Mental Health Support for Alpine Communities
16 July 2020
Photo L to R : Trevor Marshall Community & Business Services Manager Alpine Health, Georgie Gray Youth & Family Services Manager NESAY, Emma Ghys Early intervention Manager Alpine Health, Leah Waring, CEO NESAY.
Alpine Health, in partnership with NESAY, have been successful with an application for funding from the Victorian Government Mental Health and Wellbeing Bushfire Response Package to deliver the Community Based Mental Health Continuum of Care for Young People affected by Bushfire and COVID-19.
Alpine Health and NESAY, Gippsland Lakes Community Health Consortium, Corryong Health Service, Tallangatta Health Service and Beyond Blue will share in $6.6MIL for practical mental health support programs.
The two year project will work with Primary and Secondary schools in the Alpine Shire to provide a coordinated continuum of care for young people aged 10 to 18 years who require counselling and specialist services for positive mental health and wellbeing in regional Victoria, within a place based and social model of health. Community capacity building and prevention will also hold a strong focus of the project.
This partnership project is expected to increase the availability of mental health services available to young people in the Alpine Shire community in a timely, affordable and accessible way.
The expected benefits of the project include;
- Reduce stigma about mental health issues and promote positive action to support young people’s mental health such as sharing stories and seeking assistance
- Provide a tailored suite of programs that will be informed by need and refined through an academic partnership, that will continually monitor the need of young people
- Providing mental health supports through education and messaging. Using multi-media as the vehicle for healthy minds and healthy bodies
Trevor Marshall, Community & Business Services Manager at Alpine Health said “this has been a very difficult year to date and this announcement is a very positive and exciting step towards supporting young people in our local communities. The additional funding will provide a range of mental health supports that are accessible, affordable and timely in meeting our young people’s individual needs.”
Leah Waring, CEO of NESAY said “this funding has created an opportunity for a partnership between a health service and a youth service to support our vulnerable young people in the Alpine Shire. Together we can provide a range of supports to meet their needs as they may change.”
Minister for Mental Health Martin Foley said “we haven’t for a moment forgotten how tough it’s been for Victorians in bushfire-affected communities. Mental health support, especially for those in the regional areas is a top priority.”
Alpine Health and NESAY will provide more details about the Project later in July.
#NESAY, #MyrtlefordP-12, #BrightP-12, #MarianCollege and #MountBeautySecondaryCollege, and #vicgovDHHS
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Leah Waring Trevor Marshall
CEO, NESAY Community & Business Services Manager, Alpine Health
P: 0427 818 546 P: 0419 467430
E: [email protected] E: [email protected]