AICAFMHA:
promoting mental health for young Australians
Australian Infant, Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association Ltd
ABN 87 093 479 022
COPMI Project Update - 15/03/2003
National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce
In response to a recommendation from the COPMI project and others, the 'National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce" document, released in the latter part of 2002, includes the following principle "Mental health professionals recognise and support the rights of children with a parent with a mental health problem or mental disorder to appropriate information, care and protection."
Within the Standards sections, corresponding references are made to children of parents with a mental illness (for examples see pages 9, 11, 12, 13, 18, 21, 23, 24, 26, and 38).
There's some information about the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce document on the Department of Health and Ageing Mental Health website at http://www.mentalhealth.gov.au/mhinfo/ems/work.htm and the document itself is now available for downloading at http://www.mentalhealth.gov.au/mhinfo/ems/pdfs/natpracstd.pdf
The COPMI Project Team has joined with others in commending the National Mental Health Education and Training Advisory group for their inclusion of references to children of parents with a mental illness within the document and in commending the Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council National Mental Health Working Group for endorsing the document.
Elizabeth Fudge
Project Manager,
COPMI Initiative
Ph (08) 8161 6859
Fax (08) 81616983
fudgee@wch.sa.gov.au
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