Mental health check-up coming to Grafton this week

THE NSW Mental Health Commission is making its way across the state, with an event in Grafton this week to allow community consultation

THE NSW Mental Health Commission is making its way across the state, with an event in Grafton this week to allow community consultation

NORTH Coast residents have been invited to a series of mental health consultations to be held this week.

The NSW Mental Health Commission has started a statewide consultative period in Kempsey today as part of a review of its Living Well: A Strategic Plany for Mental Health in NSW 2014-2024.

NSW Mental Health commissioner Catherine Lourey said the community consultations would enable the commission to gather community responses to the strategy in its first five years.

"People in Kempsey, Ballina, Grafton and Casino and surrounding areas are invited to participate in consultations with the NSW Mental Health Commission," Ms Lourey said.

"These visits are part of the state-wide consultations informing the review of ... a 10-year plan for mental health reform in NSW.

"The commission invites people with a lived experience of mental health issues and caring, families and kinship groups, community members and representatives from primary health networks, local health districts, community-managed organisations, peak bodies and other service providers to participate in the consultations.

"A selection of local programs and initiatives will be showcased on the commission's website and the commission will be producing an updated strategy for government by the end of the year."

There will be two Aboriginal community focused consultations to talk about social and emotional wellbeing in Grafton and Casino.

One will be at the Grafton Ngerrie Local Aboriginal Land Council, 50 Wharf Street, South Grafton tomorrow from 10am to noon.

Registrations are essential. Go to www.eventbrite.com.au website for more information.

The second is at the Casino Arts and Cultural Centre, 35 Walker Street, Casino tomorrow from 2.30pm - 4.30pm.

Other events in the North Coast are workshops in Kempsey today and Ballina on Thursday.

Ms Lourey said a planning group selected those locations to encourage attendance from across the region and the commission would appreciate people sharing the details with their networks.

The Mental Health Commission of NSW was established under the Mental Health Commission Act 2012 and reports to the Minister for Mental Health.

The commission is responsible under the Commission Act to monitor, review and improve the mental health and well-being of the people of NSW, and to promote the governing principles of the Act; which also requires public sector agencies to work co-operatively in providing services to people with mental illness.

Originally published as Mental health check-up coming to Grafton this week