Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell will push for a central mental health hub for the region. Mr Bell last week updated State Parliament about results of last year’s Lifeline SE study to determine the need for a hub in the region. “The idea of the hub was to provide a free non-clinical service – a first point of call to access face to face support, information and assistance in navigating local, state and national mental health services,” he said.

Mr Bell said 1045 people participated in the survey, with the following key insights: Whereas 86% of respondents reported either knowing someone who had or had themselves used local mental health services, only 53% said they felt confident they could locate appropriate mental health services in the region; Nearly half the respondents showed a significant preference for accessing mental health service information through face to face contact (47%), with online (29%) and over the phone (15%) the less preferred channels; Over 95% of people surveyed agreed with the two following statements: We need more local mental health services and more collaboration is needed between local mental health services.

Mr Bell said he would like to see a time when mental health was given the same importance as physical health – when visiting your counsellor for a check-in is as common as visiting your GP. “I have invited our Minister for Health Stephen Wade to our region to meet with the frontline mental health workers to get a greater understanding of the Limestone Coast’s unique needs and service gaps,” he said.