Supporting people with mental illness in Halls Creek

People with severe mental illness in Halls Creek will have greater access to support services and other practical assistance thanks to more than $1.5 million in funding for Yura Yungi Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation.

Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin and Western Australian Senator Louise Pratt said the new funding and support was part of a $4.1 million boost for remote sites under the Labor Government’s Personal Helpers and Mentors program (PHaMs).

“The Labor Government is investing more than $1.5 million over three years to 30 June 2016 for the Yura Yungi Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation to deliver much needed mental health support for Indigenous communities in Halls Creek,” Ms Macklin said.

“This investment will see 5 new personal helpers and mentors employed, who will provide practical assistance for up to 45 people with mental illness in the Halls Creek shire.

“The new service will offer one-to-one and ongoing, culturally sensitive support to help people with mental illness to participate economically and socially in the community.

“By building confidence and increasing connections within the community, personal helpers and mentors can help participants overcome social isolation.

“Personal helpers and mentors can also help people set and achieve goals, such as finding stable housing, improving their relationships with family and friends, and finding and keeping a job.

“The program also offers training for local people to undertake PHaMs team roles which will provide more jobs for remote communities.”

“Yura Yungi is well-established in the community and currently delivers essential medical and wellbeing services for Aboriginal people in the Kimberley region of Western Australia,” Senator Pratt said.

“I’m pleased it will be able to expand its services in Halls Creek to include this fundamental mental health support.

“This new funding builds on the 175 PHaMs services currently operating across the country and is part of this Government’s historic $2.2 billion national investment in mental health reform.”