Helping people affected by drought-related trauma
The Australian Government is providing $10.1 million to help people living in drought-affected communities to deal with drought-related psychological trauma.
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Joint Release
Senator the Hon Brett Mason
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing
Mr Paul Neville MP
Member for Hinkler
7 September 2007
The Australian Government is providing $10.1 million to help people living in drought-affected communities to deal with drought-related psychological trauma.
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Brett Mason, launched the initiative in Gladstone, Queensland, today with the Member for Hinkler, Paul Neville.
Senator Mason said total funding of $7.4 million would be provided to 39 Divisions of General Practice in drought-affected rural and remote areas around Australia to employ community support workers to provide crisis counselling and outreach services for people affected psychologically by the drought.
“It is important that these communities have the capacity to respond to drought-related psychological distress,” Mr Neville said. “Further funding is being provided to train workforce and community leaders to recognise and respond to the early warnings of emotional distress, and raise awareness of mental health issues and services.”
The Government will work closely with beyondblue and the Australian General Practice Network to implement this initiative.
To complement this initiative, the Government recently announced that $20.6 million would be provided to employ 114 additional allied health and/or mental health nursing professionals to strengthen the mental health service network in drought-declared rural and remote areas. This is part of the $70 million, four-year Mental Health Services in Rural and Remote Communities initiative.
A list of Divisions of General Practice which are receiving funding is attached. The list is also available at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/dgpp-trauma
Media contact: Carolyn Martin 0423 826 768
Divisions of General Practice to receive funding for drought-related psychological trauma
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