 479 022
Objectives
The broad objectives of the Association are:
- to represent all professions working with Infants, Children and Adolescents and their families in the area of mental health, and all Consumers and Carers;
- to facilitate members and non-members sharing information and views in the area of Infant, Child, Adolescent and family mental health;
- to formulate principles of best practice, promote research, gather data, disseminate information to agencies and Professionals in contact with Infants, Children and Adolescents and to the public, and advise government and non-government bodies, in the area of Infant, Child, Adolescent and family mental health;
- to lobby for increased funding for practice and research in the area of Infant, Child, Adolescent and family mental health;
- to liaise with other organisations which represent the mental health interests of Infants, Children and Adolescents and their families, or of Consumers and Carers.
Specific objectives are detailed as follows:
1. Representation and Sharing
- To ensure representation within the organisation, from throughout Australia, of all professional disciplines working with the young and their families in the broad area of mental health, and of consumers and carers
- To provide ongoing forums in which all groups represented state their views and have open access to decision making processes within the organisation
- To organise information-sharing events and processes, such as conferences, workshops and newsletters for members and non members of the Association and to promote relevant publications
- To encourage and support the efforts of relevant groups aiming to set up formal organisations to represent their interests
- To develop partnerships with consumers of mental health services to better meet their needs and priorities
2. Principles and Data Regarding Best Practice
- To promote research consistent with the organisation and which values diversity and innovation. This would include lobbying for research/funding in service provision
- To formulate principles of best practice based upon scientific knowledge and understanding, that incorporate the experiences of consumers and carers, cognisant of the relevant national standards, for example those of the Community Health Accreditation Standards Program (CHASP) and the Australian Council of Healthcare Standards (ACHS) and the National Mental Health Standards
- To compile up-to-the-minute scientific data regarding the effectiveness of systems and interventions involved in service delivery and health promotion in this area
- To disseminate scientific knowledge about mental health issues to all agencies and professionals who have contact with young people
- To stand ready to develop specific briefing papers on issues concerning practice as they arise in government and non government sectors and as they arise in the public domain
3. Advocacy
- To lobby for increased funding for practice and research in this field
- To provide advice to government and non government bodies, concerning the mental health needs and the priorities of the young and their families, for policy making, planning, decision making and funding purposes
- To present to the general public relevant information and opinion as required, in order to facilitate an appreciation of a wide range of issues in young people’s mental health
- To seek representation on other relevant peak organisations concerned with mental health issues
- To encourage and support consumers of mental health services and carers to actively participate in the planning and development of mental health services
4. Collaboration with other organisations within Australia and overseas
- To liaise, on an ongoing basis, with other national organisations representing the interests of the young and their families or carers and those representing the interests of consumers of mental health services
- To liaise, as appropriate, with state based and local organisations representing the interests of the young and their families or carers and those representing the interests of consumers of mental health services
- To liaise with international and overseas organisations representing the mental health interests of the young and their families or carers, including the International Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions.
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