Dire statistics prompt action on mental health in Moreton Bay north district

THIS district has the highest rates of suicide and self-harm in the north Brisbane region. A massive $23.5 million funding package aims to turn things around.

Redcliffe Area Youth Space’s Amy Mayes. Picture: Bradley Cooper.

MORETON BAY north has the highest rates of suicide and self-harm in the north Brisbane region, but community groups hope a new $23.5 million Federal Government funding package will tackle the problem by improving and reforming mental health services.

Statistics from Brisbane North Primary Health Network showed 17 in every 100,000 people from Redcliffe to Caboolture had committed suicide or self-harmed during the past 12 months. This compared to 11.3 per 100,000 in the north Brisbane region.

Redcliffe Area Youth Space is one of many organisations which have put their hands up to help solve the issue. RAYS executive manager, Amy Mayes, said they could now open the centre’s first clinical service.

THE outreach program will cover Moreton ­­north ­including Redcliffe, North Lakes, Dayboro, Caboolture, Kilcoy and Bribie Island.

“It is for 12 to 18 year-olds with severe, complex mental health issues who are at risk,” she said.

Youths wanting to access the service will have to be ­referred by a general practitioner, hospital, senior guidance officer or other mental-health service.

Mrs Mayes said many youths who came through the centre were dealing with mental-health issues.

“(Mental health) has a massive impact on their education and wellbeing,” Mrs Mayes said.

The aim of the outreach program is to remove barriers preventing people from seeking help such as a lack of transport.

Mrs Mayes said she had just finished recruiting staff and hoped to have the service available from April 18.

Under the mental-health services reform, there will also be a suicide-prevention and follow-up service trial run by Mental Illness Fellowship Queensland from Redcliffe Hospital.

The aim is to help those who have recently attempted suicide or who are at high risk.

Brisbane North PHN said there were only a small number of services in Redcliffe and Caboolture dealing with alcohol and other drug (AOD) dependencies.

“The lack of AOD services, coupled with a higher proportion of at-risk population groups in Caboolture and Redcliffe, meant that these areas were priorities for additional AOD funding,” a PHN spokesman said.

This prompted funding to be provided to Lives Lived Well, to offer free counselling services to help people recover from drug and alcohol abuse at centres in Caboolture, Deception Bay, Redcliffe and Strathpine.

If you or anyone you know needs help phone Lifeline on 13 11 14.