The year-long wait for mental health help in Griffith

Sarah-Jayne Lukey moved to Griffith from the Central Coast in September last year, and has only recently been able to get an appointment with a psychologist for her anxiety.

"It's still really hard to get an appointment, they're all booked prior or they don't accept NDIS funding. Only a few around here accept that," she said.

"I've been calling one provider every month since January to get a booking and I've finally got one."

Even then, Miss Lukey will have to have her appointment via telehealth - which doesn't help her when one of her goals is to get out of the house more often.

"Wagga is too far away for a weekly talk ... I'm hoping it will help, trying to keep a positive mindset," she said.

"It's weird. It's a big town, you'd think you'd have more access to things."

Member for Murray Helen Dalton said that she was planning a mental health forum for February 2024, in a push to get the existing services more connected - as well as continuing her efforts to get a dedicated mental health department in Griffith Base Hospital.

"There's a lack of co-ordination of services - there are services, but when you're having an episode or are very unwell, I think we need to be able to have a point where people know that that's where they need to go," she said.

"If you break your arm, you go to Griffith Base Hospital. If you're desperately unwell, you should be able to go to Griffith Base Hospital and the mental health unit to get treated and triaged."

She added that the need for a dedicated mental health department in Griffith Base Hospital couldn't be overstated.

"The sad fact is we have two-and-a-half times the suicide rate of Sydney ... there's no mental health facility in any of our hospitals throughout the electorate, it's the second-biggest electorate in NSW."

"We're the eye of the storm. We need to get moving with this ... I think it's all doable, but we all need to be working together."

Miss Lukey said that the wait for help had actively made things more difficult for her, leading to struggles getting or keeping employment and worsening depression.

"My anxiety is getting worse, my depression is getting really bad. I get afraid to talk or hang out with people, I get worried that I'll bring a bad vibe."

"We need to hire more psychologists or start being more affordable, or at least NDIS-friendly with all plans."