By Jordan Crugnale Mp, State Member For Bass
Mental Health impacts all of us.
We have all been challenged with this pandemic and our children, students, parents, carers, educators, support staff have struggled and are tired.Remote learning, community sport stop starting, school camps cancelled, festivals postponed, graduations, all the milestones we celebrate each year, the daily social interactions all put to the side.
We have had to reach deep to keep ourselves together for our children, find new ways to keep them active and connected, lead by example on showing kindness, resilience and so much more – it has not been easy and there is light now to getting back to the people we care about and the things we love to do.
Our children are most productive when they are happy and well supported and can focus on their learning. In July 2019 we started a program to get a qualified Mental Health professional into every state secondary school in Victoria. We are there now and they are offering counselling and early intervention services and coordinating support for students with complex needs linking them with broader allied and community health services.
This builds on our Anti-Bullying and Mental Health Initiative, the School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support program, as well as increased investment in allied health and nursing services.
We had a pilot program running in primary schools in the western suburbs and have recently expanded this to another 26 schools in Victoria. An absolute priority of mine to see this in all our local primary schools here in Cardinia and Casey.
Our Australia first ever Royal Commission into Mental Health has provided our community and our Andrews Labor government with the plan to build a new mental health system, from the ground up, and with expertise from those with lived experience.
A system that provides everyone including our children with the care they need early on – before they reach the emergency department and before it’s too late.
As a former mental health worker for 15 years, this is a priority area and very close to my heart. We are all close to someone who has struggled, may not be with us anymore and we have found it difficult to navigate the ‘system’ which is broken and can let us down at so many turns.
I want you to know work has already begun to focus on priority areas such as acute mental health beds, suicide prevention, Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing, and support for the mental health workforce.
But we know much more needs to be done– and that is what we will do.
If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.
