The 13th Annual Partnerships in Wellbeing Awards, sponsored by ACMHN and Eli Lilly

Applications for the 2013 awards will soon open

Applications for the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN) and Eli Lilly 13th Annual Partnerships in Wellbeing Awards for 2013 will open soon.

These unique awards recognise and support innovative programs that assist people living with a mental illness to optimise their lifestyles and improve their quality of life. The awards are designed to support programs that have not attracted significant funding from other sources and are a departure from core business. 

ACMHN CEO Kim Ryan says the Partnership in Wellbeing Awards recognise partnerships between mental health professionals and consumer and carers. 'These programs highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach and the need for consumers to be involved at all stages - these are not programs developed for consumers but with consumers', Ms Ryan says. 

The awards will be presented at the 39th International Conference on Mental Health Nursing being held in Perth from 22-24 October 2013. Almost 500 Mental Health Nurses and others working in mental health are expected to attend the Conference, which is an opportunity for participants to stay up to date on trends in clinical practice, research, education and explore the changing scope of mental health nursing.

Important Dates:

Nominations open: TBA

Nominations close: 22 July 2013

Winners notified: 16 August 2013

Awards announced at ACMHN Conference Dinner in Perth.

Previous awards

The 12th Annual Parternships in Wellbeing Awards, sponsored by ACMHN and Eli Lilly, were awarded at the ACMHN's 38th International Mental Health Nursing Conference in Darwin.

The Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN) and pharmaceutical company Lilly have awarded ROAM Communities Clubhouse Project the major Partnerships in Wellbeing Award for 2012.These unique awards recognise and support innovative programs that assist people living with a mental illness to optimise their lifestyles and improve their quality of life. The awards are designed to support programs that have not attracted significant funding from other sources and are a departure from core business.

ROAM Communities, established in 2005, is a not-for-profit mental health nursing charity dedicated to helping people recover social and emotional wellbeing in the community, avoiding hospitals and homelessness. The Clubhouse project started in July 2012 and provides consumers the opportunity to meet friends and engage in vocational education and employment groups through participation in a variety of psychosocial activities.

The minor Partnerships in Wellbeing Awards for 2012 went to Books on Prescription: Word for Wellbeing (Broome WA), the Art Therapy Group (Coffs Harbour NSW), Free Voice – Speak Out (Albury NSW) and Hearing Voices Group, Toowoomba (QLD).

The 11th Annual Parternships in Wellbeing Awards, sponsored by ACMHN and Eli Lilly, were awarded at the ACMHN's 37th International Mental Health Nursing Conference in Queensland.

The Women’s Wellbeing Group at St John of God Mental Health Service in Warrnambool were awarded the major Partnerships in Wellbeing Award for 2011, worth $6,000. These unique awards recognise and support innovative programs that assist people living with a mental illness to optimise their lifestyles and improve their quality of life. The awards are designed to support programs that have not attracted significant funding from other sources and are a departure from core business.

The Women’s Wellbeing Group was developed in May 2011 with a goal of promoting social inclusion and encouraging a healthy lifestyle in women who have become socially isolated due to their mental illness. ‘This program has already achieved some significant outcomes for clients and we hope this award will assist them to continue their good work’, ACMHN President Peter Santangelo said.

Two encouragement awards worth $3,000 each were awarded to the Dual Diagnosis Consumer and Carer Advisory Council run by the Eastern Dual Diagnosis Service in Victoria, and the Healthy Body Healthy Mind program run by Kaleidoscope Youth Health in New South Wales.