Funding for community mental health services a welcome relief under lockdown
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Media release
The Mental Health Community Coalition of the ACT (MHCC ACT) welcomes the announcement from the ACT Government to provide additional funding to the community sector for the mental health support of vulnerable Canberrans.
Bec Cody, MHCC ACT CEO, states “We are pleased to see that the ACT Government has recognised the important role community sector mental health providers play in supporting Canberrans in times of crisis.”
“This additional $260,000 funding is a step in the right direction to help support what will be an ongoing mental health crisis due to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.”
“Through the identification of key at-risk groups, our community sector organisations are able to provide immediate support to some of those most vulnerable at this time.”
“The funding looks to support new parents, people identifying as LGBTIQA+, our youth, people experiencing homeless and mental ill-health, carers, people living with disability and consideration has been had around reaching those outside the digital divide.”
“We, as a community, appreciate this immediate support at this time. And we look forward to further funding in the community sector as the mental health toll of the pandemic extends beyond 2021.”
Full breakdown of funding allocation from Minister for Mental Health, Emma Davidson media release 31 August 2021:
Additional funding of $260,000 has been divided between the six areas of identified need:
- $40,000 has been allocated to Perinatal Wellbeing to extend support to families who are about to have a baby or who are caring for a newborn.
- $40,000 has been allocated to Meridian to scale-up existing services to support at-risk Canberrans in the LGBTQI+ community at particular risk of heightened mental ill-health.
- $40,000 has been allocated to Catholic Care to extend services to young people suffering moderate to severe mental illness requiring more intensive support at home.
- $40,000 has been allocated to Mental Health Justice Health Alcohol and Drugs Service (MHJHADS) to extend the Homelessness Outreach Team pilot supporting people with severe mental illness experiencing homelessness.
- $40,000 has been allocated to Carers ACT to support carers. Carers and the people they care for are at risk of isolation and mental ill-health, likely to be exacerbated due to the COVID lockdown. People with disability are at higher risk of significant ill-health from COVID-19, and many carers have disabilities or chronic conditions themselves.
- $40,000 has been allocated to Woden Community Service to meet the increased support requested of suicide prevention services. Implementation will be via grant to Woden Community Service to scale up the existing Way Back Support Service.
- $20,000 has also been allocated for materials and activities to help contact and connect with groups of Canberrans who do not use social media and require printed materials or are harder to reach through other channels.
Media Contact: Bec Cody, Chief Executive Officer (02) 5104 7716, Bec.Cody@mhccact.org.au
Communications Officer: Alison Hall, (02) 5104 7711
MHCC ACT is the peak body for community-managed mental health services in the ACT. Find out more about MHCC ACT at www.mhccact.org.au.
