Mental health: Ignored by government

A critical rural mental health service is changing lives in regional Victoria, but their calls for government funding are being left unanswered.

Regional youth facing mental health struggles continue to fall through the cracks, as pleas for funding by an award-winning mental health resource centre are ignored by government.

Ararat service One Red Tree is filling a critical gap in psychological care for rural young people by working with Federation University to place provisional psychologists in schools across western Victoria.

Despite a national youth mental health crisis and increasing strain on resources in rural areas, the organisation’s critical education and schools programs remain unfunded by government.

The federal government’s 2020-22 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing showed more than 38 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds had experienced a mental disorder in the past 12 months.

Tammie Meehan and Carly McKinnis are founders of One Red Tree Resource Centre that provides mental health services to families and young people across western Victoria. Picture: Nicole Cleary

One Red Tree co-founder and clinical psychologist Carly McKinnis said the group had about 25 practitioners, with a seven-month wait list for new patients – “something we never wanted to have”.

The group’s clinical services are covered by Medicare rebates and WorkCover, and schools can access placements through the state government’s mental health fund.

But administrative and operational costs, and the schools and education programs are funded by volunteer labour, philanthropic donations and fundraising efforts.

A fundraising ball held last year raised more than $40,000 for One Red Tree, with funds used to assist with operational costs.

Ms McKinnis said she had requested funding across multiple meetings with MPs and government representatives, including $180,000 for a school-based clinical supervisor, $120,000 for $3000 scholarships to place psychologists in rural schools, $20,000 professional development for provisional psychologists, clinic and education staff, and $20,000 one-off funding for resource kits for schools.

“We’ve had lots of great meetings with politicians … but as of yet, we still have zero government funding,” Ms McKinnis said.

Ararat College principal Ellie McDougall said four provisional psychologists had been placed at the school since 2022 for two days a week.

“The quality of those psychologists has been excellent, and they’ve provided a lot of value to our wellbeing team at the school,” Ms McDougall said.

Ms McDougall said the school was able to access services provided by One Red Tree using mental health funding from the Victoria government.

“The mental health needs (of young people) continues to rise,” Ms McDougall said. “I don’t think you can use a one-size-fits-all model … Carly and Tammie have developed a version of that.

An Ararat mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said her son received help at a critical moment from a provisional psychologist placed at his school.

“The psychologist he had access to was amazing, and a beautiful support in his life both personally and with his schooling,” she said.

She said without access to help through One Red Tree and the school, her son may not have been able to seek help when he needed it most.