News

New mental health demonstration project for Mildura

Wed, 07 Jun 2017 05:28:00

MILDURA will host the trial of an innovative and collaborative model of providing mental health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have come in contact with the criminal justice system.

Focusing on people with moderate to severe mental illness and disorders, the ground-breaking two-year demonstration project will aim to reduce the number of repeat offenders by offering integrated services such as clinical mental health services, drug and alcohol counselling and case management.
The project will be known as the Mildura Aboriginal Mental Health Consortium and will be led by the Mallee District Aboriginal Services (MDAS), in partnership with the Mildura Base Hospital Mental Health Service and the Mallee Family Care Community Mental Health Support Services.
“This project gives us the opportunity to build a more integrated approach to mental health care for Aboriginal people in the Mildura area,” MDAS Chief Executive Officer Rudy Kirby said.
“The key strengths of each of the three organisations that provide mental health services locally will be combined to increase our involvement with people who need these services, and we can streamline their access to mental health support.”
Thanks to a funding injection of $935,000 from the Department of Health and Human Services, the consortium will effectively test if a more integrated approach to mental health support will help reduce the rate of recidivism by  ensuring people get access to relevant services, rather than falling through the cracks or only accessing services in a crisis.
Mildura has an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of 3.7% of the total population, compared to 0.7% for Victoria and in 2014-15 had the highest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders per Community Correctional Services location in Victoria.
Mildura has had a Koori Court since July 2005 and in August 2016 Mildura became one of only three regions with a County Koori Court.
“This consortium approach has really been designed to address a known gap,” Mildura Base Hospital’s Director of Mental Health Services David Kirby said.
“For example, there is a poor uptake of mental health services by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our region, except in crisis. This project provides the hospital with the opportunity to begin working with people earlier, before they reach crisis point and while they are being supported by MDAS.”
Each organisation in the consortium has a defined role.
As the lead agency, MDAS will employ the staff for the demonstration project and will be the key point of contact for clients. The project will sit within the Social and Emotional Wellbeing/Mental Health Service with service delivery to be from the MDAS Wellbeing Hub located in Orange Avenue Mildura, where project staff will be based. Intake and referral processes will be undertaken by MDAS in cooperation with Mildura Base Hospital Mental Health Service.
Mildura Base Hospital will provide clinical governance and oversight of the mental health assessment and treatment provided as part of the service model, with a Psychiatric Registrar to be contracted to MDAS for this purpose. The Aboriginal Health Unit at Mildura Base Hospital will also be a point of referral into this project for Aboriginal clients.
Mallee Family Care’s Community Mental Health Support Services will provide referrals to the demonstration project as well as bringing a community driven approach to mental health services. The role in the consortium will primarily be a consultative one, drawing on the skills and experience of the MFC team in delivering mental health services in a non-clinical setting.
“This consortium can demonstrate through many years of providing relevant services that it has the experience and capacity to deliver effective, high quality mental health treatment and care to people aged 16-64 years with moderate to severe mental illness, using an evidence based model of care,” Mallee Family Care’s General Manager Mental Health Services Chris Hobart said.
Recruiting for various positions is now underway, with the project to be operating later this year.

Pictured: Raelene Stephens, MDAS Manager of Social and Emotional Wellbeing