Supporting the wellbeing of people living in drought affected areas.
The Empowering Our Communities funding aims to assist community organisations to address local needs and create partnerships leading to better services being delivered where the need is greatest. The program aims to support families, strengthen social networks, improve wellbeing and increase participation of people in community life to enhance family and community functioning.
Country SA PHN (CSAPHN) has been granted funding under the Commonwealth Department of Health's Empowering our Communities initiative to facilitate community-led projects to support mental health, social and emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention initiatives for people living in drought affected areas.
CSAPHN currently commissions two regional primary mental health service providers within the most affected areas impacted by the dry conditions in rural and remote South Australia.
These service providers have been engaged to deliver additional mental health services through innovative service delivery models that enable more flexible approaches to accessing services.
Delivering a blended clinical and community engagement
CObH are delivering a blended clinical and community engagement outreach model for mental health services to drought-affected communities in the Eyre and Upper North regions. The model includes the employment of Wellbeing counsellors to identify and engage with local key stakeholders, promote and raise awareness of programs and participate in a range of community events.
An additional aim of the program is to identify gaps in knowledge and opportunities for upskilling local communities and building workforce capacity e.g. provision of mental health literacy or suicide prevention training such as QPR or Mental Health First Aid.
Delivering four Rural Minds workshops
Murray Mallee General Practice Network (MMGPN) are delivering four Rural Minds workshops designed to raise awareness and confidence around risk factors, signs and symptoms, prevention tips/techniques and where and how to get assistance. Train the Presenter workshops will also be included as part of community capacity building and ongoing sustainability support.
Additional outreach mental health services will also be delivered across the more rural and remote regional locations within the drought qffected region.
More than 4800 farming properties are affected by drought
In South Australia, with no formal process or programs requiring declaration of drought areas, eligible regions have been based on assessment against PIRSA Adverse Events Recovery Framework Indicators.
Areas eligible for funding are those deemed most negatively affected by drought and dry conditions as per rainfall deficiency and PIRSA assessment of adverse events drought indicators. These regions are shown below.
The impacts of drought can be direct and indirect, resulting in increased fodder pricing, decreased water quality and strain on a number of industries, therefore in accordance with national drought agreement ‘there should no longer be Exceptional Circumstances declarations and associated lines on maps’ thus other communities whom can portray evidence of drought will be eligible to apply for funding and/or support.
DISTRICT | LGA | POST CODe |
---|---|---|
Eyre Peninsula | Franklin Harbour, Cleve, Kimba, Streaky Bay, Wudinna, Ceduna | 5602, 5603, 5604, 5633, 5640, 5642, 5650, 5651, 5652, 5653, 5654, 5655, 5660, 5661, 5671, 5680, 5690 |
Murray Mallee | Mid Murray, Loxton/Waikerie, Renmark Paringa, Karoonda East Murray, Coorong, Murray Bridge | 5238, 5260, 5253, 5254, 5256, 5301, 5302, 5303, 5304, 5306, 5307, 5308, 5309,5310, 5311, 5312, 5320, 5321, 5322, 5330, 5331, 5332, 5333, 5340, 5341, 5342, 5343, 5344, 5345, 5346, 5353, 5354, 5356, 5357 |
Northern Yorke Peninsula | Copper Coast | 5552, 5554, 5556, 5558 |
Upper North | Peterborough, Flinders Ranges, Orroroo/Carrington, Mt Remarkable, Goyder | 5374, 5381, 5417, 5418, 5419, 5420, 5421, 5422, 5431, 5432, 5433, 5434, 5480, 5481, 5482, 5485, 5493 |
North East Pastoral | Pastoral Unincorporated Area | 5701, 5440, 5730, 5731, 5732, 5733, 5734 |
Promoting community wellbeing
Under the Empowering Our Communities Program, CSAPHN released a request for grant proposals. Applications were sought from eligible service providers located within the CSAPHN regions affected by drought.
Applications were encouraged to be aimed at promoting community wellbeing through a range of activities that were group focused, promoted individual and/or community resilience and reduce stigma associated with accessing services and mental illness.
Round three of the grants will be opening soon and can be accessed via Tenderlink
organisation | activity | community |
---|---|---|
UniSA | Women in Agriculture Film project | Cowell |
Livestock SA | Planning and Management Workshops | Mallee, Mid North, Eyre and Pastoral |
SOS Copper Coast Suicide Prevention Network | Carpe Diem free showing and Accidental Counselling | Copper Coast (Kadina, Moonta, Wallaroo, Paskeville) |
The Flinders Ranges Council | Carpe Diem Free showing and Accidental Counselling | Hawker/Flinders Ranges |
West Coast Youth and Community Support | Growing Together – Weekend community Event | Eyre Peninsula (Streaky Bay, Cowell) |