The Mental Health Council of Tasmania (MHCT) invites Tasmanians to attend an exciting opportunity
with one of Australia’s leading voices in mental health and suicide prevention. SANE Australia CEO
Jack Heath will be in Hobart for one day only to engage and consult with the Tasmanian community
around suicide prevention and mental health.

Mr Heath will meet with a variety of organisations and stakeholders in the mental health sector in
Hobart to share his insights on the work of SANE and learn more about mental health in Tasmania.
SANE Australia is a national mental health organisation working to support the four million
Australians affected by complex mental illness.

A complex mental illness is a mental illness down the more severe end of the spectrum and one that
is often more complex to diagnose, treat and for many people understand. They include by bipolar,
schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, anorexia, bulimia, PTSD, major depression and anxiety.

There are 690,000 Australians living with complex mental illness. For every one of these people there
will be at least five family members, friends, work colleagues or other people they know who are
directly affected by their condition

‘While as a nation we have made real advances in reducing stigma around mild to moderate mental
health conditions, there is a huge amount of work to be done to help those at the more severe end
of the spectrum,’ Mr Heath said.

MHCT CEO, Connie Digolis, is excited to offer this opportunity to engage with Mr Heath and the work
SANE is doing.

‘Often in Tasmania we get caught up in the day-to-day of working within the mental health sector
and we don’t get the chance to take the time out to discuss what is happening at a national level.

We need to have that important conversation about what we can be doing to reduce stigma,
prevent illness and promote positive mental health. Jack and the team at SANE are doing some
fabulous work in this space and I think this will be a two-way learning process for all who attend the
day,’ said Ms Digolis.

Members of the public may attend the forum at Moonah Arts Centre at 10.30am and must register via:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/a-conversation-with-jack-heath-ceo-sane-australia-tickets-5580704036

For more information about the work of SANE Australia visit:

https://www.sane.org/

Advice on how to report sensitively and accurately on mental health and suicide can be found at:

http://www.mindframe-media.info/for-media
Catherine Delpero (MHCT)