FaHCSIA Mental Health Update—January 2008—issue five
Mental Health Respite Program
Mental Health Community Based Program
Personal Helpers and Mentors Program
The Mental Health Branch was established to implement a range of new non-clinical mental health initiatives that were announced in the 2006-07 Federal Budget. These measures are $45.2 million over five years for community based programs; $284.8 million over five years for personal helpers and mentors; and $224.7 million over five years for respite care.
Mental Health Respite Program
The commencement of brokerage services through the existing Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres was launched in April 2007. The program provides a flexible range of respite options for carers of people with mental illness/psychiatric disability and intellectual disability to enable carers to take a short term break from their usual caring role.In October 2007, the Australian Government announced funding to a variety of new respite services across Australia under the National Respite Development component of the program. This part of the program will work to: increase the availability of appropriate respite options; provide flexibility to respond to respite supply issues that cannot be managed at the state/territory or regional level; and to develop the capacity of the sector.
Information on the successful service providers is available on the FaHCSIA website.
Mental Health Community Based Program
The Mental Health Community Based Program (MHCBP) will deliver local community-based projects to assist people affected by mental illness, with a particular focus on Indigenous families and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.Phase one
Two high priority projects are currently being delivered under phase one of the MHCBP:- seven family mental health support services sites commenced operation in late June 2007 to deliver mental health support services to families affected by mental illness, and
- a series of carers workshops will be conducted across Australia in 2008 to assist family members and carers of people with
a mental illness to develop coping and management skills.
Phase two
Thirty-eight community-based non-government organisations will receive funding for projects to support families, carers, children and young people (aged from 16 to 24 years) affected by mental illness. These projects have a focus on Indigenous families and those from a culturally and linguistically diverse background.Projects will meet an existing mental health need and aim to build family and community resilience, with the government committing a total of $34 million over three years until 30 June 2010.
A full list of the organisations is available on the FaHCSIA website.