Queensland Mental Health Commission Forum Opportunity

Expressions of interest to attend a consultation forum to inform the renewal of Shifting minds

The Queensland Mental Health Commission is inviting people with lived experience of mental ill-health and carers of people with lived
experience for a conversation about the next phase of mental health, alcohol and other drugs (AOD), and suicide prevention reform in Queensland. 

Expressions of interest are invited for people with lived experience to attend a consultation forum on:

Monday 5 December 2022
1:00pm to 4:00pm
Either in person (Brisbane CBD venue) or online (Microsoft Teams)

Background and purpose

As Shifting minds: Queensland Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs Strategic Plan 2018-2023 comes to a completion next year, the Commission is working to develop a renewed whole-of-government and whole-of-sector strategic plan for the next five years. The plan will outline the priority actions for system reform and approaches needed to improve mental health and wellbeing and to prevent and reduce the impact of mental illness, problematic AOD use and suicide.

The Commission is seeking to consult with people with lived experience to inform what strategic directions and priorities are to be included in the renewed plan. This consultation is part of a series of facilitated consultation forums being conducted throughout Queensland, in addition to targeted stakeholder consultations to inform development.

A renewed Shifting minds is expected to be presented for Government consideration in the first quarter of 2023. Work has already begun in partnership with peak lived experience agencies including Roses in the Ocean, Mental Health Lived Experience Peak Queensland, ARAFMI, and Queensland Injectors Voice for Advocacy and Action through their participation on the Renewal of Shifting Minds Reference Group. The Commission is now seeking more targeted feedback from individuals with lived experience about what reforms would make the biggest impact. It is important to note that this is consultation to refresh and contemporise directions for the next iteration of Shifting minds and is based (among other things) on information that has been provided by people with lived experience as part of recent inquiries and reviews. 

 Time commitment

This will be a once-off commitment consisting of 3-hours attendance at the consultation forum and additional time to read written material which will be sent prior to the forum. Participants will listen to brief presentations to provide context and participate in small groups discussions which will be scribed by Commission staff on the day. There will be some reading required. The forum will be co-facilitated by a person with lived experience alongside Jan Archer (Archersfield Consulting). 

Remuneration and support

Participants will be paid for their attendance is identified under the Commission’s Paid Participation Policy. Participants will be paid at the General participation rate as outlined in the policy. Travel support may be available for members as outlined in the policy. Debriefing support will be available to participants if required.

How to apply

• Write a short statement (no more than 300 words), or a 2-3 minute video, detailing:
• Preference to attend in-person or online
• How your experience, including your lived experience, knowledge, abilities, or personal qualities would enable you to contribute and participate at the forum
• Whether you identify as: living in a regional, rural, or remote area of Queensland, youth, LGBTIQ+, culturally and linguistically diverse, having a disability, or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. 
• Any supports you may need to assist you to participate, including any environmental or physical support.

Submit your Expression of Interest to the Commission by email to: [email protected], no later than Friday 11 November 2022. 

For assistance, please contact Elizabeth Truong by phone 1300 855 945 or email: [email protected].