Jenan Taylor
9 May 2024
People with mental health conditions and those who need public housing will fall between the cracks without better Victorian government support for services, frontline workers say.
Christian outreach workers are supporting increasing numbers of people in need, many of whom are being referred by overwhelmed community sector organisations, including mental health services.
They said greater government investment in mental health services and public housing could relieve the deep stress many people faced.
It comes as the 2024 State Budget revealed delays to planned mental health and wellbeing programs, and short-term funding for many interventions, including housing services.
Read more: Churches powerhouses against men’s violence, but funds needed: Advocates
Boroondara Community Outreach said growing living pressures were leading to worsening mental health conditions among many people, and this put ever more pressure on support systems.
Coordinator the Reverend Natalie Dixon-Monu said many who turned to the ministry for mental health support were being shunted from clinical provider to provider because of long waitlists.
Ms Dixon-Monu said this increased the risk that some people with severe mental health conditions would suicide because they were unable to get the level of help they needed.
She said being unable to give people proper attention was a constant problem for many dedicated community mental health organisations because they were funded only for the short term.
Ms Dixon-Monu said those clinical providers were always overwhelmed because their staff often had to spend more time attending to short-term funding requirements than delivering care.
She said in some instances her ministry had ended up paying the clinical expenses of its most disadvantaged clients, because temporary funding cycles resulted in an expensive service system.
Ms Dixon-Monu said fixing the funding issue and making Victoria’s clinical mental health services bulk-billed would make them more accessible for low-income earners.
Read more: Christian efforts could help ease mental health stress amid living pressures
Crossway LifeCare, East Burwood said increasing public housing was vital because many people who were referred to its financial aid ministry were desperately searching for ways to afford accommodation.
Coordinator Edmund Chin said many were single women who had fled domestic violence and were experiencing rent stress because of high costs of private housing rent.
Mr Chin said many had applied for public and social housing but the lack of these meant that many were having to endure a wait of about two years.
He said the stress they experienced because of this was a major issue for most, given many were managing family expenses and bills by themselves for the first time.
Ms Dixon-Monu said during a cost-of-living crisis people’s mental health declined even more, and now there was a perfect storm.
“Sadly, it will mean that domestic violence will increase because that’s what happens for many people when there is financial stress,” she said.
If you or someone you know needs more assistance, please try Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
For domestic violence support, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).
In an emergency please phone triple zero (000) to reach ambulance services or police.
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