I respectfully urge the Victorian government to expand its definition of “Mental Health Practitioner” to include “Professional Arts Therapists”.
Prof Patrick McGorry
Prof. Patrick McGorry is Professor of Youth Mental Health at the University of Melbourne and Director of Orygen Youth Health and Orygen Youth Health Research Centre in Victoria, Australia.
As Australia’s leading Youth Mental Health expert, psychiatrist Prof. McGorry today showed his support for the current Victorian campaign “Professional Arts Therapist = Mental Health Practitioner”.
“I have seen many Professional Arts Therapists work within youth mental health care and also in refugee mental health and it is time to expand access to this support”
Prof Patrick McGorry
Prof McGorry was awarded Australian of the Year in 2010, and has been instrumental in raising the profile of Youth Mental Health in Australia. He advocated prolifically for the establishment of a youth mental health foundation in Australia and played a key role in the design, development and establishment of headspace, the Australian government funded National Youth Mental Health Foundation.
“Arts Therapists can also play a role in the new Mental Health Practitioner in Schools program. It is a lateral solution to a very real need. They are essential allies in the Mental Health workforce and have the skills and training to address this major threat to mental health in our community”
Prof Patrick McGorry
Prof McGorry’s support marks a significant turning point in the campaign to have “Professional Arts Therapists” included in the definition of “Mental Health Practitioner” in the 2014 Victorian Mental Health Act, and in this statement he explains why.
The current definition deprives potential employers of the expertise many Professionally qualified Arts Therapists can contribute to the mental health workforce in this time of great need.
“Professional Arts Therapists are a trained, specialist workforce who are ready and waiting to help our communities with mental health prevention, care and recovery”
Prof Patrick Mcgorry
Learn more about Arts Therapy and this campaign here: https://carlavanlaar.com/art-therapist-mental-health-practitioner/
Support the campaign by signing and sharing the petition here – remember to write your testimonial saying why you support this initiative: https://www.change.org/arts-therapist-mental-health-practitioner
If you are a person with lived experience of Arts Therapy and you would like to share your story, please contact Carla van Laar by email carlavanlaar@gmail.com
Read Prof McGorry’s whole statement here:
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