Carers' Network Member Directory

Anxiety Recovery Centre Victoria (ARCVic)
http://www.arcvic.com.au/

ARCVic is a state-wide community mental health organisation, providing support, recovery, early intervention and educational services to people and families living with anxiety disorders. ARCVic is a charitable, non-profit organisation, funded by the Department of Human Services, and supported by membership, donations and sponsorships.

ARCVic currently provides a range of services, which include the OCD & Anxiety HelpLine (Telephone Counselling, Information and Referral Service), Support and Social Groups open to people with anxiety disorders and their carers and families, recovery programs and workshops, a family and carer support and education program for families and carers of people with obsessive compulsive disorder, community education, information & library services including information kits, books and videos. ARCVic produces a regular newsletter, which includes articles, stories and up to date research information. ARCVic also provides advocacy, professional education, consultation and training for primary care and mental health professionals, secondary consultations and training programs, and early intervention programs.

ARCVic’s current representative on the Network is Michelle Graeber. She can be contacted at:

42 High Street Road, Ashwood, Vic, 3147.
Postal address: PO Box 358, Mt Waverley, Vic, 3149
Ph: (03) 9886 9233
Fax: 03 9886 9411
Email: arcmail@arcvic.com.au

For personal carer support, information or advocacy, it is better to call the OCD & Anxiety HelpLine: 03 9886 9377 (Mon to Thurs, 10.00 am to 4.00 pm).

ARAFEMI - the Association of Relatives and Friends of the Emotionally and Mentally Ill (ARAFEMI) Victoria Incorporated
http://www.arafemi.org.au/

ARAFEMI’s mission is to promote and improve the well being of families and individuals affected by mental illness.

ARAFEMI offers telephone support and information, individual counselling, mutual support and education groups, and short courses for family members. For people who have experienced mental illness, ARAFEMI provides psychosocial rehabilitation and tenancy management to people in the Cities of Boroondara, Whitehorse and Darebin, psychosocial rehabilitation services to people living in their own housing within the Cities of Boroondara, Whitehorse and Manningham, and an Intensive Outreach Service to people experiencing mental health and housing difficulties in the local government areas of Darebin, Banyule, Whittlesea and Nillumbik. ARAFEMI also offers its members access to the ARAFEMI library and a quarterly newsletter.

ARAFEMI's current representative on the Network is Warren Jenkins. He can be contacted at:
Ground Floor, 270 Auburn Road, Hawthorn, Vic, 3122.
Postal address: PO Box 83, Hawthorn, Vic, 3122.
Ph: (03) 9810 9300
Fax: 03 9810 9399
Email: admin@arafemi.org.au

For personal carer support, information and referral, it is better to call the ARAFEMI Victoria Carer HelpLine: 03 9810 9314 (Mon to Fri, 9.00 am to 5.00 pm)

Carers Victoria
http://www.carersvic.org.au/index.htm

Carers Victoria is the key state-wide organisation in Victoria that has informal carers as its primary focus. Carers of people with a mental illness are part of a diverse group of people in our community who provide unpaid care and support to family members or friends who have a chronic or acute illness, disability, or who are frail aged.

Carers Victoria offers direct services to support carers in their caring role via their Careline that provides information, support, referrals, and resources, and the state-wide counselling program. Support to carers of people with a mental illness forms a large part of the state-wide work. Carers Victoria is also a Registered Training Organisation providing professional development and accredited training for workers and a wide range of education programs for carers. These are tailored to meet the needs of specific carer groups, and have been attended by many mental health carers among whom Assertiveness, Self Care and Advocacy workshops prove very popular. A Speakers Bank and advocacy programs serve to increase awareness of carers and carers issues and push for system change. Carers Victoria also encourages innovative, high quality service delivery through policy and research conducted independently and in collaboration with Carers Australia and other bodies.

Carers Victoria current representative is Maria Bohan. She can be contacted on:
Ph: (03) 9396500
Fax: (03) 9396 9555
Email: cav@carersvic.org.au

For personal support, information or advocacy, it is better to call 1800 242 636.

Carers Choice / Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre

Carers?Choice provides support and information to carers of people with a mental illness living in the Grampians region. Assistance is primarily offered as group support (self help support groups). It also provides information and education to carers about specific illnesses and carer services, referral to respite options, advocacy on carer issues, and resources to carers (books, videos, etc). Carers?Choice assists carers to make informed choices in their caring role, as well as being involved in community development and providing links to carer services and peak bodies.

Carers Choice current Network representative is Nola Kervarec, Mental Health Carer Resource Worker, Grampians Region. She can be contacted at:
Carers Choice
PO Box 199
BALLARAT 3353
Phone : (03) 53 337104
Email : nolak@bhs.grampianshealth.org.au

Dr. Peter McKenzie

Dr Peter McKenzie is an anthropologist, family therapist and carer who holds the Carer Academic position (mental health) at The Bouverie Centre, La Trobe University. He has significant personal and professional experience in the mental health sector and sees the Carer Academic position having a leading role in: fostering and promoting recognition and effective responses to carer families and their involvement and participation in mental health services and the community.

Peter McKenzie can be contacted via the Bouverie Family Centre on: Ph: (03) 9385 5100. Email: p.mckenzie@latrobe.edu.au

Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria (EDFV)
http://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/

The Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria (EDFV) is a non-profit incorporated association that supports those whose lives are affected by eating disorders, and informs the community about these disorders. The Foundation's community-based board of management comprises people who have a personal or professional interest in eating disorder issues.

The EDFV offers support groups for people experiencing an eating disorder and for families and friends, telephone & e-mail support, referral and information line, education sessions for carers, people experiencing an eating disorder, workers, the general community, a library/resource centre, and a regular newsletter.

EDFV current representative on the Network is Helen Franks. She can be contacted at:
1513 High St
Glen Iris Vic 3146
Ph: (03) 9885 6563
Fax: (03) 9885 1153
E-mail: edfv@eatingdisorders.org.au

For personal support, information or advocacy, it is better to call the speak to a Helpline operator on (03) 9885 0318 or non-metro callers in Vic 1300 550 236, (Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.00pm.)

Helen Lococo

Helen sits on the Network as a carer who also represents the Westgate Support Group Inc for Carers of People with a Mental Illness, one of the founding member groups of the Network. Helen has been an outreach worker supporting people with mental illness and also a carer resource worker in the northern metropolitan region. Helen works as a carer consultant for Mercy Mental Health - South West Metropolitan Area and the Alfred Psychiatry - Inner South Area of Melbourne.

Helen can be contacted through Mercy Mental Health on:
Ph: (03) 8734 1576 email: hlococo@mercy.com.au or
The Alfred Psychiatry on Ph: (03) 9076 4740 email: h.lococo@alfred.org.au

Jenny Burger

Jenny Burger is a carer who works as a Carer Consultant in North West Area Mental Health Service in Coburg and Broadmeadows. She was previously Deputy Director of the then Schizophrenai Fellowship of Victoria from 1988 - 99 and a member of the Steering Committee which evaluated the National Mental Health Strategy. Jenny was Chair of the Board of Reach Out - Southern Mental Health until 2005 - a psychiatric disability rehabilitation and support service for consumers and carers in Cheltenham. Advocacy and education for clinicians consumers and carers around confidentiality was and still is a key focus of her work. She was Chair of the Organising Committee of the Network's statewide Carers' Conferences in 2002 and 2005 and Chair of the Carer Consultants Network in Victoria in 2005/06. She was on the Ministerial Advisory Committee's Sub-Committee for Consumers and Carers; a carer representative on the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum; and carer representative on the Local Organising Committee of the World Psychiatric Association Congress in Melbourne in November 2007.

Jenny Burger can be contacted at North West Area Mental Health Service on:
Ph: (03) 9355 9700.

Mental Illness Fellowship
http://www.mifellowship.org/map2.htm

The Mental Illness Fellowship is Victoria's leading membership-based not-for-profit organisation and its mission is to work with people with mental illness, their families and friends to improve their wellbeing. The Mental Illness Fellowship exists to make a real and positive difference in the lives of people affected by mental illness through working with people with mental illness, their families and friends to achieve their own defined outcomes, creating a research agenda into the impacts of mental illness, and giving people a voice for change, a chance to end the stigma and to improve their quality of life. Its services include
breakaway?respite
day programs
home based outreach and accommodation support
residential rehabilitation
specialist family support programs
advocacy
community awareness campaigns

The Mental Illness Fellowship current representative is Gerard Reed. He can be contacted on:
Ph: (03) 8486 4200

For personal support, information or advocacy, it is better to call the Mental Illness Fellowship Victoria Helpline (03) 8486 4222 9am-5pm Mon-Fri.

Sage Hill Carer Services

Sage Hill Carer service provides support to a community of carers. The staff have a background in mental health service delivery and provide excellent and greatly valued support, coffee, chocolate, linkages and information to carers. Sage Hill also works with GPs, psychiatrists and respite providers.

Sage Hill also has a number of other programs. It coordinates the Respite program and is involved with providing support to young carers, with it's own SHAnKS program, and a web page developed by the participants. Sage Hill is also developing a breakfast club with the Respite Network.

Sage Hill representative on the Network is Peter MacMahon. He can be contacted at:
1 Princes Street, Warrnambool 3280.
Ph: 5561 5261
Fax: 5561 5263

The Bouverie Centre, Victoria's Family Institute
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/bouverie/

The Bouverie Centre, Victoria's Family Institute, is a state-wide integrated clinical, academic and consultation agency specialising in family approaches in mental health service provision. The Bouverie Centre provides a range of programs to individuals and family members, service providers and agencies. Services include direct clinical services such as family sensitive work and family therapy, community services such as training and consultation to mental health organisations, and academic services such as university accredited courses and continuing education workshops relevant to mental health workers.

The Bouverie Centre current representative is Dr. Colin Riess, the Centre Director. Colin is a consultant psychiatrist who is also a carer. He can be contacted at:
The Bouverie Centre
8 Gardiner Street
Brunswick 3056
Phone: (03) 9385 5100
Fax: (03) 9381 0336
Email:bouverie.centre@latrobe.edu.au

The North Western Aged Mental Health Program

The North Western Aged Mental Health Program is a highly specialised and comprehensive service for people aged 65 years and over. It includes three acute inpatient units and aged psychiatry assessment teams at Sunshine Hospital, Broadmeadows Health Service and Bundoora Extended Care Centre; and five residential psychogeriatric accommodation facilities.

The North Western Aged Mental Health Program's current representative on the Network is Michelle Swann. She is a Carer Peer Support Worker with the program and a Carer herself.In her role as a Carer Peer Support Worker, she provides emotional support to carers and guidance with issues of concern to carers. She facilitates carer support groups and helps organise information sessions of special interest to carers. She is also involved with several committees within the program to provide a carer perspective. In addition, she is involved with staff training around carer issues.

The North Western Aged Mental Health Program's current representative on the Network is Michelle Swann. She is a Carer Peer Support Worker with the program and a Carer herself. She is based at Bundoora and Broadmeadows.
Michelle can be contacted by telephone: (03) 9495 3418 or via post:

Michelle Swann
Carer Peer Support Worker
c/-Kath Atkinson Wing
Bundoora Extended Care Centre
1231 Plenty Road
Bundoora, 3083

Victorian Transcultural Psychiatry Unit
http://www.vtpu.org.au/

The VTPU was established in 1989 to facilitate the improvement of mental health services for members of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. It is a statewide service which evolved from a small clinical service to a service which supports area mental health services and psychiatric disability support services in working with CALD communities throughout Victoria. The VTPU develops and reviews policy towards the facilitation of clinical services that are relevant, appropriate and acceptable to members of CALD communities. It develops and delivers transcultural mental health education and professional development to mental health staff and to trainees in the medical and allied health professions. It conducts, promotes and disseminates research in the area of culture, ethnicity, migration and related fields influencing mental health and illness behaviour and mental health service delivery.

The VTPU current representative on the Network is Marie Piu. She can be contacted on:
Ph: (03) 9288 3303

Kerry Meiers

Mental Health Respite Program Coordinator Carer Support Services - Loddon Mallee

Mental Health Respite Program Coordinator Carer Support Services - Loddon Mallee
ph: 5482 0804
Mob: 0458362168

Amber Scanlon

Amber is currently a carer consultant at St Vincent’s Mental Health in Fitzroy, Melbourne. She is the appointed representative from the Carer Consultant Network of Victoria (CCNV) comprising membership of carer consultants from area mental health services and related agencies across Victoria. Amber has a broad knowledge of the issues faced by those caring for a relative or friend living with serious mental illness which she has gained through her extensive lived and professional experience negotiating and working with public adult mental health services. Amber actively promotes family needs within area mental health services to achieve a more responsive and inclusive approach to working with carers. To further develop her expertise she is also undertaking further studies in psychology and has a particular interest in family wellbeing and relationship dynamics where mental health concerns are present.

Austin CAMHS

The current representative for Austin CAMHS is Lynne Ruggiero. Lynne is a Carer Consultant at Austin Health. Lynne can be contacted on 9496 6315 or by post at

Austin CAMHS
Studley Road
Heidelberg 3084

MIND Australia

Bill Robb can be contacted on 9489 2085

Colin Fryer

Colin, a retired engineer and business manager, is a carer with experience in adolescent and adult mental health services in metropolitan Melbourne. He has a particular interest in the needs of young people with mental illness and in the support of their families. Colin is a director of SANE Australia, an independent national charity helping people affected by mental illness through campaigning, education and research.

Marg Leggatt

Marg Leggatt is an Executive Member of the Carers' Network.