National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy
An Overview of the Strategy
As a part of the Social Inclusion Agenda, the Australian Government is developing a National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy (the Strategy). The Strategy is being developed in close consultation with consumers, peak bodies, employers, state and territory governments and experts.
The Strategy aims to address the barriers faced by people with disability and/or mental illness that make it harder for them to gain and keep work.
The Hon Brendan O’Connor MP, Minister for Employment Participation and the Hon Bill Shorten MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services are jointly overseeing the development of the Strategy. They released the Terms of Reference for the Strategy on 15 February 2008.
You can download a copy of the Terms of Reference by clicking on the following links:
You can also read the Minister and Parliamentary Secretary’s press release (this link will take you to a new web site):
What have we done so far?
Consultation process
Thirteen face to face consultation sessions were held around Australia in April and May 2008. Approximately 740 individuals, covering some 380 organisations, accepted invitations to attend the consultation sessions. The consultation sessions included representation from a wide range of stakeholders including people with disability and/or mental illness and employers.
The Government also invited people to contribute their ideas in writing and received over 300 submissions in response to the following discussion paper. Submissions closed on 30 June 2008.
You can read what the Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary said about the consultation process in the following press release (this link will take you to a new web site):
Setting the Direction for the Strategy
On 22 December, the Hon Brendan O’Connor MP, Minister for Employment Participation, and the Hon Bill Shorten MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, released a paper that sets the direction for the National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy.
This paper, developed as a result of the consultation process, sets the direction for a National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy to be released in 2009. The directions set out are intended to reflect closely the priorities of the community.
The paper also details some important elements of the Strategy that have already been achieved and what is currently being implemented.
You can download a copy of the paper by clicking on the following links:
Hard copies of the paper, including alternate formats, can be ordered by calling 1300 363 079 (TTY 1800 554 609), or emailing employmentstrategy@deewr.gov.au
You can also read the Minister and Parliamentary Secretary’s press release (this link will take you to a new web site):
Accessibility
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