In a ground breaking move towards more accessible and effective mental health care, Virtual Psychologist is proud to announce the launch of its free virtual mental health services. The service is funded through the WNSW PHN Ministry of Health Grant – Central West Mental Health and Wellbeing Flood Recovery Package in response to the recent floods. However, we acknowledge that the floods may be only part of the problem or may have exacerbated existing issues for people and we are here to help regardless.

Mental health support is evolving rapidly, as part of the RU OK Day campaign, the platform is now offering individuals the unique opportunity to assess their mental well-being through text-based conversations with qualified and experienced mental health practitioners with ongoing text, video, and audio services available for up to 12 months as part of the WNSW PHN funding.

Virtual Psychologist is introducing text-based mental health services along with video and audio services that allow users to engage with professionals through a medium that suits their comfort and lifestyle.

“Virtual Psychologist is not just a platform; it’s a movement toward democratizing mental health care. We believe that everyone deserves access to professional support on their own terms, and our text, video and audio-based services provide exactly that. With the generous funding from WNSW PHN and the RU OK Day campaign approaching, we are excited to extend our services to help individuals take a proactive approach to their mental well-being,” said Dervla Loughnane, CEO of Virtual Psychologist.

To participate in the RU OK Day campaign simply text or WhatsApp 0488 807 266.

Kids Helpline is seeing a significant increase in suicide related contacts requiring an urgent “duty of care” response. yourtown CEO, Tracy Adams, said Kids Helpline provided 4,608 duty of care interventions between 1 July 2022 to 30 th June 2023. 

“Of these duty of care responses, 2,000 were undertaken where young people were at immediate risk of suicide and required emergency intervention. This is higher than we have ever experienced,” Ms Adams continued. 

“A duty of care intervention is where Kids Helpline contacts police, child safety or ambulance when a child or young person is deemed to be at imminent risk,” said Ms Adams. 

“We need to take this opportunity to raise awareness of suicide and to promote action that will reduce the number of suicides and suicide attempts by children and young children. “Our hope is to encourage conversations and spread awareness in an effort to prevent youth suicide,” Ms Adams continued. 

Kids Helpline is Australia’s only national 24/7 counselling and support service specifically for children and young people aged between 5 and 25 years. Free call 1800 55 1800 or visit www.kidshelpline.com.au 

Western NSW Primary Health Network (WNSW PHN) along with partners invites community members and professionals to the 2023 Suicide Prevention Forum in Orange NSW.

WNSW Primary Health Network (WNSW PHN) invite community members and those with an interest in suicide prevention to come together on 12th October for the WNSW PHN Suicide Prevention Forum. The forum aims to encourage conversations, break the stigma and collaborate and learn about the future of suicide prevention in western NSW. All too often, people in marginalised or economically disadvantaged groups or those living in rural and remote areas find it difficult to access timely, appropriate and relevant support. 

Recent times have also brought on many challenges including recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, record breaking and devastating floods in the region, and more recently the cost of living crisis, there has never been a better time to get the conversation going.

WNSW PHN aim to create a space for people to connect with each other. Bringing together approximately 300 healthcare professionals, community members with an interest in suicide prevention, a number of presenters from service providers, the Western NSW Local Health District and keynote speaker and MC, Dr Norman Swan, from ABC RN’s The Health Report, the day is an opportunity to share the latest knowledge, information, hear stories of lived experience and collaborate together to identify gaps and discuss solutions.

This event is free for all attendees however spots are strictly limited. Catering will be provided on the day. Tickets are available at www.123tix.com.au/events/39686/wnsw-phn-suicide-prevention-forum-2023.

Rural Aid is playing a vital role in helping school children bounce back from their traumatic flood experiences with the roll-out of the Mustering Growth wellbeing program.

Developed in collaboration with experts at Monash University, the program focuses on strengthening kids’ innate resilience, normalising mental health experiences and decreasing stigma, increasing mental health literacy, and building strategies to cope with challenges that are unique to the experiences of rural children. 

Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said “Rural kids are the farmers of our future, and we recognise that many of our ‘little mates in the bush’ need some extra help and support.” 

“Last year’s floods left many children struggling with strong feelings and requiring support,” said John. 

The program is fun, interactive, flexible and includes nature-based activities. Rural Aid’s Manager of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Myf Pitcher, said Mustering Growth was helping kids be the healthiest version of themselves by teaching them a variety of tools. “We’ve had great feedback from schools who’ve already taken part. One facilitator reported at the program’s end: ‘Children discussed how it helped calm them down when they were feeling anxious’,” Myf said. 

Mustering Growth is run by Rural Aid’s counsellors and is completely free for schools. Primary schools across Australia are being encouraged to reach out to Rural Aid for more information on the program. For further information contact Myf Pitcher at mhwb@ruralaid.org.au 

All Australians, Aged care providers, residents and families are invited to join the Aged & Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) and say a giant ‘thanks for caring’ to our dedicated and compassionate aged care staff to mark Aged Care Employee Day on Mondayth August.

This will be the fifth time we have celebrated our thousands of aged care workers with Aged Care Employee Day (ACED).

ACCPA CEO Tom Symondson said workers in aged care had gone above and beyond the call of duty in this past year and continue to face immense challenges in providing care and support for older Australians.

“As we approach Aged Care Employee Day on Monday, we want to keep in mind the almighty effort put in by aged care workers and encourage the public to take a moment and say, ‘thank you for caring’,” Mr Symondson said.

“They all deserve our thanks for their professionalism, their warmth, and their enthusiasm to help older Australians live comfortably.”

ACCPA congratulates our aged care heroes for their dedication, compassion and their hard work and we encourage the public to give them the recognition they so handsomely deserve.

Dementia Australia has welcomed the publication of the results of a trial showing that a new drug, donanemab, has been able to slow the progression of symptoms of early Alzheimer’s disease. 

Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe AM said this drug was an exciting new development and another step forward in expanding the number of treatments for dementia. 

“With dementia the second leading cause of death of Australians, and the leading cause of death of Australian women, we welcome any steps taken towards improving the lives of people living with dementia, their families and carers,” said Ms McCabe. 

“Donanemab will need to be approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for use in Australia. It also comes with possible side effects that need to be carefully monitored by health professionals.” 

The drug, developed by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, works by inducing antibodies designed to attach to and remove amyloid plaques from the brain. 

Dementia Australia Dementia Advocate Bill Yeates, who was diagnosed with younger-onset-dementia in 2019, said the results were remarkable. 

“This demonstrates that it is possible to significantly slow down the rate of cognitive decline through the removal of amyloid beta (plaques) from the brain,” Mr Yeates said. 

“For me it’s that ‘ray of hope’ that I believed would happen one day, where people living with dementia can have a future. One where you can lead a better life, one that you value.” 

For support contact National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. For information visit dementia.org.au 

R U OK? is a public health promotion charity aiming to inspire and empower people to meaningfully connect with friends, family and colleagues. 

Joiner’s theory describes three forces at play in someone at risk of suicide, one of which is a decreased sense of belonging.

R U OK? Day is an annual National Day of Action; held on Thursday 2nd September, and a reminder that every day is a day to start a conversation.

Asking R U OK?, how are you doing, or what’s going on for you – is the first step, but genuinely listening to the answer is key. That’s why it’s important you’re here to hear – whatever comes next.

Make sure you’re giving your mate, your colleague, your family member or loved one the right environment to open up. They know you, you know them. You know when they feel most at ease. So, take some time to think about where and how you’ll be completely here to hear.

Choose a time and a place where you can give your full attention, free of distractions. Create a situation where the person you’re asking feels comfortable discussing difficult thoughts, feelings, or emotions.

Tie it into something that makes sense to you both – no matter what that is and where it takes you. From a walk in the park, a sit down over a coffee, or a quiet night in, you’ll know when and where will be best.

Every day is the day to ask R U OK? and let the people in your world know you’re here, to really hear, because a conversation could change a life.