National Mental Health Month is an initiative of the Mental Health Foundation Australia (MHFA) to advocate for and raise awareness of Australian mental health. It is an important time where the Australian community comes together to raise awareness that #MentalHealthMatters.
The National Mental Health Month is unlike many other mental health awareness campaigns.
The National Mental Health Month is a program that the MHFA is extremely proud of and we intend to reach out to and educate as many Australians as possible, to help reduce stigma and facilitate positive and non-judgemental discussion surrounding the important topic of mental health in Australia. With one in five Australians experiencing a mental health illness, it is time we give mental health due attention, and that is exactly what the MHFA is wanting to achieve.
Throughout this month, many events have been organised in each state of Australia aiming to attract and unite Australians of all ages and backgrounds to raise awareness of mental health for all.
THEME - MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS
The theme for this year’s National Mental Health Month Awareness Campaign is Mental Health Matters. This theme encapsulates and highlights the gravity of the topic of mental health, and how important it is to address in the Australian community. With this theme in mind, we aim to extend our campaign even wider than previous years, with events planned to embrace many different community groups and people of all ages to raise awareness that #MentalHealthMatters.
NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH MONTH 2020 POSTER - Download here
VISION, MISSION, VALUES
Better mental health for all.
The MHFA continually work towards the motto of promoting better mental health for all by:
- Advocating for mental health
- Raising awareness of mental health
- Providing education on mental health
- Fostering mental health resilience; and
- Providing mental health support to consumers, carers, professionals and general community
This year’s National Mental Health Month combines all of these five aspects in one comprehensive campaign, aiming to reach as many Australians as we can.
PURPOSE
- To activate, educate and engage Australians about mental health and wellbeing through a month of interactive events across the country by exercising the MHFA framework
- To further fight mental health related stigma
- To engage local, state and federal government to create more awareness and advise all levels of government of what needs to change in the area of mental health
- To plan a white paper document at the end of National Mental Health Month 2020 to deepen our understanding of the importance of mental wellbeing in the general Australian community as well as in specific CALD communities
- To strengthen the mental health scene in Australia, by collaborating with all mental health organisations
- To help assign more funding towards mental health initiatives, support services and awareness campaigns in Australia
OBJECTIVES
- To promote mental health and increase public awareness of mental illness
- To develop and deliver mental health education programs to support Australians of all ages
To allow engagement in activities aiming to promote a positive attitude towards mental health and the importance of a healthy lifestyle
- To provide support services, educational material and resources to Australians not only experiencing a mental health struggle but also their families, friends and anyone wanting to learn more about mental health
- To provide opportunities for overt discussion about the status of mental health services in Australia and what improvements are required
- To engage Australians through ventures such as the Creative Writers Competition and Consumer Arts Competition to facilitate discussion of mental health in various ways
- To collaborate and liaise with and make submissions to all levels of Government and councils for the best possible achievable outcome of National Mental Health Month 2020
- To communicate with Australians regularly regarding National Mental Health Month 2020 to allow for greater reach
- To incorporate the theme of #MentalHealthMatters in all of our events during National Mental Health Month 2020
