Eastern Regions Mental Health Association CEO Peter Waters says there is a large backlog of mentally ill people in need of support but unable to get it due to a lack of State Government funding.By Shaun Inguanzo
DANDENONG’S peak mental health group says it will take 120 years to help to the region’s 12,000 severely mentally ill people unless the State Government pumps more money into the system.
The Eastern Regions Mental Health Association (ERMHA) this week said a lack of funding combined with limits on support workers was limiting the number of people it could see each year.
ERMHA CEO Peter Waters said the group provided support services to Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia but could only see 500 people each year out of an estimated 12,000 severely mentally ill.
“Of those 500 only 100 are new each year,” he said.
“Industry standards say the amount one can have per week in support is two hours.
“For some that is enough, for others that is only a dream.”
ERMHA and the group Mental Illness Doesn’t Discriminate What About You (MIDDWAY) have joined forces to raise public awareness of mental illness and remove the stigmas associated with it.
Both groups are organising the MIDDWAY Community Walk for Wednesday, 11 October starting at Dandenong Park and ending at Dandenong Market.
The walk will be in support of full-time carers such as family members of mentally ill people, who Mr Waters said receive little help for an enduring task.
He said families of mentally ill people needed more respite care.
“There is a critical shortage of short-notice carers in the south-east of Melbourne,” he said.
“The full-time carers such as family members keep saying this makes life extremely difficult for them.”
Severe mental illnesses include schizophrenia and psychosis, Mr Waters said.
