The Australian Psychological Society puts the latest in psychological research and practice at the disposal of members and the Australian community. It speaks out on public debates on topics that affect the health and wellbeing of Australians of all kinds.
Advocacy on public health issues
This year the APS has advocated actively on topics relating to same-sex marriage, end-of-life care, perinatal care, institutional child sexual abuse and family law to ensure that the mental health and wellbeing of those affected are protected.
Public education
This year, the APS brought psychology to the people via a series of free public talks designed to provide breakthrough insights on topics of serious public concern in Australia. Dr Michael Yapko’s compelling case for how Australians might best treat and prevent depression was recorded and shared with the wider community.
Fighting stigma
The Believe in Change campaign has worked to end stigma and encourage help-seeking. For Mental Health Week, the APS hosted a public event ‘Why I Believe in Change’ at which prominent Australians, including Olympian Libby Trickett and entrepreneur Leanne Faulkner, spoke of their experiences seeking help for mental health challenges. This is a critical step in ensuring Australians are free to seek the support required to address mental health issues.
Promoting better health policy
The APS continues to work proactively to ensure policy supports mental health. On behalf of the Australian Government, it was tasked with reviewing the evidence and making recommendations about the triage and treatment of those presenting with mental health issues in the health sector. It has also been engaged to develop an accreditation process for ‘low intensity’ services in mental health care.
Spreading psychological knowledge
Members contributed their expertise to our free psychology news website, Psychlopaedia, which offers evidence-based psychological information and tips to help members of the Australian community live happier, healthier and more meaningful lives. This material is offered under a creative commons licence to ensure free republication and dissemination in the public of this vital information. Members also participated in hundreds of media interviews and appearances.
Celebrating psychology
Psychology Week is the annual public education event. We again commissioned original research to improve the public understanding of issues that affect the wellbeing of Australians. This year, Psychology Week focused on ways to thrive in a digital age, providing teens and adults with tips to manage their social media use in a way conducive to mental health. Again APS members facilitated hundreds of events in local communities around Australia to promote these insights and psychological health and wellbeing in the Australian community.
Highlights in 2018
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- Following ongoing advocacy, the APS was awarded a tender to support the implementation of the Commonwealth Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse. This will include a systematic review on the effects of child sexual abuse, the development of tools and resource to help mental health professionals treat people with complex trauma and also establishment of a database of appropriate mental health professionals to help survivors.
- The APS has been selected by the Australian Government’s Department of Health to undertake an evidence review and consultative process to develop recommendations for an agreed accreditation process for the delivery of low intensity services to ensure they meet best practice quality and safety standards. This will be done in consultation with mental health peak bodies, service providers and Primary Health Networks (PHNs).
- The Australian Government Department of Health has funded a project with the aim of developing national guidance and resources that will support the implementation by Primary Health Networks and other partners with systems for the assessment, triage and referral of clients presenting for assistance within the stepped care model.
- The APS drew on APS Member Groups, including the College of Forensic Psychologists, the Family Law and Psychology Interest Group and the Women and Psychology Interest Group, to provide a detailed response to the Australian Law Reform Commission’s Review of the Family Law System, the first major review of the Family Law Act since its inception in 1975. The APS submission advocated for a non-adversarial family law system that is trauma-informed, responsive to children in a developmentally appropriate manner and where complex needs, such as mental illness and family violence, are detected and addressed earlier in the process.
- The APS developed a range of resources and contributed public statements as part of its work during the same-sex marriage debate and postal vote campaign. This information for psychologists and the public contributed evidence from a range of existing resources on human rights, the mental health impacts of discrimination, and same-sex parenting.
- With assisted dying legislation currently in a number of state parliaments, a roundtable on end-of-life care and choices was held. This event identified implications for the profession of any change in the law, and discussed possible resources to prepare psychologists to work in this space.
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