Arts Therapists Recognised by Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System

Tuesday the 2nd March was an historic day as the findings and recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System were released.

This Commission means so much to so many people who have been harmed by the system, and this was acknowledged by the Commissioner, Penny Armytage. She spoke about a new system, one with foundations of compassion and care, a holistic system, where power is redistributed equitably, where connection with land, culture, community and spirituality are paramount, and where people are supported and safe.

Patrick McGorry acknowledged, also, the lived experience of ‘dedicated clinicians’ who suffer ‘moral injury’ through the failings of the system that harms clinicians too. He said ‘there is no more us and them’, we all have lived experience and mental health and wellbeing affects us all and belongs to us all.

Here in Victoria ‘ACTivate Arts Therapy’ have been campaigning for the past year for changes to the 2014 Mental Health Act, particularly the narrow definition of Mental Health Practitioner that excluded Victorian Arts Therapists from working in the new Mental Health Practitioner in Schools roles. At every point during our campaign we have been consistently told that any changes to the 2014 Victorian Mental Health Act would only happen after the RCVMHS is released. To this end, we engaged energetically with the Royal Commissioners, providing a statement and meeting with Commission team members on behalf of Victorian Arts Therapists, our clients, colleagues and supporters. Many members of the campaign have met with their local members, educating them about our profession, raising awareness and enlisting their support.

The long awaited recommendation made public in the findings of the RCVMHS is not merely to change aspects of the Act, but for a whole new Act. Here is an excerpt from page 22, Volume 4 of the recommendations:

The Commission draws attention to the failings of the 2014 Mental Health Act, and exactly why it is not fit for purpose on page 34 of Volume 4:

The new ACT will be a “Mental Health and Wellbeing ACT”. It will include “providing a wide range of safe and high-quality mental health and wellbeing services”. There is an emphasis throughout the recommendations for increased availability to a wide range of services, including community activities and healing; choice and diversity are prioritised.

To the great credit of the ACTivate Arts Therapy Campaign, Creative Arts Therapists are specifically named as providers of mental health services, and Arts Therapy is acknowledged as a self-regulating profession alongside Social Work.

References to Arts Therapists are interspersed throughout the recommendations, naming us as team members in numerous contexts including youth services, community mental health settings, and bed based services. The Commission suggests that more Arts Therapists will be required to resource the new Mental Health and Wellbeing System, for example:

It is going to take some time for what we have collectively achieved to sink in, because the change we have made is significant, historic and monumental for the field of Creative Arts Therapy.

The Premier has committed to implementing every single recommendation made by the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

The specific recommendations that “ACTivate Arts Therapy” made to the RCVMHS were:

● Include ‘Professional Arts Therapists’ in the definition of ‘Mental Health Practitioner’ in the Victorian Mental Health Act 2014.

● Expand public access to Arts Therapy by ensuring new positions are open to Arts Therapists in publicly funded mental health services and initiatives, including specifically the Mental Health Practitioners in Schools Program.

● Enable access by Arts Therapists and Art Therapy organisations to Victorian Government funded mental health resources.

The RCVMHS final report addresses every one of our recommendations by revoking the existing Act, acknowledging Arts Therapists as valued members of the Victorian Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce, ensuring that the limiting description of Mental Health Practitioner in the old Act will never again be used to exclude Arts Therapists from positions for which we are suitably qualified and experienced, and by naming Arts Therapists amongst the professions to be employed in the new Mental Health and Wellbeing system. What this means for our profession, in practical terms, is recognition and employment. What it means for the community is more access to participating in Arts Therapy to support their mental health and wellbeing.

I thank and commend everyone who has helped bring the voice of Arts Therapy into the public domain. Our voices are part of a chorus who want greater choice for people in managing their own mental health care, and greater inclusion for Arts Therapists as highly skilled and valued members of Victoria’s Mental Health Workforce.

Finally, thank you to the Commissioners for your incredible work.

Well done everyone – we have been part of this change. As things move forward, we now need to remain committed to ensure that our politicians and other influencers are increasingly aware of Arts Therapy as these changes are rolled out.

Acknowledgements:

I am incredibly proud to be an Arts Therapist and part of our beautiful community. I would like to acknowledge the campaign partners CATA Creative Art Therapy Australia and ANVAM Australian National Veterans Arts Museum for their support, and thank the dedicated lead campaigners and people who have been part of the core team including Alana J. Said, Alisoun Neville, Lisa O’Beirne, Em Hodges, Pearl Taylor, Svetlana Bykovec, Caroline Liuzzi, Tanja Johnston, Mark Johnston, Karryne Hearn, Dali Dingo and Angus Donald.

Many others have been instrumental in making video testimonials, writing letters, meeting with politicians, gathering letters of support, promoting the campaign, making contact with the media, gathering evidence and being our allies from other professions.

Thank you Ann Soo, Amanda Musicka, Melissa Nelson-Campbell, Melanie Knight, Lou WN, Maya Fraser, Jess Beswick, Bree Till, Sandy Buchanan, Chris Storm, Cornelia Elbrecht, Lucian Marine, Susie Meagher, Bee T Teoh, Jaana Sahling, Anne Harris, Erry Elizabeth, Anjali Sengupta, Sandy Buchanan, Brodie Caporn, Nat Luna, Natalie Poole, Helen Said, Tatiana Guz Barzilay, Frankie Lee, Jaya Narayan, Jiancong Zhangdunn, Michelle Smith, Gayle King, Donna Gold, Di Goldsmith, Elisha Elisha, Nicole Moriarty, Katishe Grudnoff, Maggie Date, Lia Nicole, Mark Watt, Dayne Beams, Patrick McGorry, Jill Gallagher, Chris Petrie, Martin Stewart, Debbie, Belinda Cody, Anne, Marnie Weule, Tara Harriden, Moo Mei, Trish Thompson, Tim Read, Bryan Handasyde, Katerina Sathis, Juliet Cooper, Rena Walsh, Samantha Isaacson, Shelley So, Terry Gardiner, Bronwyn Roberts, Scott Forest, and Rebecca Sinclair.

Thank you every one of the 4,762 people who signed and wrote testimonials for the ‘Professional Arts Therapist = Mental Health Practitioner’ petition. Your words were all passed on to the decision makers in our State to the very highest level through the Minister for Mental Health and Premier.