The 12th International Mental Health Conference was held at the Radisson Resort, Gold Coast
24 - 26 August 2011

Mental Health problems are common in Australia with one in five Australians experiencing a mental illness at some stage in their lives, and many experiencing more than one type at one time.  This year we will explore different types of Personality Disorders and their effects through the life cycle from childhood to older age.  We will also explore the impact of Personality Disorders on Schizophrenia, Mood Disorders, Eating Disorders, Bipolar Disorder and Drug & Alcohol conditions.

The 2011 conference presented a unique opportunity to bring together Australia’s and New Zealand’s leading Academics, Clinical Practitioners, and other Mental Health Professionals.   The focus will be on new clinical developments, treatments, programs and studies in meeting the challenges faced by people with Personality Disorders.

The 2011 Conference included a Satellite Meeting of the Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists.
A stream was dedicated to the college for presentations relevant to the conference theme.

Speakers Included:

• Prof Steve Allsop - Director, National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University
  Prof Gin Malhi – Head of the Discipline of Psychological Medicine at the University of Sydney, Executive Director of the Advanced Research Clinical High-field Imaging (ARCHI) facility at the Faculty’s Northern Clinical School
  Prof Maxwell Bennett - Professor of Neuroscience in the University of Sydney, Scientific Director of the Brain & Mind Research Institute
• Prof Phillipa Hay - University of Western Sydney
• Prof Henry Jackson – Professor of Psychology in Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne and a clinical psychologist
• Professor Roger Mulder - University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
  A/Prof Nicole Lee - LeeJenn Health Consultants and National Centre for Education and Training on Addictions (NCETA)

The 11th International Mental Health Conference was held at the Holiday Inn Surfers Paradise
18 - 20 August 2010

Depression & Anxiety: Who, What, Where, When and How?

The ANZMH Association last visited Anxiety and Depression as a major conference theme in 2000. In the past ten years diagnoses and treatments of both conditions have evolved considerably supported by improved funding and support from State and Federal Governments.

1. Who are the leaders in the fields of depression and anxiety research and service provision?
2. What new treatments have been developed that are recognised as evidence based treatments?
3. Where do we go from here? What further developments are under consideration? What advances can we expect in the next ten years? What changes do we need to implement in the workplace to promote and provide better management of anxiety and depression?
4. When and under what conditions are treatments and programs likely to be successful?
5. How are Governments developing policy to help with the ever increasing number of clients reporting with these conditions? How are new approaches being trialled?
   

The conference was structured to provide updates on the treatment of depression and anxiety over different phases of the life cycle (from childhood to older adults).