General News
12 September, 2023
New carers wellbeing connect centre for Grampians region
Nhill and Ballarat-based Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect centres are among eight new centres across Victoria.
Grampians
Mental Health
A new mental health and wellbeing connect centre will support people in the Grampians region caring for someone with mental health and substance use challenges.
Grampians Community Health is partnering with Mind Australia and Ballarat Community Health to open one of two Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect Centres in the region.
The Grampians regional centre is expected to open later this year, potentially in Nhill, and there will be a separate centre in Ballarat. They are among eight new centres across Victoria.
GCH counselling manager Sarah Sargeant said the lived experience-led service would provide families and carers with vital networks and resources to improve their wellbeing.
"It's an exciting new concept that evolved from the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System which recognised that carers are often forgotten about when dealing with people with mental health and AOD issues," Ms Sargeant said.
"There has been a lot of client-lived experience work done over the past decade but it is pleasing that carer lived experience is now being addressed. Caring for someone with a mental illness can be a challenging, sometimes life-long commitment and families, carers, and supporters have their own wellbeing needs."
MIND Australia will employ a service manager for the project. GCH and BCH will employ community development workers to engage with carers to co-design the local centre, and there will be other peer workers and lived experience employment opportunities.
"All staff will have lived experience of supporting someone with mental health and substance use challenges," Ms Sargeant said. "As a carer with lived experience myself, I'm very pleased to see this opportunity happening in our region."
Ms Sargeant said GCH was seeking a suitable location in Nhill and advertising for a community development worker who will connect with the region's carers and start setting up the centre.
"We are trying to reach out into regional communities," she said.
"Our intention with basing the centre in Nhill rather than a bigger city is because we know there is a lot of need across the region."
The phone service will be operating within the next month, and the centre is hoped to be operational before the end of 2023.
"People will be able to drop in to access supports from counsellors and other professionals in a warm and welcoming environment and there will be links to other carer groups and support services," Ms Sargeant said.
Support for family members and carers may include emotional or practical support and help to connect with information, resources and services.
The service is open to everyone across the region. Once established, services will be available through walk-in, phone, online and outreach services. There will be no need for a referral from a health professional.
To find out more about Grampians Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect, call 1800 962 008 or email: GrampiansMHWConnect@mindaustralia.org.au.