AASW Mental Health Symposium 2022 | Panel: Pandemics, Mental Health and NDIS

Member price: $55.00 including GST (member price will display once logged in)

Non-member price: $110.00 including GST

Recording from AASW's 2022 Mental Health Social Work and Contemporary Practice Symposium

• Panel | Pandemics, Mental Health and NDIS. Taking forward lessons learned to redefine the value of social work – Gill Callister, Brooke Kooyman, Dr Ruth Vine
• National Excellence Awards
• Closing Address – Cindy Smith

AASW Credentials: Mental Health; Disability

Presenters

Dr Ruth Vine

Dr Ruth Vine is Australia’s first Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health. Ruth provides policy advice on critical mental health issues impacting the Australian community due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and champions Commonwealth policy development and implementation activities to better integrate the Australian mental health system.

Ruth is a consultant psychiatrist and has more than 25 years’ experience. Ruth has worked for the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, and has held positions of Deputy Chief Psychiatrist, Chief Psychiatrist and Director of Mental Health.

She has chaired the AHMAC National Mental Health Standing Committee, the National Mental Health Workforce Committee, and National Safety and Quality Committee.

Previously, Ruth was the Executive Director of NorthWestern Mental Health, a division of Melbourne Health from 2013 to 2019. NorthWestern Mental Health is the largest mental health service in Victoria, covering a population of approximately 1.4 million people across a number of growth corridors.

Ruth is a member of the Board of Forensicare, the Board of Mind, and the Medical Practitioners Board (Victoria).

Ruth holds a Bachelor of Medicine and a Doctor of Philosophy from Melbourne University, a Bachelor of Laws from La Trobe University, and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

Gill Callister

Gill has dedicated her career to improving public policy and service delivery, particularly for vulnerable people in the community, and was recognised with a Public Service Medal in 2019.

Most recently an Associate Dean and Vice President at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) in 2019-20, prior to this Gill served as Secretary of two Victorian Government Departments over almost 10 years from 2009 to the end of 2018 –

The Department of Human Services and The Department of Education and Training.

This followed a range of senior roles in the Victorian Public Service and a ten-year stint in the community sector working with children, young people and families.

In 2022 Gill was appointed a member of the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing Board, the new Centre being a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health system. Gill holds an adjunct professor role at Monash University and her leadership in public policy was recognised in 2013 when she received a Sir James Wolfensohn Public Service Scholarship to attend Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. In October 2014,

Gill was awarded the IPAA National Fellowship award and a Monash University Fellowship and in 2017 Gill was named as one of the top 50 women in the Victorian public service.

Brooke Kooymans

Brooke is a current practising social worker with 24 years’ experience working within Australia’s leading government and non-government agencies, both in the public and private sectors. Brooke is the founder and Director of a disability social work private practice in Brisbane, Queensland, that services the disability community with a special focus on acquired disability, mental health and dual diagnosis. In addition to direct practice, Brooke also provides professional supervision to social workers in the disability field.

Brooke’s practice also supports social work student placements an offers a new graduate program for emerging social workers. Brooke is an accredited Mental Health Social Worker and Accredited Disability Social Worker with the AASW. Brooke holds a BA (psychology/Sociology), BSW, MSW, Grad Cert in Rehab Case Management and is currently undertaking a PhD with a research focus on “Social Work in Practice in the Community Sector”.

Brooke was elected as a Director of the Association in October 2018 and is currently the Chair of the Association’s National Ethics Committee and a member of the People and Culture Committee.