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Response from The Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Minister for Social Inclusion and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health Reform to a report Angela Dunleavey had written as a Councillor following a study tour of the UK and their model of care. Feb 2012.
Dear Ms Dunleavy
Thank you for your email of 9 November 2011 regarding your attendance at a Conversation on Ageing event in Berwick on 9 November 2011, and for providing a copy of your Working in Partnerships report. I apologise for the delay in responding.
The Australian Government recognises the need for fundamental reform of the aged care system in order to ensure that it continues to provide high quality care and can respond to the needs of Australia’s ageing population in a way that is sustainable for the future. The Government is already implementing reforms to the aged care system through a range of initiatives under National Health Reform. Further reform is necessary, however, which is why the Government asked the Productivity Commission to undertake its inquiry into aged care. The Productivity Commission’s Final Report, Caring for Older Australians, was released on 8 August 2011 and will be helpful in informing the way forward. A copy of the report is available on the Productivity Commission’s website at www.pc.gov.au
In developing its response to the Productivity Commission’s report, the Government has initiated meetings with key stakeholders and a national conversation with older Australians, their families and carers on the ageing reform agenda at forums across the country. These conversations have been Well received and provide an opportunity for me to hear ñrst hand the community’s thoughts on the ageing reform agenda.
Thank you again for attending the Conversation on Ageing event in Berwick on 9 November 2011, and for sharing your suggestions.
The Government is giving careful consideration to all feedback it has received on the Comrnission’s Final Report, and I am most appreciative of the participation of over 4,000 Australians in sharing opinions and Views at the national conversations. The Government is intent on ensuring that any reform of Australia’s aged care system will have the system Well equipped to meet the challenges of ageing.
Yours sincerely,
MARK BUTLER
A section of application to the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, by Angela Dunleavey, Jan 2011.
Angela Dunleavy and the team at Care Professionals have an excellent knowledge of the local service system that has been developed throughout years of networking in the local areas. Ms Dunleavy was a local Councillor in the City of Casey for a number of years and maintains extensive formal and informal links with this LGA and staff within its people services department. Whilst a Councillor, Ms Dunleavy was Chair of the Access and Equity Committee. Additionally Ms Dunleavy worked as Team Leader of HACC services at City of Greater Dandenong. Whilst in this role she successfully lobbied for the provision of in-home support for clients with a mental illness who were not previously seen as eligible HACC clients. In addition she was the Manager of Kardinia Shire HACC programs, responsible for delivery of all aspects e.g. home care, meals on wheels, community transport, respite care etc. prior to establishing Care Professionals. She is personally known to many of the staff in the Aged and Disability programs. During a ministerial visit by Minister Butler to the Berwick area in 2010, he requested a copy of her report on self-managed care which she wrote in 2004. The model she proposed at that time, now mirrors the current best practice Active Service Model in Aged Care.
Referrals for Care provision come from CACPS & EACH Case Managers, HACC providers, GPs and specialist Mental Health and Disability providers. Many of the referrals for private Case Management and other services come via word of mouth and Care Professionals are seen to be the agency of choice for people who have a ‘dual diagnosis’ or who have family that are ‘different'.
Other referrals come from the local Aged Care Centre and a Social Worker who is Medicare registered to provide services via the GP Mental Health care Plan.
Care Professionals are considered to be expert in the areas of advocacy, financial, physical and emotional abuse and Ms Dunleavy was invited to co-present at the 2008 Case Management Conference in Melbourne. This is testament to the expertise and high regard that Care Professionals holds in the community services sector.
Link = http://www.cmsa.org.au/Conference%202009/2009FinalProgramandAbstractsweb.pdf
The local Carer Respite Centre tends to approach Care Professionals to provide care in situations where there is urgency and a flexible approach required.
Care Professionals’ Mental Health Nurse, Ms Gerrie Earley. She is a clinical nurse specialist in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) – the most evidence based treatment for depression & anxiety disorders, has worked in a wide variety of mental health settings both public & private, at both clinical & managerial levels. Ms Earley has developed and delivered a CBT group treatment program, which she has then manualised. This was further developed and marketed as a Facilitator Training Program to Mental Health Nursing & Allied Health staff throughout Victoria and was extremely well evaluated by participants. Over 300 participants completed this 5 day training and are now delivering this program throughout Victoria & New South Wales. Most recently she was employed as a Credentialled GP Mental Health Nurse providing both individual & group CBT to people with a broad cross spectrum of mental health disorders. Ms Earley is a Master Mental Health First Aid trainer who delivers all our in-house Mental Health training, staff mentoring as well as one on one support when required.
Care Professionals and Ms Dunleavy is a member of Victorian Employers CCI.