The year has started at a blistering pace with the traction on key projects and activities instilling a solid sense of positive movement.

As promised in our last College Connections I promised further details on our system improvements, with the ACMHN looking to implement a new member database. We are happy to report we have commenced a system overhaul of the current member database and we will be implementing a purposely designed Engagement Management System. This will enable us, the Branches and SIGs to connect more easily.

The change will introduce functionality for better member sign up, modification of membership information, log in functionality, choices in membership information including sign up and inclusion in Special Interest Groups (SIGs). This also means the inclusion of the College website transitioning to a new platform which can be updated regularly without additional cost. A more streamlined process for everyone!

Over the next couple of months further information will be provided about the project, with details of some of the functionality and improvements in support systems.

In other news, over the last few weeks I have worked with Associate Professor Dr Caroline Johnson FRACGP chairing the Mental Health Professional Association (MHPA) with discussions on preventative programs through Prevention United and other partners in early stages of mental health engagement.

The Finance and Risk Committee met, and good discussions occurred with some excellent input into a fresh and relevant Risk Register for the College.

Further meetings with the Chair of the Council of Branches Matt Ireland, also looked at focused work going forward on the ACMHN Branch network with preparation for a revitalisation program in the coming months to assist the excellent work of our Branch teams in member engagement.

I attended the ALIVE Mental Health gathering with Mental Health Australia (MHA) and 10 key partner organisations, discussing excellent research work. Interested members are encouraged to log in to the online free session explaining the research work. For details, please click ALIVE Annual Symposium 2023 Program (simplebooklet.com).

The CEO of APNA Ken Griffiths paid us a visit on the way to parliamentary meetings where he and I discussed excellent work APNA is doing on nursing data for primary care.

An excellent meeting was also had with MALPA an- Indigenous based and focused organisation discussing the challenges of working with primary school children from 10 years old, with a view to becoming doctors.

ALIA (Australia Library and Information Association), one of our neighbour organisations, held a morning tea to celebrate Harmony Day earlier this week that ACMHN staff attended. This resulted in the College staff meeting and talking with staff from some of the other organisations in our building including MHA and Indigenous Allied Health Australia, further building relationships between organisations in the NFP sector.

Further meetings are being undertaken with Department of Health and Aged Care and a meeting is being held with Ray Griggs AO CSC, Secretary of the Department of Social Services.

Next week further discussions are occurring with Ali Drummond the CEO of Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives, with a view of greater engagement for our Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander communities.

I hope you enjoy the autumn months and thank you to the ACMHN Head Office staff for putting up with our newest temporary staff member my puppy Nova. She kept us all in very good spirits for the day, and was even taken for a walk by some of the staff to explore the local area at lunchtime.

Tomorrow is Earth Hour, and I hope you will join me in forgoing electricity for an hour tomorrow at 8:30pm.

Yours in mental health

Adrian Armitage

ACMHN CEO