One in five Australians are living with mental illness, yet many do not seek help due to the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
Mental illness is defined as a “wide range of conditions that affect mood, thinking and behaviour” and, according to national mental health charity SANE Australia, mental illness is the leading cause of long-term workplace absence in most developed countries.
Today marks World Mental Health Day, providing communities around the world with the opportunity to shed a positive light on the subject, thereby encouraging people to seek help.
MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE
If mental illness is affecting someone within your workplace, it might be worth gaining external support from a HR specialist or an organisation such as The Mindful Employer.
External support can assist your business with strategies to enhance mental health in the workplace and create a safe and supportive workplace culture. For example, Mindful Employer offer one, three and six-hour workshops, all based on different topics to gain a deeper understanding of mental illness and approaches towards individuals with a mental illness in the workplace.
FAMILY BUSINESS
Succession planning can be challenging for many family businesses, particularly if it’s undertaken suddenly, due to illness or death, or if it highlights unresolved generational differences. Being prepared for the challenges and ensuring tactics are in place to manage mental wellness is an integral part of effective succession planning, and engaging a specialist who can moderate and manage the process can also assist in mitigating any negative effects.
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES – WA
Western Australians have access to services throughout the state, including in rural, regional and remote areas.
Metro WA
- Mental Health Emergency Response Line – 1300 555 788
- 360 Health & Community – Allied health and counselling services – 1300 706 922, 360.org.au
- Mental Health Commission – mhc.wa.gov.au
Rural, regional and remote WA
- Rural & Remote Mental Health – rrmh.com.au
- Rurallink – a specialist after hours mental health telephone service for people in rural communities – 1800 552 002
- WA Country Health Service assists across seven rural regions:
- Kimberly Health
- Pilbara Health
- Midwest Health
- Goldfields Health
- Wheatbelt Health
- South West Health
- Great Southern Health
Each region listed above has access to the local health directory to seek help.
Online & phone services
- Lifeline – 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636, beyondblue.org.au
- Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
- SANE Australia Helpline – 1800 187 263
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