Submissions
NT Mental Health Coalition writes submissions in line with our policy position statements and in consultation with our membership. We advocate locally and nationally for effective public policy on mental health issues.
We always like to hear new perspectives and feedback regarding our consultations, submissions and advocacy priorities.
We welcome you to contact us or sign up to our monthly newsletter to stay informed about upcoming consultations and submissions.
2023
Submission to DSS on Stronger More Diverse and Independent Community Sector
NTMHC provided a submission to the Department of Social Services issues paper on A stronger, more diverse and independent community sector. The submission focuses on the context of organisations providing services in the Northern Territory. It is noted that significant research and reporting including the Productivity Commission into the Expenditure on Children in the NT have gathered evidence and made recommendations that are referenced in general through the submission below.
Submission on NT Lived Experience Framework
NT Health is developing a Lived Experience Framework to ensure mental health and suicide prevention services are meaningful, culturally safe, respectful and accessible for all Territorians. NT Mental Health Coalition made this submission in consultation with our members, stakeholders as well as representatives of the lived experience community, including Peer Workers. The submission is intended to capture the themes from consultation, highlighting evidence and other examples of best practice, and makes recommendations of amendments to the framework.
Submission to the NDIS Review
A joint submission presented on behalf of NTMHC, NT Dept of Health and NTPHN focusing on psychosocial disability in the NT. NTMHC consulted with members and stakeholders to formulate a response to key questions relating to equity of access and navigation; supply of services, service models and workforce; Tier 2 supports outside of NDIS; and intersection with social determinants.
Youth Justice and Child Wellbeing Reform across Australia
NT Mental Health Coalition responds to specific questions posed by the Australian Human Rights Commission on Youth Justice and Child Wellbeing Reform across Australia. Evidence from numerous reports and the NT Royal Commission is clear on factors that lead to overincarceration of youth, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in the Northern Territory.
2022
Draft Anti-Discrimination Amendment Bill 2022
NTMHC responds to questions asked in the online public survey in relation to proposed changes to the NT Anti-Discrimination Act (the Act), supporting the intent of the amendments to bring the Act into line with contemporary standards and expectations. Amending the Act will provide a mechanism to protect people from harm including harm to their mental health.
2021
Proposed NDIS legislative improvement and the Participants Service Guarantee
The NDIS submission concentrated on the psychosocial aspects of the proposed changes. While there was a general agreement that the changes are on the whole positive, there were also some concerns with the implications of some of the changes. With the understanding that legislation needs to be drafted in a way that is interpretable, our consultations revealed high levels of concern over the level of ambiguity than is normally expected.
National Mental Health Workforce Strategy
The National Mental Health Workforce Submission focussed on prioritising a locally grown rural and remote mental health workforce. While not all skill shortages can be serviced locally, it is possible for future shortages to be minimised through stronger local rural and remote mental health workforce development from the outset. The Coalition noted that the Workforce Strategy neglected much of the psychosocial space, and also acknowledged that the Strategy did not address the concerns that Covid has impacted on the ability of Australia to attract skilled migrants.
Submission to Mental Health and Related Services Act 1998 (NT) Review
This submission is another demonstration of the Coalition’s commitment to partnership with the NT Government in its mission “to establish a better understanding of mental health and mental illness by increasing mental health literacy, reducing the stigma associated with mental illness and to ensure that the mental health service system is responsive, coordinated, provides timely and high quality, culturally safe and appropriate care at the right place and at the right time.” (NT Mental Health Strategic Plan 2019-2025).
National Voice to Parliament Submission
The Coalition supports the three key positions proposed and stipulates that enshrining a National Voice to Parliament through constitutional recognition will have widespread benefits for the social and emotional well- being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. This can only be done through legitimate and credible constitutional recognition, which advances self-determination and has the overwhelming support of the Australian public.
2020
Community Managed Mental Health Services Review
The Department of Health (NT) invited the Coalition to engage with community mental health sector providers delivering NT Government-funded programs to develop a service profile, analyse operational drivers and examine performance against service agreements.
National Workplace Initiative – Consultation on Core Framework
The NDIS submission concentrated on the psychosocial aspects of the proposed changes. While there was a general agreement that the changes are on the whole positive, there were also some concerns with the implications of some of the changes. With the understanding that legislation needs to be drafted in a way that is interpretable, our consultations revealed high levels of concern over the level of ambiguity than is normally expected.
Response to Draft NT Aboriginal Justice Agreement
Highlighting the recent findings of the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health, particularly in relation to mental health and justice, we also suggest that in addition to the strategies identified in the draft Aboriginal Justice Agreement, the Agreement would benefit from taking a more holistic, trauma informed response approach that includes additional strategies outlined in our response.
Submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry: Social and Economic Benefits of Improving Mental Health
This submission identifies concerns that reforms will not adequately address mental health needs in rural and remote areas of the Northern Territory, and in some cases may make services even more difficult to access.
Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on NDIS Workforce
The Northern Territory is poorly equipped for the transition to the NDIS market-based approach to providing services for people experiencing psychosocial distress. Centralised program design, planning and implementation has failed to take into account the on-ground realities of remote and rural communities operating in a resource-poor jurisdiction.
Submission to Homelessness Inquiry
Submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs highlighting the need for greater investment in both mental health and housing and homelessness services in the Northern Territory.
Proposed Service Model for Adult Mental Health Centres
NTMHC response to proposed service model for trialling Adult Mental Health Centres and the establishment of the new Adult Mental Health Centre in the Greater Darwin area.
2019
Needs Assessment Mental Health Peer Support Workforce
This needs assessment of the mental health peer support workforce in the Northern Territory aims to identify pathways for people wanting to enter into the mental health peer support workforce, the skills gaps that exist in the current workforce and the professional development opportunities that are available to ensure the workforce is appropriately skilled, qualified and utilised in line with national mental health standards and practices.