Mental Health Coalition of South Australia

01/09/2026

Laughter Is the Best of Meds is back for 2026! 😂
Join us for a night of comedy featuring brilliant local talent, headlined by Jason Chong, hosted by Bobby Macumber, with special guests Libby Trainor Parker, Kel Balnaves and Emily Grace.

Grab your tickets, grab your mates, and come find out why laughter really is some of the best medicine - live at The Howling Owl.

🎤 Headliner: Jason Chong
🎙️ Host: Bobby Macumber
✨ With Libby Trainor Parker, Kel Balnaves & Emily Grace
📅 Thursday 8 October
📍 The Howling Owl

Price;
Concession: $25
Full Price: $30

Tickets 👇
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/laughter-is-the-best-of-meds-tickets-1998166672306?aff=oddtdtcreator

25/08/2026

Wear It Purple Day is coming up.

This Friday 28 August is Wear It Purple Day, a day where people across Australia wear purple to show LGBTQIA+SB young people that they are safe, supported and celebrated - just as they are.

This year's theme, Colours of Courage, is a reminder that courage doesn't always look like a big, bold gesture. Sometimes it's asking for support, standing beside a friend, or simply choosing to live proudly on a day when that isn't always easy. Every colour is different, but together they make something powerful and that's what this day is all about.

We know how much it matters for young people to see their workplaces, schools and communities standing up for them. This Friday you can get involved, and it does not have to be something big.

A purple dress-up day, a morning tea, or a chat at the team meeting all count. Register your event and add your voice and help spread the word about what you're doing.

Register your event today, 👇🏼

Register an Event Register Your Wear It Purple Day EventPlanning to celebrate Wear It Purple Day in your school, workplace or community?Register your event to let us know you are taking part, receive updates and resources, and become part of the national movement supporting LGBTQIA+SB young people.W...

20/08/2026

This week LEWP delivered our Peer Supervision Training online, supporting access for both our metro and regional Peer workforce. The training explored how lived experience expertise, mutuality and role modelling shape peer supervision, and how we can intentionally draw on our skills and knowledge in ways that uphold peer values, principles and ways of working. We loved this reflection from one of the people we shared the space with: "It really reinforced how important it is to intentionally use my skillset in a way that reflects peer values and principles, while creating space for shared learning and growth."

06/08/2026

This week is Loneliness Awareness Week.

Connection isn't something that just happens. It's built, deliberately, in the ways we make room for one another.

It can be so simple - an extra chair at the table, a warm smile when someone walks by, a circle widened just enough to fit one more person. These are small gestures, but they count. They're what let people show up, feel like they belong, and know they're not alone.

This Loneliness Awareness Week, we acknowledge connection can't be confined to one week a year – these small acts need to happen every day. So let's make that space, always: at home, at work, and throughout our communities.

Learn more 👇
https://lonelinessawarenessweek.com.au/

05/08/2026

This week Hon Blair Boyer hosted a roundtable meeting with stakeholders and Professor Paul Flatau, Director of the Centre for Social Impact at the University of Western Australia. Professor Flatau presented his findings from a CMHA commissioned report that examined the economic value of funding psychosocial supports.

We were joined by Members of Parliament including the Erin Thompson Premier's Advocate for Su***de Prevention as well as staff from SA Health. It was an insightful discussion followed by some great questions.

This was followed by a briefing to the sector.

The findings are clear: community-based, non-clinical support helps people build stronger lives including housing, employment and their relationships - while easing pressure on hospitals and crisis services. With mental health challenges costing Australia $255–280 billion a year, investing in psychosocial support isn't just good care, it's smart economics.

Thank you to everyone who joined us.

You can read the report here 👇

https://mhcsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Capturing-the-economic-value-of-psychosocial-support-Full-report.pdf

29/07/2026

Children, families and a mental health workforce working beyond capacity can't be an afterthought in our next National Mental Health and Su***de Prevention Agreement.

Mental Health Australia has released new guidance papers outlining what governments must prioritise in our next Agreement - from psychosocial supports outside the NDIS to urgent workforce reform.

Read the full guidance 👉 https://www.mentalhealthaustralia.org.au/articles/research-projects/national-mental-health-and-suicide-prevention-agreement-advocacy

***dePrevention

28/07/2026

Our advocacy for funding the unmet needs and services to deliver mental health support in the community continues. Today Geoff met with Minister for Child Protection and Minister for Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Alice Rolls. It was a constructive discussion where we could also explore the overlap of mental health support for survivors of family, domestic and sexual violence.

15/07/2026

🌿 2026 Mental Health Month webpage is now live!

This October, we're inviting all South Australians to Find Your Way to Wellbeing.

Our Mental Health Month webpage is now live with everything you need to get involved:
✅ Resources to support wellbeing conversations
✅ Social media guides & tiles
✅ Marketing assets
✅ An events calendar — browse what's on or add your own event

👉 Visit https://mhcsa.org.au/mental-health-month/ to explore and join in.

09/07/2026

This week it was great to welcome newly elected Cheyne Rich to our office for a meeting on the unmet need for psychosocial supports.

With this new term of Parliament, we wrote to all new and returning MPs to remind them that 19,000 South Australians are still without the community-based mental health support they need to live well.

We've had a fantastic response, holding constructive meetings with Members of Parliament across the political spectrum, in both the Upper and Lower House. It's encouraging to see so much will and support to close this gap in mental health services — and we remain committed to doing exactly that.

07/07/2026

🏳️‍🌈 As we come to the end of our funded project with Adelaide PHN under the LGBTIQA+ Su***de Prevention Capacity Building Project, we want to take a moment to reflect on an incredible 18 months.

Through this project, LEWP had the privilege of co-designing, developing and establishing the LGBTIQA+ Lived Experience Community of Practice. A space was created for connection, learning and community, bringing in a range of guest speakers and fostering meaningful conversation.

One participant shared:
"The most valuable part of the session was seeing and hearing from like-minded people with shared lived experience. Being in a space grounded in mutuality, authenticity, and respect reinforced the power of connection and collective wisdom."

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to this space, and to our Steering Group for your guidance and support throughout the project.

A special thank you to Kai Dibbins, whose dedication, expertise and co-facilitation have been integral to the Community of Practice from the very beginning. Thank you also to Thorne Harbour Health and SARAA for your support and guidance along the way.

While LEWP's involvement in this project is coming to an end, we are thrilled to be passing this established community to SARAA, with Kai continuing to facilitate the space into the future.

To stay connected and receive updates about future Community of Practice sessions, please sign up to the newly established mailing list to support a smooth transition.You can find the mailing list sign up form 👇
https://actionnetwork.org/forms/lgbtiqa-lived-experience-community-of-practice?clear_id=true&source=direct_link

Thank you for being part of this journey. We are proud of what has been built together and excited to see the community continue to grow.