The 2014 Act came into effect in July 2014. It introduced new principles to support people experiencing mental illness to make and participate in treatment decision (shared decision making) and to have their views and preferences considered and respected.
Statewide Mental Illness Learning Exchange
About aSmile
Welcome
We are pleased to announce the successful launch of www.asmile.org.au a state-wide mental health website developed in collaboration with other mental health organisations in Victoria on Friday 16th August 2019. Our goal with aSMILE website is to provide our visitors a holistic and easier way to browse information about Mental Illness and available services based on their own choice.
We will be constantly updating aSMILE content with helpful information, upcoming mental health events to foster improved communication between people with a mental illness and mental healthcare professionals.
We hope you find aSMILE website easy to access information and we also wish to establish this portal as a source of information for those who visit this website. We sincerely thank the auDA Foundation, Collier Charitable Foundation, the Lord Mayors, Mr Lawrence Court, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, and to ALL mental health clinicians from different organisations who donated their time and energy to make this website what it is.
Background
Australia has a number of excellent mental health websites, but most are limited to particular types of mental illness, and are often only focused on specific age groups or therapeutic program. Since 2006 St Vincent’s Mental Health – Melbourne (SVMH) has actively been involved in promoting a consumer driven care approach.
The success of our medication information program and the publication of approximately 80,000 copies of the ‘Psychiatric medication information – A Guide for Patients & Carers’ booklet encouraged the team to source funding to develop and launch the aSMILE (a Statewide Mental Illness Learning Exchange) web portal project. It will also provide an opportunity for meet the diverse need of our multicultural mental health communities.
The proposed framework is compiled by experienced mental health professionals in language that is both accurate and understandable. Topics are designed to enhance consumer, carer and community understanding of the mental health recovery approach.
aSMILE aims to improve consumer, carer and community understanding of mental health diagnosis and hospitalization processes, the psychological issues surrounding mental health, social guidance on financial, legal and employment matters, treatment options, discussion of the medications used to treat mental illness, and management of general physical health including side effects and metabolic syndromes.
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If you are having thoughts of suicide, or severe self-harm please follow your crisis plan. If you do not have a crisis plan please call your treating clinician, therapist, general practitioner, one of the numbers listed below or go to the Emergency Department of the nearest hospital. In a life-threatening emergency ring 000.
Phone numbers and other supports that can be contacted in a crisis:
Life Line: 13 11 14 | www.lifeline.org.au
Sane Helpline: 1800 187 263 | www.sane.org