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JMH Network - Constituents ========================== HATSS Hatzolah Institute of Judaism & Civilisation JEMP Jewish Care Jewish Chaplaincy Jewish Holocaust Museum & Research Centre Jewish Taskforce Against Family Violence Support Line Spiritgrow Wings of Care (Kanfei Chesed) Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- H.A.T.T.S.
Holocaust and Trauma Support Services (H.A.T.S.S.) acknowledges that, for Holocaust survivors, the challenges of ageing may have special meaning in light of their war experiences, reactivating painful memories from the past. Our team aims to increase understanding of trauma-related issues through education and skills-based training (to community health care providers and professionals) and, in so doing, facilitate best possible service delivery to Holocaust survivors and to other groups in society who have suffered the effects of war and other trauma. In response to the needs of survivors and their families H.A.T.S.S. also offers individual and family counselling, and Art Therapy.
The H.A.T.S.S. team, Julia Blum, Carmella Grynberg and Denise Same, has extensive experience in counselling and presenting workshops and tailer-made training programs to organisations with a significant part of our practice focusing on issues facing Holocaust survivors and their families. Please phone 9500-0610 for further information and bookings E-mail: hatss@counsellor.com
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CHEVRA HATZOLAH 1. HISTORY OF HATZOLAH MELBOURNE
In early 1995, four members of the Adass community (an orthodox Jewish Community) in Melbourne, Australia identified the following: Melbourne had an ageing Jewish population.
The general Jewish population was not seeking help in an emergency early enough. People were suffering with pain for a long period of time without doing anything about it. The Melbourne Jewish Community had specific cultural, religious and emotional needs.
A large number of elderly people in the Jewish community did not speak English or have a good grasp of the English language. There were a large number of Holocaust Survivors who were reluctant to call the Metropolitan Ambulance Service for fear of being taken away and not returning.
These four members of the Adass Community approached the Melbourne Metropolitan Ambulance Service and raised the issues mentioned above. The Ambulance Service believed that we were the best people to deal with the issues that our community faced. After many meetings the concept of a Community Based Responder Group was born. We would become the FIRST link in the "Chain of Survival". Following this, twelve Responders from the Community were chosen and a training program undertaken, run by the Ambulance Officers Training Centre (AOTC). This training included the following:
Level One First Aid Level Two First Aid
First Responder Program that included Semi Automatic Defibrillation Accreditation and Oxygen Therapy. In August 1995, Hatzolah went "live" and on 29 October 1995, Hatzolah received its first call to a patient in Respiratory Distress.
2. MISSION STATEMENT The Chevra Hatzolah Melbourne Inc Mission Statement is:
"To provide a professional, high level of emergency care, to members of the Jewish Community, in a predefined area, within an efficient timeframe." 3. AIMS OF HATZOLAH
Hatzolah's aims are as follows: To provide a timely and efficient response to all medical emergencies.
To provide basic life support in those vital first few minutes, as part of the chain of survival concept, until the ambulance arrives. To facilitate training of all members of the identified community in first aid.
To assist ambulance officers in dealing with patients whose first language is not English. To provide cultural and emotional support to members of the identified Jewish community in emergency situations.
4. TRAINING UNDERTAKEN BY RESPONDERS All Responders must successfully complete the following courses, and then maintain their accreditations:
Certificate in level One First Aid Certificate in Level Two First Aid
Hatzolah First Responder course, which includes the ability to administer oxygen and operate a semi-automatic defibrillator. Mental Health First Aid Course
Administration of GTN to Patients with Cardiac Related Chest Pain. Administration of Ventolin to Patients suffering an Asthma Attack.
Administration of an Epipen to a Patient having a severe allergic reaction. Chest Auscultation
Treatment of the Diabetic Patient Advanced Airway Management Skills
Accreditations in semi-automatic defibrillation are held every six months, and skills maintenance reviews are held every three months. Only Responders passing both these components are able to maintain their status as a Responder Member. The Melbourne Metropolitan Ambulance Service undertakes all Hatzolah training and accreditations. 5. HATZOLAH'S OPERATIONS AND CALL VOLUME
Callers are advised to ring 000 first and to then call the Hatzolah number. Three Hatzolah Responders are allocated Calltakers for a specific week. They each carry a mobile phone and a Hatzolah Dispatch Log. One Responder is allocated Phone One, one is allocated Phone Two and the third is allocated Phone Three. The Hatzolah Number (9527 5111) rings first at phone one and if it is not answered it diverts to phone two and then if not answered diverts to phone three and if not answered diverts to a pager, worn by the Operations Manager. These three phones provide redundancy and allow us to deal with multiple calls at one time.
When a Caller rings Hatzolah on 9527 5111, the Caller will speak to a Hatzolah Calltaker who speaks English, Hebrew and Yiddish. The Calltaker will request the following information from the Caller:
Phone number of the caller Address of patient
Medical problem Whether 000 has been called
The Calltaker will then request that the Caller stay on the line whilst he dispatches the Responders, and calls 000 to confirm that they have been called. The Hatzolah Calltaker will then dispatch the closest three Responders to the address of the incident. Road Traffic Accidents, arrests or other major incidents obviously necessitates the dispatch of more Responders.
All Hatzolah Responders respond in their own vehicles under normal road conditions. The Responders will be on scene within an average of three minutes.
The Responders will treat the patient and stay with patient until ambulance arrives or the case is finished. There are currently twenty four Responders and Hatzolah currently responds to an average of three calls per day.
Hatzolah has response boundaries, which have been set up purely so that we can meet our response times standards. As the Jewish community in Melbourne is growing and the Jewish area expanding we are finding it necessary to increase our boundaries and to recruit more Responders. We are currently servicing only about 10% of the Melbourne Jewish Community. 6. HATZOLAH EQUIPMENT
Every Hatzolah Responder carries a Motorola GTX Two Way Radio, and the organisation pays a monthly access fee for connection to a public network. There is a Base Station at Hatzolah Headquarters that is used to monitor Responder movements during the daytime, to make sure adequate resources are available. Each Hatzolah Responder carries a Medical/Trauma Bag, an Airway/Oxygen Bag and a semi-automatic defibrillator. The Medical bag includes oxygen equipment, suction equipment, airway management equipment, BP CUFF and stethoscope and other medical and trauma related supplies.
Seven of the local Shules have a medical/trauma bag and a defibrillator stored in a First Aid room for easy access. 7. RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MELBOURNE METROPOLITAN AMBULANCE SERVICE
Hatzolah has an excellent professional relationship with both management and the operational ambulance officers. Subject to a signed agreement between the two organisations, the Metropolitan Ambulance Service paramedics clinically train and audit Hatzolah Patient Care Records. As part of this agreement, Hatzolah Responders observe on ambulance vehicles to improve our clinical skills, and Hatzolah Responders spend Wednesday and Thursday nights observing in the Alfred Trauma and Emergency Centre which is one of the biggest Hospitals in Melbourne.
Currently the Victorian Government is trying to "sell" the concept of the Hatzolah First Responder Model to other ethnic communities. Hatzolah has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Metropolitan Ambulance Service.
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THE INSTITUTE FOR JUDAISM AND CIVILISATION The Institute for Judaism and Civilisation has a strong research interest in the relationship of Judaism and the practice of psychotherapy. The Director of the Institute in 1996 conducted a first all-day conference on Judaism and psychotherapy, attended by two hundred participants, with a large component of practitioners. Since then it has conducted a large number of seminars and seminar series, studying not only the relationship of major theoreticians of psychotherapy, but also practical clinical issues in the light of Jewish norms. These have included postnatal depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), youth depression and post traumatic stress.
A group of prominent professionals has formed around the Institute for Judaism and Civilisation in its study area of Judaism and psychotherapy. It is hoped that the role which the Institute might play within the network is as a resource in training therapists to incorporate Jewish and spiritual dimensions and norms in their practice of psychotherapy. The institute publishes a journal, the Journal of Judaism and Civilisation, with a regular section on Judaism and psychotherapy in which a number of the results of the Institute's research can be inspected. One of its strongest foci is the work of Viktor E. Frankl, founder of the school of Logotherapy. The Institute has published first translations of a number of seminal works of Frankl, and has conducted a number of seminars on his work. Many of these have also been published in the Journal of Judaism and Civilization. See the cumulative index on the website under products and publications: www.ijc.com.au.
Contact the director of the Institute for Judaism and Civilisation, Rabbi Dr. Shimon Cowen on (03) 9527 5902 or director@ijc.com.au. Page Top
--------------------------------------------------------------------- JEMP
Introducing JEMP A number of tragedies within the Jewish Community both locally and internationally have highlighted the need for the community to respond to any major emergency, either locally or overseas, which may affect Victorian Jews. JEMP was established in April 2001 to provide assistance to those affected by emergencies and disasters. It also provides a "one-stop-shop" in emergencies to existing Emergency Service Organisations and communal organisations and it dovetails into existing State and Municipal Emergency Management Plans. It activated its 1800 public infoline within hours of the tragic events of the World Trade Centre bombing on 9/11, during the Monash University shooting in 2002, located 140 Australian Jews located in areas affected by the Asian tsunami crisis, has been called upon to conduct searches of missing school children and psychiatric patients and was requested by Hertfordshire Constabulary to assist with an affected Australian Jew after the July 2005 London terror attacks. How JEMP operates JEMP has two phone numbers:
1. An emergency number is answered 24 hours a day every day of the year by a trained Duty Officer. This number is not publicly available but has been issued to all Jewish communal organisations, relevant Government Departments and Emergency Service Organisations. 2. A second toll-free number 1800 18 18 16 operates when the JEMP Emergency Operations Centre is established. This number is staffed by trained volunteers.
The aims of JEMP are to: To implement and operate a coordinated emergency management plan to deal with any major emergency (either locally or abroad), which may face Victorian Jewish communal organisations, or members of the Victorian Jewish community;
To provide disaster relief directly to affected persons where possible by utilising the Victorian Jewish community's resources in a quick and efficient manner during major emergencies affecting the Victorian Jewish community; To provide members of the public, community leaders, organisations and emergency service organisations with a single central point of contact in a major emergency;
To assist emergency service organisations in dealing with issues affecting the Victorian Jewish community as a result of an emergency; To provide public access to a communication centre for the dissemination of vital information to interested parties in times of major emergencies;
To eliminate or reduce the incidence or severity of emergencies and the mitigation of their effects; To assist Victorian Jewish communal organisations in planning for emergencies; and
To work within and maintain safety and security regulations of the Victorian government laws and standards. JEMP structure JEMP has an Executive comprising the Presidents of JCCV and SZC, the JEMP Executive Director and the JEMP Secretary and Treasurer. The Board includes the Executive plus representation from AUJS, Beth Weizmann, Council of Orthodox Synagogues, Emmy Monash, Jewish Care, Jewish day schools, Maccabi Vic, Melbourne Chevra Kadisha, Rabbinical Council of Vic, and Victorian Union of Progressive Judaism. The Technical Committee comprises representation from CFA, CSG, Hatzolah and SES and has a social worker. In 2007, JEMP established a Community Recovery Committee to look at developing a community recovery plan. The committee has representation from schools, AJMF, AJP, Chevra Kadisha, JCCV, Jewish Care, VUPJ and business reps.
In an emergency JEMP can provide... Search Volunteers
Social Work services Emergency Kosher food, transport, accommodation, food and clothing
Dispatch of Hatzolah or the Community Security Group responders. Access to Rabbis
Access to Jewish counselling & crisis services Who can call JEMP? JEMP has two phone numbers.
1. The phone number 9272 5550 or 0418 4 11 88 7 is used to contact JEMP in an emergency. This number is answered 24 hours a day every day of the year by a trained Duty Officer. This number is not publicly available but has been issued to all Jewish communal organisations, relevant Government Departments and Emergency Service Organisations. 2. A second toll-free number (1800 18 18 16) has been allocated to JEMP that will be publicised through press and electronic media when the JEMP Control Centre is established. In the absence of a situation requiring a Control Centre, callers will hear a recorded message to the effect that there is no JEMP Emergency at that time.
JEMP publishes... "20 Questions About the Jewish Community for ESOs" booklet
Emergency Contact Information for ESOs stickers and business cards Emergency Contact Information fridge magnets for the community
JEMP can assist your organisation by... Conducting a presentation
Reviewing your organisation's Emergency Management Plan. And this is what they said when JEMP was launched...
"The Jewish Emergency Management Plan is a fine example of a particular community organising to meet its own specific needs which are too specialised for normal emergency services. I would like to see other communities taking similar initiatives to meet their specific needs. Michael Danby has been a champion of the project within the Jewish community." Andre Haermayer, Minister for Police and Emergency Services "I am proud of the organisations who have been the driving force behind the Jewish Emergency Management Plan. JEMP will assist the entire community's capability to respond in times of crisis. As Secretary of Labor's National Security Committee, I hope to encourage the use of this model as an example for other communities throughout Australia." Michael Danby, Federal Member for Melbourne Ports
"This is a significant community initiative, which will help ensure that we can deal effectively with any situation that is likely to arise. Even though we hope that JEMP never needs to be activated, it is nonetheless a fine example of what can be achieved when all elements of the community work together." Grahame Leonard, President of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and Chair of JEMP Board "Understandably, under the current world circumstances this is an extremely important project...please accept my compliments for this model project." His Excellency Gabby Levy, Ambassador of Israel to Australia
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL RONNIE FIGDOR 9525 9742, OR EMAIL TO ronnie.figdor@jemp.org.au. Page Top
--------------------------------------------------------------------- JEWISH CARE
MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM Jewish Care's Mental Health program aims to strengthen the individual's sense of belonging and connection to the Jewish community by focusing on socialisation, therapy, recreation, health and wellbeing to complement clinical management
Jewish Care (Victoria) Inc Head Office Gary Smorgon Centre 619 St Kilda Road Melbourne Vic 3004 PO Box 6156 St Kilda Road Central Melbourne Vic 3004 Tel (03) 8517 5999 Fax (03) 8517 5778 jewishcare@jewishcare.org.au www.jewishcare.org.au Page Top
--------------------------------------------------------------------- THE JEWISH CHAPLAINCY
The Jewish Chaplaincy formed in the 1970's under Morris Miselowski and Max (Menashe) Kaltman (co-ordinators). There were few prisoners and the chaplaincy consisted of Yeshiva Gedola students and Rabbis. The proper "Beit Sohar" or Jewish chaplaincy services started in 1988 under the auspices of the Rabbinical College of Australia and New Zealand. The provisos to being a chaplain are:
1. A belief in G-d 2. You can not be anti-Chabad
3. Basically a moral person 4. Good with people
Our Role: 1. The Lubavitcher Rebbe said that every Jewish neshoma (soul) no matter who, or where, no matter what he's done/she's done deserves to be supported by the Jewish community.
2. We visit, provide books siddurim, psalms and any Jewish material they may want. We ensure Kosher food if they want it and provide all their needs for Jewish holidays eg. Food for Pesach - 8 days. 3. We liaise with legal professionals.
4. We liaise with families and the consulates. We help with accommodation afterwards and general rehabilitation.
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JEWISH HOLOCAUST MUSEUM AND RESEARCH CENTRE Melbourne, Australia Address: 13-15 SELWYN STREET, ELSTERWICK, VIC 3135 Phone: (03) 9528 1985 Fax: (03) 9528 3758 Email : admin@jhc.org.au Website: http://www.jhc.org.au
WHAT'S ON AT THE MUSEUM The Jewish Holocaust Museum and Research Centre is dedicated to the memory of the approximately six million Jews, who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators between 1933-1945. The Centre is committed to combating Racism and Anti-Semitism. Educational programs for Victorian Secondary Schools and adult groups are conducted through the Museum's Education Department. A group of volunteers, mainly survivors of the Holocaust, are guides at the Museum. The survivors relate their experiences and convey the tragedy of war and ethnic discrimination. Other programs include a course in Holocaust Studies and other lectures open to the public.
A permanent exhibition of photographs, artworks, artifacts and models is open to the public. The Museum houses an archival collection that is available to researchers
An ongoing testimony project records the experiences of survivors on video. More than 1100 testimonies have been collected to date. A 4,000 volume library of Holocaust related material is open to readers.
A number of support groups associated with the Centre welcome members: Friends of the Holocaust Centre
Child Survivors of the Holocaust Descendants of the Shoah
The Museum is a non-profit organization, dependant on donations from the public. Volunteers, including survivors of the Holocaust, carry out most of the work. Opening Hours: Monday & Wednesday 10am - 4 pm Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 10am - 2 pm Sunday 12pm - 4 pm
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The Jewish Taskforce Against Family Violence "CREATING AWARENESS - EFFECTING CHANGE" Family Violence exists in every community and in every culture but only recently have we as a society resolved to confront the reality of family violence and sexual assault and its long-term repercussions on families. The Jewish Taskforce Against Family Violence actively advances community education and awareness by organizing instructive forums presented by renowned world experts as well as educational initiatives utilizing creative tools such as theatre and the arts.
For the past 12 years the Taskforce has worked closely with the Rabbinate, Jewish Care and mainstream service providers including the Police. We have especially devoted many programs towards school age children promoting the recognition of healthy relationships, to ensure that young people maintain respectful relationships leading to the creation of safe, happy homes in the future. The JTAFV liaises with communal and government bodies enabling us to provide support, appropriate information and referrals to those members of the Jewish community who find themselves in vulnerable circumstances as a result of family violence and sexual assault. Our services are extended with the utmost discretion and we always maintain the strictest level of confidentiality to anyone who reaches out to our members for assistance.
The JTAFV strives to break the cycle of violence whilst respecting the sensitivity and diversity of our community. Our experience over the last 12 years working in the community has shown us that it is essential that a culturally sensitive and Jewish specific response be available to all Jewish women and children from all sectors of the community THE JEWISH TASKFORCE SUPPORT LINE
The Taskforce is moving forward and taking the next step in providing a practical and safe means of support to victims of violence. The launch of the "The Jewish Taskforce Support Line" is a venture of which we are very proud, as we believe it is of vital importance to address the needs of Jewish victims of family violence and sexual assault. The Jewish Taskforce Support Line is a safe and confidential service, which allows a vulnerable member of our community the opportunity to reach out for help and understanding without the fear of repercussions. Too often victims of family violence are either afraid or ashamed to admit their "terrible secret" to people they know. "Anonymity allows them to reach out for help when under other circumstances they would not do so." Debbie Gross, Founder and Director of the Crisis Centre for Women in Jerusalem. The intention of the phone line is to eventually empower callers to find solutions to their problems thus reducing the prevalence of family violence and working to end the cycle of violence and sexual assault.
The help line is staffed by 20 highly trained volunteers who represent the broad spectrum of our very diverse community. CASA, DVIRC, WIRE, the Victorian Police and Women's Legal Services have trained the responders. They have attended a two-day training workshop given by Ms Debbie Gross, Founder and Director of the Crisis Centre for Women in Jerusalem, regarding Jewish specific issues, which may present especially in the Ultra-Orthodox community. The Taskforce has received overwhelming acknowledgement and validation for this essential initiative from the Rabbinate, Jewish and mainstream professional service providers as well as individual members of the community.
CONTACT DETAILS: The Jewish Taskforce Against Family Violence Inc. P.O. Box 2439 Caulfield Junction, Vic 3161
Help-line: 9523 2100 help@jewishtaskforce.com.au Administration: Phone: 9593-8822 Email: jewishtaskforce@gmail.com Website: www.jewishtaskforce.com.au ABN: 12 324 799 192
Sheiny New : 0408 365 707 Bev Restein: 9592-2547 Anne Lewin: 9509-3343 Lorraine Gold: 9527-2729 Marianne Cooklin: 0429 877 550 Vicky Lopo: 0425 816 336 Page Top
--------------------------------------------------------------------- Support Line
Support Line: 9523 2100 Monday 9am -1pm Tuesday 5pm - 9pm Wednesday 9am - 1pm Thursday 5pm - 9pm
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Spiritgrow Spiritgrow is a response to your requests for a wholistic approach to life through Jewish spiritual values. It seeks to attract so many of us who quest for wellness, insight, and leadership. It responds to the needs for personal and cosmic harmony in a troubled world. It aims to enhance people's lives through providing facilities and training programs for health, wellness, insight, balance, leadership, management, communications, fitness, creativity, and social responsibility. The teachings are provided by expert presenters and consultants in all fields of endeavour and are conducted in a Jewish ethos.
Our Credo "a little light can dispel a lot of darkness"
Menachem Wolf spiritgrow Director Phone: (03) 95097211 Website: www.spiritgrow.org Page Top
--------------------------------------------------------------------- Wings of Care PROVIDING CARE FOR JEWISH PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUPPORT FOR THEIR FAMILIES
"Wings of Care" - Kanfei Chesed Inc, established in March 2000, is a voluntary not-for-profit organization consisting of a committee of enthusiastic members of the Jewish community in Melbourne, dedicated to helping the plight of people with a mental illness and their families. We aim for the highest level of professionalism in our service provision, and endeavour to practise the greatest form of Chesed (Kindness) in our attitude towards the care of our clients. The backgrounds of those in our administration range from rabbis, psychiatrists, counsellors, psychologists, and social workers to consumers. Our 'friendly visiting' is performed by two sectors of the community - rabbis, and our professionally trained volunteers. Our volunteers undergo a six-week, once a week, two hours a night, training program by mental health professionals. Visits are made to people in psychiatric wards of hospitals when it is requested or agreed upon. We put fliers on hospital notice boards and clinics asking Jewish clients who want to be visited to contact us. We also have fliers in synagogues for 'word of mouth' referrals. Confidentiality is maintained at all times between volunteers and their clients. Clients do not stay in hospital long these days, so visiting them adequately involves 'home' visits as well. We find this useful in assisting rehabilitation. Our volunteers are trained for most situations that may arise. If any difficulty presents itself, a volunteer may contact one of our readily accessible professional support people.
A person who has become mentally ill may be fearful and feel isolated and in need of the extra care and attention which a friendly visitor can give. Our visitors are now providing a slightly different service due to an increasing need by consumers - to help people cope and be more motivated to cook, shop and do more organizational jobs for themselves. Some of our volunteers now spend time visiting clients on a weekly basis to provide this service. Families of people with mental health problems and sometimes their friends need support also. It was with this in mind that we started to operate a help-line for consumers, family members and/or friends from 9am-5pm Monday to Thursday, 9:00am-3:00pm Fridays, and Sundays 1.30pm-5:00 pm. For urgent attention after-hours assistance including public holidays is available. Through the helpline we offer referrals, valuable resource information, professional help where needed, and/or simply someone to listen to callers' concerns. A professionally run Carer Support Group for family members of people with a mental illness will soon be available. This carer group is 'open' (you may enter it at any given time) and on going, and is available to suitable participants.
Educational awareness activities have previously taken place by Wings of Care in different ways for different groups within the organization. Professional development has been available for volunteers, outreach education has been made available to the public, and our carer support group members have also received educational information. Most of our educational awareness activities now take place in the Social Justice Committee forums. (See below) A mutual support group formed quite early in Wings of Care's developing service provision. It was available to clients facilitated by an occupational therapist. and operating on a "buddy" system. At one of our Mutual Support sessions in those early days, it was proposed that we start a consumer website. With help from a volunteer from Vicnet this was put together and operates very successfully making contact with Jewish consumers locally and overseas with a chat room and message-board. Our clients provide all the creative work in it and also information about mental illnesses and medication. A more recent project for our website is holding an art and creative writing exhibition on it, for the month of Cheshvan (November) -Jewish Social Action Month This latter was the brainchild of a Rabbi Melchior who is Chief Rabbi of Belgium and a member of the Knesset with an involvement with Diaspora Jews.
An Educational and Recreational Activities program (ERA) was formed to support rehabilitation needs for clients and includes such topics as traditional art, Jewish studies and creative writing as the core activities. Other activities such as dance, massage, human relations workshops, mental health and nutrition, energy healing, computer studies and planting and cultivating herbs, time management, anger management, a de-clutter program, and getting back into the workplace are some of the other programs offered currently. A Doctor's referral is required by clients to attend the ERA program. Wings of Care joined with 8 other mental health organizations in the Jewish community in 2002 to form the Jewish Mental Health Network (Vic) for the ultimate benefit of the community. We have launched our newsletter being one of the aims of the Network and have already published many issues. We will have it available on the website from now on. The targeted readership includes consumers, the wider community, mental health professionals and medical practitioners. We have a drop-in arrangement functioning every Sunday from 2pm-5 pm at which our occupational therapist specializing in mental illness provides sessions, skilfully work-shopped, on a variety of the social and other topics listed above from our extended ERA rehabilitation program. - or sometimes we may simply go for a walk! We are now providing conference calls every Wednesday afternoon between 2.pm and 3pm. to bring clients into social contact with each other without them having to make the effort to leave their homes. This is a popular activity enjoyed by those who participate. One of our goals is to inform mainstream mental health professionals on how to look after Jewish patients by providing a manual (please email us if you would like a copy) and regular public seminars.
We have now launched our Wings of Care website which will link in with the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) website amongst others. 'Wings of Care' is now an affiliate of the JCCV. We have also become a founding member of the Social Justice Committee of the JCCV, being involved in helping creating awareness of psychological issues that occur in the community. Forums are held on a regular basis in the area of Social Justice and Psychological Disorders. We look forward to new projects being dealt with successfully, making a difference in the community. In the area of Social Justice and Mental Illness we provide institutional support in the form of referrals to legal aid, financial counselling, telephone financial advise and forensic care for rehabilitation. Dr Barie Forbes has recently written a Mental Health and Poverty discussion paper. A demographic survey is being planned for the community and we look forward to obtaining valuable information from this to add to our paper with results from this in the areas that concern us. One suggestion that was made in the paper was that a Community Chest be established to help clients who have been struggling to pay essential medical and domestic expenses including food. This is now operational. It also provides help for one-off bills for clients. A mental health policy is being formulated at this time also. We have recently begun offering workshops with a Counsellor to examine the attitudes of family members i.e. children and spouses attitudes towards clients who have a mental illness. Some clients are experiencing verbal and physical abuse. This is most distressing. By dealing with this issue through work-shopping and individual counselling we feel that clients become more capable of managing their illness better. By tackling the issues with children and spouses we feel that we are helping to stop mental illness being experienced in future generations.
This year we will be tackling the issue where a number of clients that have been incarcerated will be re-entering the community. We look forward to being part of their rehabilitation. For further information about Wings of Care or the Jewish Mental Health Network (Vic) Social Justice for Jewish people with mental illness: Social Justice for Jewish people with a psychological disorders and the Community Chest here are the contact details:
Phone: 03 9527 4866 Fax: 03 9527 4488 Email: wingsofcare@optusnet.com.au Consumer Website: www.vicnet.net.au/~msupport Email: MSupport@swiftdsl.com.au Lorraine GRUMD Levy President Wings of Care (Kanfei Chesed) Inc Hon Sec JMH Network Founding Member JCCV Social Justice Committee Coordinator of the Community Chest Professional referrals are welcome Page Top
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