Last year, the premier announced Labor would establish Australia’s first royal commission into Victoria’s mental health system if re-elected. Since Labor’s re-election, submissions to the commission have flooded in.
CEH welcomes the commitment to a commission. But we are also mindful that particular groups require a particular focus.
Currently the provision of culturally competent services that understand the implications of settlement or young people’s acculturation into a dominant culture are limited at best. Many multicultural community members suffer compounded stigma, are not aware of wellbeing strategies and don’t know where to seek help. In addition, most arrive in Australia with a collectivist view of the world, while our services are usually delivered with a strong focus on the individual.
CEH offers its support to the commission to engage with diverse communities throughout the process, ensuring the needs of people from refugee and migrant backgrounds and mobile populations are heard. We believe it is critical that the findings reflect all of Victoria’s needs in the mental health space.