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 - 29/11/2002

Literature

An interesting article that's recently been brought to my attention is Michael Rutter's 'The Interplay of Nature, Nurture and Developmental Influences: The Challenge Ahead for Mental Health' from the Archives of General Psychiatry Vol. 59, November 2002, p 996-999. He summarizes some of the key findings already available, focusing particularly on the interplay between the issues of nature, nurture and development and discusses some of the challenges ahead for those researching the causal processes behind mental health and illness.

As I mentioned in my last update, I was fortunate to be invited by the Victorian DHS to attend the launch of their 'High Risk Infants Service Quality Initiatives Report' and provide a presentation about infants of parents with a mental illness and the COPMI project. The evaluation reports of both the Project and the 'Parenting Assessment and Skill Development program' are now downloadable from their website: www.dhs.vic.gov.au/hrisqi

Booklet Development

Work has begun on the development of the booklet for adults with a mental illness who have children under 3 years, or who are currently pregnant or are considering parenthood. We have a wide range of people from across Australia who have indicated a willingness to help develop the draft booklet, review and comment on the booklet and/or help pilot test the booklet with people from their group or service in 2003. If you'd like to be involved in any of these aspects of the booklet's development (or the development of any of the other resources within the COPMI project), please contact me - see contact details below.

Western Australian Initiatives

On the 18th November, two important initiatives were released by the WA Government. The first is a document called "Pathways to Resilience" which outlines what the government aims to do to address some of the needs of children affected by parental mental illness and the second is a 'Supporting Our Family Package', based on the package developed by COMIC in South Australia but including WA specific information. Congratulations to all in W.A. who assisted the Department with these new initiatives. Copies of both are available from the Department of Health, 189 Royal Street, East Perth WA 6004, phone (08) 9222 4222

Elizabeth Fudge
Project Manager,
COPMI Initiative
Ph (08) 8161 6859
Fax (08) 81616983
fudgee@wch.sa.gov.au