We are pleased to announce that Summit Health was successful in securing another 12 months of funding to provide services through the Rural Primary Health Service program funded via the Central Adelaide And Hills Medicare Local.  Thank you for assisting us with our submission for this program through your participation in the needs survey.  As a result of the areas of need identified in this survey we have expanded the scope of this program.  The program will be known as the Summit Mental Health Wellbeing Program and will provide mental health capacity skill/building and counselling services to the following population groups:

Short to medium term counselling services for youth and adults living within the rural areas of Summit Health’s catchment. The target group will include those with or without an ICD mental health diagnosis, those experiencing a situational crisis (eg relationship breakdown, bereavement or traumatic event) and those experiencing drug and alcohol issues.  Of the group accessing this element of the service, the majority are expected to have a diagnostic category of depression or anxiety.

Medium term counselling services for adults living in rural areas of Summit Health’s catchment who present with the more complex ‘tier 3’ conditions eg personality disorder, schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder for whom other services are not available.

Child and Mother program: Toddler Tuning  –  A group for infants and toddlers up to 3 years old with mothers experiencing mental health issues.  The group aims to improve infant/child behaviour by increasing emotional coping skills or decreasing anxiety, as well as improve the relationship between infant/children and their mothers.

Youth Program: ‘Coping with Crap’ Group. Targeted at youth presenting with anxiety, depression or disengagement as well as those identified at risk of developing these problems. Youth are identified for involvement in the group by Mt Barker High School and Vocation College staff as well as other regional health agencies such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS). The group aims to provide the participants with strategies and tools to deal with their difficulties and improve their coping strategies using acceptance and commitment therapy.

Facilitation of interagency service collaboration:

• engagement in regional health service provider forums involving case discussion, cross-referral and service collaboration aimed to maximise service accessibility to the most appropriate local service
• engagement in regional inter-agency forums facilitating service coordination and accessibility for the community
• establishment of formal partnerships with key agencies to facilitate service access and delivery to those in need

Community and service provider education:

• Participation in mental health education forums targeted at both community and service providers.

Referral into the program includes a mental health treatment plan for those individuals who do present with a mental health diagnosis.  A mental health treatment plan is no longer required for referral of mothers and toddlers into the Toddler Tuning program.