Resources
Draft Stigma Strategy public consultation
Public consultation on the Draft National Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Strategy was held from November 2022 to February 2023. The Stigma Strategy Team would like to thank everyone who made a contribution to the process.
A report on feedback received through public consultation, as well as archived copies of the Draft Strategy, supporting documentation, and consultation materials, are linked below:
- What We Heard - Insights from the Public Consultation on the Draft Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Strategy (PDF)
- What We Heard - Insights from the Public Consultation on the Draft Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Strategy (WORD)
- Consultation Draft Strategy
- Consultation Draft Strategy - Summary
- Consultation Draft Strategy - Actions
- Survey 1 - Feedback on proposed actions
- Survey 2 - Carers, families and support people
- Survey 3 - People working in services and systems
- Survey 4 - Submissions upload
Briefs and research
These reports were commissioned or supported by the Commission to draw upon the current evidence base to inform initial thinking around the development of the National Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Strategy.
They are the work of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Commission or the Australian Government.
Background briefs
- Background brief – Self-Stigma
- Background brief – Public Stigma
- Background brief – Structural Stigma
- Background brief – Measuring Stigma and Discrimination
Evidence reviews
- Legal and regulatory contexts of stigma and discrimination (Summary) and Full Report)
- Family court and child protection
- Experience of people with mental ill-health involved in family court or child protection processes: A rapid evidence review (Summary and Full Report)
- Criminal Justice System
- Stigma and discrimination experiences amongst those with mental illness in contact with the criminal justice system (Summary and Full Report)
- Social security and stigma in Australia (Full Report)
- Mental health discrimination in insurance (Full Report)
Research
To inform the Strategy's development, the Commission partnered with the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA) to undertake a nationally representative survey of mental health-related stigma and discrimination. The survey was completed in August 2021 by 7,873 adults (aged 18+ years). The full report on survey findings, as well as supplementary materials, are linked below.
- Report: National Survey of Mental Health-Related Stigma and Discrimination
- Supplementary Material A: Stigma Survey
- Supplementary Material B: Response proportions
Consultations
During November 2021 the Commission hosted six online workshops to inform the development of the Strategy across each workstream. To find out more, read the workshop summaries below.
- Mental Health System
- Health System
- Social Services, Disability, Income Support and Housing
- Employment
- Financial Services, Insurance and the Law
- Education and Training
Consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
In March 2022, the Commission engaged ABSTARR Consulting, an Indigenous-led and run organisation, to run a culturally safe workshop and focus group with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (including people with lived experience) to inform the Strategy’s development and public consultation process. The report linked below provides an overview of the engagement and key findings from the workshop and focus group.
Consultation with culturally and linguistically diverse community leaders
In March 2022, the Commission engaged in a short consultation process led by Swagata Bapat to identify culturally and linguistically diverse perspectives on stigma and discrimination related to mental ill-health, trauma, and distress (including themes related to intersectionality), and to identify specific actions and levers for change that could be considered for inclusion in the draft Strategy. The report provides a summary of feedback sourced through review of relevant documents, consultation with peak bodies at a facilitated roundtable, and individual consultations with key stakeholders in the multicultural mental health space.
Other research used to inform the development of the Strategy
MISRed Project
The MISRed Project was led by the Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne to inform the following actions under Priority Area 6: Reducing Stigma and Discrimination of Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan.
The outputs of the MISRed project are now also being used to inform the development of the National Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Strategy, including the following MISRed Reports:
- Report 1: Review of existing Australian stigma and discrimination initiatives and evidence
- Report 2: Targeted consultations
- Report 3: Consultations with people with lived experience
- Report 4: Consultations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with lived experience
- Report 5: Reducing stigma and discrimination towards people with mental illness: Final summary and recommendations