#CEOdesk

Last Wednesday we were honoured to host The Hon Greg Hunt MP, Minister for Health and the Federal Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh MP at our office.

Essential to what we do as a regional health planning and funding body, is knowing our region and understanding the primary healthcare needs of our community. This visit was an opportunity for us to not only showcase some our work but to advocate for the health needs of our region, particularly in regards to mental health and addiction support.

On Thursday, I was invited to an event where Senator Deborah O'Neill, Assistant Shadow Minister for Mental Health, and Susan Templeman, Member for Macquarie, announced that Labor will also fund a headspace Centre in Katoomba, in addition to a new outreach service in the Hawkesbury, if elected into Government.

We are passionate about improving the mental health of our local communities and are thrilled that both Katoomba and the Hawkesbury will receive funding for headspace services if Labor is elected.

I am excited to announce the first of our Well-Being Grants to Support Farming Communities recipients launched their project yesterday.

Hawkesbury Be & Co. is a fortnightly pop-up social event that aims to foster community connections and improve access to support for isolated people.

Our Well-Being Grants to Support Farming Communities is funded by the Federal Government’s Empowering Our Communities project, which was introduced as one of several measures to support communities affected by drought.

On Tuesday, the Hon Marise Payne, Senator for Western Sydney, and Sarah Richards, Liberal candidate for the seat of Macquarie, announced that the Morrison Government will fund a new headspace service in Katoomba.

Together with the community, we have been advocating for additional youth mental health services in our region for some time and we are thrilled that Katoomba will receive a headspace service in mid-2020 to help address youth anxiety and depression.

This month is Mental Health Awareness Month and a great opportunity to highlight one of our commissioned services, Blue Mountains Aboriginal Culture Resource Centre (ACRC), and the amazing work they are doing with young Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people in our region through their Young, Strong & Deadly Program.

Young, Strong & Deadly is a dual early intervention Mental Health and Alcohol & Other Drugs prevention program for young Aboriginal people between 13-28 years of age. Delivered primarily through schools, the program is designed to strengthen young people’s connection to country and cultural identity, creating a positive sense-of-self and community. This creates a sense of belonging that increases their personal resilience and decreases their risks of mental illness and alcohol and other drugs addiction.

Last month I wrote about the announcement by the Federal Government of funding to commission a new headspace outreach service in Lithgow in mid-2018.

While we work to establish this new service, it's important that youth in the area who are already experiencing psychological distress, can access the support they need.

As a result, we have established an interim measure that allows young Lithgow residents aged between 12 to 25 years old, who hold a current Centrelink issued Health Care Card, to access up to 12 sessions of free or low cost ($10) psychological services through a referral from their GP.

Today I was delighted to attend an event in Lithgow with the Federal Member for Calare, Andrew Gee, who announced on behalf of the Federal Government additional funding to help support youth anxiety and depression.

I am passionate about improving the health of our local communities and mental health continues to be a high priority for our region.

As part of the package announced today, our PHN will receive funding to commission an outreach headspace service in Lithgow in mid-2018. I am thrilled that Lithgow will receive this much needed funding boost to help address the high rates of youth mental health in the area.