By Nicola Ballenden
In this monthly update, I share highlights from Mind Australia’s advocacy work over the past month – including the key issues we’re speaking up on, the conversations shaping the sector, and the opportunities we see to improve outcomes for people experiencing mental health challenges, as well as their families and carers.
Elevating the voices and perspectives of people with psychosocial disability as NDIS changes take shape
In August, we were pleased to welcome Graeme Head, CEO of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), along with Penelope McKay, Deputy CEO, Partners and Providers, and Scott Fitzpatrick, Acting General Manager, Home and Community Support, to The Haven Foundation’s residence in Epping (Victoria).
This visit was an opportunity for the NDIA team to hear from Haven Epping residents about the difference supported housing is making for people living with mental health challenges and psychosocial disability.
We were grateful for the opportunity to talk openly about the particular needs and challenges faced by people with psychosocial disability in the NDIS, and heartened by the NDIA team’s interest in wanting to better understand these experiences.
As changes to the NDIS take shape, it’s important that the voices and perspectives of people with psychosocial disability remain at the centre of these reforms. Mind’s Policy and Strategy team will continue working closely with staff who support NDIS participants, drawing on their experience to inform our evidence and recommendations to government throughout the consultation phase.
We look forward to continuing to work with the NDIA to improve people’s experiences of the Scheme, including access and the quality and appropriateness of supports.
World Suicide Prevention Day and the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement
Each year, World Suicide Prevention Day provides an important opportunity to remember people lost to suicide, stand with people experiencing suicidal thoughts, and recognise the families, carers and communities affected by suicide.
Suicide prevention means more than responding when someone reaches a point of crisis. It means ensuring people can access the right support, at the right time, in the community where they live.
The National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement (NMHSPA) is central to how our states and territories work together to improve mental health and suicide prevention, but the next agreement continues to be pushed down the list of priorities for our governments.
In marking World Suicide Prevention Day 2026, Mind and One Door Mental Health called on state and federal governments to put people and communities at the centre of the next agreement – with clear accountability, sustainable funding and access to the community-based mental health and psychosocial supports people need to stay connected, recover and live well in the community.
Click here to read our full statement for World Suicide Prevention Day.
Victorian election - our mental health priorities for Victoria
With the 2026 Victoria State Election approaching, we’re calling on all parties and candidates to commit to urgent and sustained investment in mental health.
Our Victorian Election Platform sets out five priority areas where we believe investment and reform and drive meaningful change over the next four years for people, families and carers, and communities across Victoria.
Our priorities are to:
- Expand Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals in priority areas
- Provide specialist support for mental health supported housing
- Increase youth mental health supported housing
- Improve outcomes through strengthening and empowering lived experience
- Increase the efficiency of government-commissioned mental health services.
These priorities reflect what we hear from people with lived experience, families and carers, and from our own experience delivering services and providing supports.
We know that meaningful change requires more than short-term responses. It requires sustained investment in the services, support and housing people need to live well in the community, alongside genuine opportunities for people with lived experience to shape the systems that affect their lives.
As we head towards the Victorian State Election, we’ll continue to engage with all parties and candidates to keep mental health on the agenda and advocate for the investment and reform needed to improve outcomes for people across Victoria.
To support the push for greater political prioritisation of mental health, we encourage everyone with concerns about the state’s mental health system to raise these with the candidates and parties contesting the election in your community.