Cabrini Outreach Annual Report 2020-21 Asylum Seeker health services
Asylum Seeker health services — regional expansion Mental health support for Asylum Seekers in regional Victoria This year we expanded our specialist mental health services to regional Victoria in response to increasing need during the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with local support agencies and GP clinics, Cabrini Outreach expanded its services to people seeking asylum and temporary visa holders in Mildura and Shepparton. Funding received as part of the Victorian Government’s Keeping Victorians Connected and Supported — Mental Health and Wellbeing Coronavirus Response Package now allows referrals for psycho-social support, psychiatric care and consultation. Medical Director of Mental Health at Cabrini Outreach, Dr Tram Nguyen, said the introduction of Stage 3 restrictions in regional Victoria, in addition to the growing number of positive COVID-19 cases, had added new layers of fear and uncertainty among the community. She said this had resulted in an increased risk of destitution for people seeking asylum and people on temporary visas. “COVID-19, the pandemic and the measures to control it, have come at a cost to everyone, especially in terms of their mental health,” Dr Nguyen said. “Access to mental health care should be universal. It shouldn’t depend on your visa status or your postcode. That’s why we applaud this initiative from the Victorian Government.” 18
Cabrini Outreach has been acutely aware of the significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on people seeking asylum. Without access to a financial support safety net, job losses and increasing restrictions have had serious impacts on the people we work with. “After many years of uncertainty, separation from family members and restrictive visa conditions, this pandemic is adding to the devastation experienced by people seeking asylum,” Dr Nguyen said. “Communities in regional Victoria are no exception.”
Primary care clinic opened in Shepparton by Cabrini Outreach and Primary Care Connect In June 2021, Cabrini Outreach expanded its specialist primary health service to Shepparton, to address the needs
The Cabrini Outreach, Uniting VicTas and Primary Care Connect team at the opening of Clinic Sihat, Shepparton.
