In 2019-20, 6,354 sessions of psychological therapies were provided.
Mental Health
Mental Health
Improving mental health and wellbeing
services
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Year in review
Our PHN is committed to ensuring people living in our region have access to primary mental health care services that are best matched to their individual needs.
Developing a regional approach to mental health and wellbeing
To ensure our region is best placed to adapt to the changing needs of our communities, Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN, West Moreton Health (WMH) and Darling Downs Health (DDH) committed to joint planning for integrated mental health, suicide prevention and alcohol and other drug (AOD) services.
The joint Regional Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs Plan 2019 - 2021 aims to integrate care across the health system to improve services for consumers, carers and families impacted by mental health, AOD use and suicide. It also aims to reduce stigma for people accessing the care they need.
The Plan was officially launched in Ipswich on Friday, 21 February 2020 attended by mental health, AOD, suicide prevention and other health representatives from across the region.
More than 100 representatives from a wide range of organisations across the region participated in consultations and workshops to identify key issues and develop priorities within the Plan.
Putting people at the centre of care
The PHN continues to fund services for people with, or at risk of, a mental health condition through a stepped care approach. Stepped care ensures individuals can access primary mental health care services that are best matched to their individual needs.
Low intensity services providing entry-level mental health support
During 2019-20, the PHN funded a number of organisations to deliver low intensity mental health services via phone, online, groups or one-on-one.
Our funded providers were:
Lives Lived Well deliver the NewAccess Program in the Lockyer Valley, Western Downs, Southern Downs, Goondiwindi, South Burnett and Somerset regions. The Program is developed by Beyond Blue to support people experiencing low-level anxiety and depression by helping them to identify their problems, set practical goals and get their lives back on track.
Richmond Fellowship Queensland deliver the NewAccess Program in the Toowoomba, Ipswich and Scenic Rim regions. The Program is developed by Beyond Blue to support people experiencing low-level anxiety and depression by helping them to identify their problems, set practical goals and get their lives back on track.
The Strong Mind, Strong Spirit program is a culturally appropriate group support program designed to reach out to people with, or at risk of, a mental health condition, their family and community.
TOMNET (The Older Mens Network)
offers specialised support services
and peer programs for men over 50,
especially those at risk. The program
offers up to 12 face-to-face or telephone sessions to help men manage anxiety and depression.
The New Sensations program offers
a one-day workshop which focuses
on sensory modulation therapy.
Mallow Wellbeing offers the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in a group or individual setting.
The Optimal Health Program is an eight-session, self-development program promoting hope, growth and partnership.
Community Development Services offer group-based, face-to-face workshops covering topics such as building resilience, coping strategies, transition to senior school, peer group support, resisting drug use and identifying mental health concerns, supporting young people who are at risk of a mental health condition.
Care for people needing moderate support
Targeted Psychological Therapies (TPT) provides psychological support to people with a mild to moderate mental health condition.
Our funded providers were:
- Alexandra Bryant
- Artius Health
- Barry Sheehan
- Centre for Healthy Living
- Gillian Bensley
- Heather Linsley
- Creative Holistic Counselling
- Goolburri Health Advancement Co
- Illuminable Minds
- Lainie Nicholson
- Lifeline Darling Downs and South West
- Lumsden Psychology
- Mindware Psychology
- Nadine Hinchliff Therapy Services
- Rural Sky
- Searle Psychology & Mediation
- Therapy Pro
Supporting mental wellbeing for vulnerable children and young people
Child and Youth Mental Health Services are designed for children and young people aged 12 - 25 with, or at risk of, developing mental health conditions. The services are aimed at increasing access to evidence-based early intervention services to reduce the prevalence and impact of mental health conditions.
Helping young people maintain a healthy head space
headspace can assist young people aged 12 - 25 with their mental health and wellbeing, physical health, alcohol and other drugs, and work and study.
Our PHN continued to support the three (3) headspace Centres in our region in 2019-20:
In 2019-20, the headspace Centres in our region supported
2,231 young people.
Providing psychological support to young people who need it most
Complex Psychological Therapies provide psychological support for children and young people who otherwise may not have access to services.
Our 2019-20 funded providers were:
Coordinating care for young people
EACH provide a non-clinical care coordination service for young people, working with their families, schools, employers and other health practitioners to help them manage their mental health. The service works in tandem with Complex Psychological Therapies services providing a combination of case management and training to both young people and families to better manage mental health conditions.
Big Buddy Program
The PHN provided a seeding grant to CatholicCare to rollout the Big Buddy Program in Toowoomba. In partnership with Goondir, CatholicCare commenced the delivery of the Big Buddy Program in selected Toowoomba Schools to engage young people aged 12 - 17 in the school environment.
The program promotes, social Inclusion, mentorship, life skills and education. Whilst this program focusses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young peoples predominantly, it is open to all students at the selected schools.
Our funded providers were:
Making culturally appropriate support available
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Services provide free, culturally appropriate social and emotional wellbeing services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with, or at risk of, a mental health condition.
Our funded providers were:
Supporting people with ongoing and persistent mental health needs
Mental Health Nurse Care and Psychosocial Support is for people who are diagnosed with a severe and complex mental health condition who are currently being managed in a primary care setting via a GP and/or a psychiatrist.
Mental Health Nurses provide person-centred, holistic and recovery-oriented coordinated care.
Psychosocial Support provides non-clinical support in an individual or group setting providing services that build ability and skills to assist people to manage their mental health, improve relationships with family and others, and increase social and economic participation.
Our 2019-2020 funded providers for the above services were:
Supporting the transition of care
The Australian Government announced purpose specific funding over 12 months from 1 July 2019 to support the transition of Commonwealth community mental health clients to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) or Continuity of Support (CoS). Clients previously receiving support through Partners in Recovery, Support for Day to Day Living in the Community and Personal Helpers and Mentors programs were supported in 2019-20 through NPS Transition and/or CoS by the following providers:
- Carbal Medical Services
- Impact Community Services
- Jacaranda Clubhouse
- Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Queensland Ltd
- Neami National
- Open Minds
- RHealth
- Richmond Fellowship Queensland
- Rural and Remote Mental Health
- STRIDE Mental Health
- Toowoomba Clubhouse
Providing follow-up care for people at a critical time
Suicide Prevention services provide follow-up care to individuals who have self-harmed or attempted suicide.
Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention funded providers were:
Carbal Medical Services provide culturally appropriate suicide prevention services that supports the clients (and their care givers) to work with a range of practitioners including GPs, psychiatrists, addiction medicine specialists, psychologists, social workers, counsellors, nurses and Aboriginal health workers.
Goolburri Aboriginal Health Advancement Co provide person-centred, follow-up care through access to integrated health and social care services.
CRAICCHS provide case management support linking people with a suite of services including their Family Wellbeing program, Social and Emotional Wellbeing Program, Alcohol and Other Drugs Services, Healthy Life Exercise Program and Healing Camps.
Goondir provide access to integrated services and their Find Healing through Culture Program and Walkabout Barber workshops.
Helping people find their way back
Providing support for people in the weeks following a suicide attempt is crucial, and a new service launched in 2019-20 is providing just that for those living in the Darling Downs and West Moreton region.
The Way Back Support Service supports people in the critical weeks and months following a suicide attempt.
The service, designed by Beyond Blue and commissioned by the Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN, is delivered by Richmond Fellowship Queensland (RFQ) in Toowoomba and Ipswich.
Once referred to the service, individuals are linked in with a trained support coordinator who provides them with practical advice and support about how to address the circumstances associated with their attempt.
Coordinators help their clients build a personalised suicide safety plan, link them to health and community services, and connect them with clinical care as needed.
Building resilience: Supporting communities affected by drought do what they do best
Embracing rural strength
Empowering our Communities Drought Calendar
Our PHN continued to embrace the strength of rural communities through funding community-led initiatives through the Australian Government’s Empowering our Communities initiative. The initiative is aimed at supporting farmers, their families, neighbours and local businesses deal with the effects of drought. In 2019-20, our PHN supported five (5) initiatives in eight (8) of the 10 local government areas in our region.
In addition to the community-led initiatives, funding was also provided to Lifeline Darling Downs and South West QLD to continue their Community Connections Program. The Program recognises that stigma can be a deterrent for people living in rural communities to seek assistance and often local, trusted advocates can provide a safe gateway to care.
Our PHN partnered with Neami National for a second year to deliver the Empowering our Communities Drought Calendar. The calendar seeks to reduce stigma and promote mental health and wellbeing in drought affected communities.
Stories of community members included in the calendar include those of Farmer Dave, who went through a difficult time following a parachuting accident, and Stephanie from the Lifeline Community Connections team which supports communities to strengthen their knowledge of wellbeing and available supports.
“When people experience times of stress, understanding what stress looks like for themselves and others around them can be very valuable. It can also be very valuable for people to understand what supports exist around them, from supports like their family and friends, to more formal supports like mental wellbeing programs.” Read More...
Bushfire Response
In late 2019, bushfires occurred in the Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN region. These bushfires continue to have a significant impact on communities directly and indirectly. As a result, the PHN received funding through the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Response to support local communities impacted.
This funding allowed the PHN to:
Fund four (4) psychology practices to deliver counselling support to anyone impacted by the bushfires in our region, free of charge.
Recruit a Bushfire Recovery Coordinator to provide on the ground assistance to local councils and work with the state-wide disaster recovery networks.
Fund local community initiatives to unite communities and provide additional peer support.
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Acknowledgement of Country
The Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN wishes to acknowledge Australia’s Aboriginal people as the Custodians of this land. We pay our respect and recognise their unique cultures and customs and honour their Elders past, present and emerging.
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