By CHARLENE MACAULAY
Wave of mental health funds to sweep West
RESIDENTS in the West suffering from a serious mental illness will share in $13 million of State Government funding for new mental health reform initiatives.
State Mental Health Minister Mary Wooldridge said the initiatives would address key areas for people suffering a mental illness, such as reducing hospital emergency admissions, reducing homelessness and helping to provide stable housing.
The Victorian initiatives are part of a Council of Australian Governments commitment to address service gaps in the health and housing service systems and prevent repeated presentations to acute mental health services.
A total $5.2 million has gone towards the Mental Health Hospital Admission Risk Program, which will be delivered by Western Health across Maribyrnong, Hobson’s Bay, Brimbank, Werribee and Melton.
The program is a new approach that will improve access to community support and provide better management of patient mental and physical health in a bid to reduce emergency department presentations.
Western Health will work closely with a range of other services including Western Health Drug Services and Western Health’s Addiction Medicine and Toxicology Clinical Unit.
“The Victorian Coalition Government proposed innovative approaches to tackle some of the most challenging issues for people with a mental illness and was successful in securing $37 million in Commonwealth funding for Victorian services,” Ms Wooldridge said.
“The Victorian Government then selected 12 projects delivered by health services and community-based service providers to deliver better care, more treatment and greater stability in the lives of more than 1400 Victorians with severe and enduring mental illness.”
Western Metropolitan MP Andrew Elsbury said the initiatives were a significant addition to the support that mainstream health and mental health services provided to people with mental illness.
“Families across the western suburbs will welcome these additional initiatives to assist their loved ones who are dealing with the challenges of mental illness daily,” Mr Elsbury said.
The Mental Health Hospital Admission Risk program is one of five projects to receive funding in the North and North West.
