Program to expand mental health support

A NEW mental health program to support people and families who aren’t part of the NDIS or public mental health services was launched in Geelong earlier this week.

The Well Connected program will provide essential community mental health supports to people across Western Victoria, with funding from the Western Victorian Primary Health Network (PHN) and the federal government.

Services will be delivered by Wellways across the Geelong-Otways and Great South Coast region, assisting some of the hardest to reach people in the community.

“This will reach a large number of people and families in our community who fall through the cracks,” Wellways chief executive officer Elizabeth Crowther said.

“Well Connected is specially designed to assist people who may struggle to engage with traditional services or who need essential mental health education and community support. We will be able to support people in flexible, innovative ways according to their needs.”

Western Victoria PHN chief executive officer Dr Leanne Beagley said that while the NDIS provided comprehensive and individualised support for people with severe and disabling mental illness, it was not designed for some people with severe mental illness.

“This service will provide specialised but less intense psychosocial support linked to an individual’s goals and needs,” Leanne said.

Well Connected is a psychosocial support program for those aged 16-64 who experience mental illness or mental health concerns. The program will provide a range of community-based mental health supports including outreach, peer support, and group-based programs for people living with mental illness in the community and families.