With October marking national Mental Health Month it's timely to remind people of the resources and support services available in the region which have been boosted by Commonwealth funding during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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MPHN offers QPR (Question Persuade Refer) suicide prevention training for free to people living the Murrumbidgee region. The training is online and takes less than an hour to complete. MayMyRecovery is another resource that is an online service directory allowing people to find the most appropriate service and information to meet their health needs.
Griffith Community Mental Health provides specialist mental health care for adults and adolescents that is close to home, accessible, personalised, evidence-based and recovery-focused. There is no waiting list and there are 30 full-time equivalent staff with a range of expertise to support individuals and families.
Mental health patients are also treated at the GBH when they present with suicidal ideation at the ED.
An assessment of the patient is conducted by the Mental Health Emergency Consultation Service in consultation with the ED staff. These staff are experienced mental health clinicians and the service is available 24/7.
Clinicians then consult with the on-call psychiatrist who will provide a recommended management plan for the patient which may be admission to GBH, discharged with a plan and a referral to their GP or admitted to the Acute Mental Health Unit at Wagga Base Hospital if they are assessed as being not safe in the community.