The Weekly Advertiser - Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Page 1

Vol. No. Vol. 2118No. 42 27

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Centre interest A

BY DEAN LAWSON

community push to develop a 24hour mental-health crisis centre in Horsham has attracted the attention of a major health service keen to explore the idea.

Member for Lowan Emma Kealy confirmed she had been speaking with a senior representative of the national agency and early signs were promising. Ms Kealy, Opposition mental-health spokesperson, said it would be premature to announce the name of the not-for-profit group. But she did reveal it was looking at developing an operation model and taking it to the community in the near future. “What I can say is that they are a national not-for-profit organisation, which already has experience in delivering mental-health services and has an established connection in the region,” she said. “They would obviously need to look over the concept and see if they could deliver what is required.” Horsham Rotary clubs and advocacy group Healthy Minds Horsham launched a push to establish a crisis centre in Horsham in early April. The project involves filling ‘a serious health service gap’ in the region with dedicated and immediate support and intervention services to help people trying to cope with depressive and other mental illnesses. A brief is for a crisis centre to be available to anyone and at any time and operate as part of, with or alongside, health and service agencies. A structured version of the concept has strong backing from Wimmera Health Care Group chief executive Catherine Morley. Ms Kealy joined a chorus in declaring the region had a significant shortage of mentalhealth and psychiatric services.

Wednesday, January 2016 Wednesday, May13, 1, 2019

“There is no doubt about it. We need a big injection of more investment and trained professionals so we can deliver services locally,” she said. “It can be difficult when you’re in opposition to get the State Government to move its focus away from Melbourne. “But it doesn’t mean we can’t get things done ourselves. “There’s lots of ways to skin a cat and if we can’t get anything happening in our region in this space through government channels, then we will do it some other way. “It is important that we do something.”

Consultation

Ms Kealy said she would meet with representatives from the interested health group in coming weeks to see what information it needed to progress the concept. She also encouraged people across her electorate to have their say on Victoria’s mental-health system. Ms Kealy said a community consultation phase of a Royal Commission into the sector, which had started across Victoria and continued into May, provided the opportunity. “Victoria’s mental-health system is generally in crisis and needs urgent attention,” she said. “The Royal Commission is an opportunity to highlight areas for improvement, to look at ways to boost early intervention and for people with a mental illness and their carers to tell their story and have a role in shaping a better mental-health system in our state.” Ms Kealy said more information about how to participate in the Royal Commission and community consultations was available online at www.rcvmhs.vic.gov. au.

LONG AND THE SHORT: Essendon’s 191-centimetre Kyle Langford shares a moment with young fan Reggie Mueller during an AFL clinic at Edenhope. Visiting Bombers put aspiring young footballers through their paces at Edenhope and Nhill on Monday. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

IN THIS ISSUE • Grampians Grape Escape boon • Roads, river in budget • Wimmera hockey hits off Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au

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