Everybody Knows Somebody

Lorne Community Hospital mental Health Forum

Do you know someone in our community that is suffering the effects of anxiety, depression, suicidal tendencies, alcohol or drug abuse? If you don’t know anyone, perhaps we need to learn the skills of how to recognise them.

With three expert speakers in their fields, the Lorne Community Hospital’s Mental Health Forum being hosted in Mental Health Week will equip us all with skills in identifying issues in ourselves, family and in our community. The night will also provide strategies to make us all more resilient to these effects.

Mental Health Week 2017 is from October 7-14 with the aim to promote the importance of early intervention practices for positive mental health and wellbeing and reduce the stigma associated with mental health. The awareness campaign is held annually in October to coincide with the World Health Organisation’s recognition of World Mental Health Day which is celebrated on the 10th of October.

Leigh Bartlett has been working in the youth space, in schools, local government NGOs and privately for over 25 years, and is now the regional youth affairs consultant at Barwon Adolescent Taskforce (BATForce). With a passion for young people and their community, she believes raising adolescents is like trying to nail jelly to a tree – it takes many hands to deal with the potential mess!

Rameen Razmara is an experienced occupational therapist who specialises in mental health assessments and interventions. Rameen will help us recognise suicidal tendencies in ourselves and others and explain how he works to get people back on track using services in Lorne.

Christine Rampling from Windana Drug and Alcohol Recovery will present on strategies for us all to assist with alcohol and other drug recovery in our community. Windana, an Aboriginal word meaning ‘which way?’ in conjunction with Lorne Community Hospital can help people in Lorne who have become disconnected from their family, children friends and community caused by the harmful effects of alcohol and drug misuse.

This important forum would not be possible without the amazing fundraising work of the 2017 Foodworks Lorne Spinners M2M team. The event is also receiving support from the Lions Club of Lorne who will provide a light supper including soup. Thank you again to these amazing volunteer groups.

The MC for the forum will be Steve Atkinson, known to many of us, Steve has been part of the M2M team and will help to facilitate your opportunity to ask questions important to you. Although rsvp is not essential, if you are committed to attending please let us know for catering purposes.

Let’s continue to build resilience in our small community.

Let’s gather strategies for dealing with mental health issues – for ourselves, our family, especially our children or our neighbours.

• What: Lorne’s mental health forum
• When: Tuesday 10 october from 6pm – 8.30pm
• Where: Lorne Senior Citizens Centre
• Dinner: Light meal & tea and coffee provided
• Cost: free

For further information or to rsvp, please contact Karyn Hogg on 5289 4383.