The South East Junction urgently calls for mental health funding from State Government
A Mount Gambier mental health service has gone without government funding for almost a decade and says its future is at risk if it does not receive support.
Mount Gambier
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Without financial support the future of The South East Junction Mental Health Activity and Resource Centre may be at risk, according to its co-ordinator.
When The Junction launched in Mount Gambier 11 years ago it was the seventh of its type in regional South Australia.
But, after funding dried up only two years later, the completely volunteer run service is now one of just three still in existence.
Co-ordinator Nel Jans has been the backbone of the group since its inception.
“I’ve been doing this, except for the first two years, all as a volunteer,” Ms Jans said.
“One Voice Network employed me as the co-ordinator for 15 hours and that was paid by Country Health SA.”
Since the funding halted Ms Jans has struggled to secure committed volunteers to run the mental health programs with her workload blowing out to 30 to 40 hours a week.
“We will not survive if I step back,” she said.
“There comes a time that as a manager or co-ordinator, you have to say, this is it.
“If you want The Junction to continue what can you offer us?”
Ms Jans is calling for the government to step in.
With a few paid roles, she said The Junction could better focus delivering programs and courses like mental health first aid and advocating for those in need.
Reaching both people with mental health concerns and the general public, Ms Jans believes it has made a significant contribution in reducing stigma within the community.
Ms Jans said the Limestone Coast community had keep the organisation alive but there was only so much that could be done without support.
She is now calling for the government to step in.
Ms Jans also praised Mount Gambier MP Troy Bell, who she said had advocated for the group since the funding cut.
In a speech made to the state parliament during Mental Health Week, Mr Bell called for regional SA to be the focus of mental health spending in the upcoming State Budget, which will be handed down on November 10.
He quoted from the South Australian Mental Health Services Plan 2020-2025, which recognises “potential workforce crisis looming” and “major shortages in country South Australia”.
Mr Bell said funding should be allocated via a region-by-region approach, in consultation with local experts.
“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to mental health and the needs of the Limestone Coast region are vastly different to that of metropolitan Adelaide,” he said.
“You can throw funding at mental health services all you like but the fact is, it is an ongoing challenge to find experienced mental health staff for these services.
“There needs to be retention and recruitment strategies for mental health workers in regional centres. I have been informed job vacancies are staying unfilled for months and sometimes years.
“The regions are viewed as being merely a training ground – a place to do your time or rotation and then head back to the city, so there also needs to be career progression opportunities.
“We cannot expect to keep skilled people if there are not the jobs for them to progress to.”
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Contact Jessica Ball at jessica.ball@news.com.au