ALL AWARDS LAUNCHED in October 2020
TheMHS Awards Aim To:
- Promote the delivery of good mental health services
- Encourage consumer-focused services
- Recognise good practice
- Reward dedication and commitment to service delivery and increase staff morale
- Create “good news” stories about mental health issues and to decrease stigma
Prizes
Prizes are awarded in each category. Winners will receive Financial support to attend the 2019 TheMHS Conference in Brisbane including travel, accommodation and a complimentary 3-day conference registration. Winners will also receive recognition on our website, in the Conference eBook of Proceedings, the TheMHS Awards Booklet and the Online Resource Collection.
Key Dates
Service and Program, Early Career Research and Exceptional Contribution Awards
12 November 2019
Submissions open
Wednesday 8th April 2020
Submissions Deadline
Media Journalism Awards
10 December 2019
Submissions open
Tuesday 29 April 2020
Submissions Deadline
26 August 2020
Presentation of all TheMHS Awards at TheMHS Conference
Award Sections
Programs & Services
TheMHS is committed to recognising positive aspects of service delivery, celebrating the good work being done and “sharing the news”. There are usually 8 categories so there will be one to suit your program or service.
Evaluation & Research
Our newest awards: The Tom Trauer Evaluation and Research Award, and the TheMHS Awards for Early Career Research in Mental Health aim to recognise the excellent work of an individual or research team for their work in research and evaluation.
Media Awards
Promoting and rewarding achievement and excellence of accurate media coverage about mental health.
The aim of the Media Awards for journalism is to encourage positive, accurate and sensitive media coverage about mental health. The overall goal of the Media Awards is to communicate information, to reduce the impact of mental disorder and any associated stigma and to encourage people to seek treatment early.
Welcoming the 2019 TheMHS Awards Ambassador
The Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO
Quentin Bryce has enjoyed a rich and distinguished career as an academic, lawyer, community and human rights advocate, senior public officer, university college principal, and vice-regal representative in Queensland and for Australia.
Across her career she has worked with women, families and young people while extending her influence across broad and diverse spectrums, including the rural, regional, aged, indigenous, migrant and disability sectors.
Quentin Bryce’s contribution to advancing human rights and equality, the rights of women and children, and the welfare of the family was recognised in her appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1988 and a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2003. Also in 2003, she was invested as a Dame of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. On 25 March 2014, Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that Ms Bryce had become a Dame in the Order of Australia. Fifteen Honorary Doctorates have been conferred on her by universities in Australia.
Ms Bryce remains a pioneer in contemporary Australian society, with more than forty five years of experience in reform, community building and leadership.
Ms Bryce is Patron-in-Chief of SANE Australia.
Awards Background
The first Australia and New Zealand Achievement Awards were presented by the Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health, the Hon Brian Howe, MP, at the 1992 TheMHS Conference. TheMHS Awards are given to mental health services, programs and individuals in Australia and New Zealand who provide high quality services for people who have mental illnesses and their families. Invited presenters of TheMHS Awards have included a long list of eminent Australians and New Zealanders from all walks of life connected to mental health, including Governors General, two Australians of the Year, politicians, judiciary, Governors, bureaucrats and media personalities.
The Mental Health Service (TheMHS) Awards of Australia and New Zealand were established to provide a focus for “good news” stories about mental health; to increase the morale and quality of mental health services throughout both countries; and to reward the dedication and commitment of mental health service staff and management. The Awards reward services and individuals who are changing the way services are delivered, in accord with the National Mental Health Strategy.
Do you know a potential award winner?
Do you know of an impressive program, service or work of journalism that you would like to encourage to enter for a TheMHS Mental Health Award?
Please encourage them to enter or let us know and provide us with their contact information by emailing awards@themhs.org. TheMHS will follow up with further details and support to assist with the submission of an entry.
The source of the recommendation will always remain confidential.
