MAYOR Bill Taylor joined a large number of community services, staff and government representatives to celebrate the official opening of the Personal Helpers and Mentors Program.
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Located in Carp St, Bega, PHaMs provides an outreach service covering both Bega Valley and Bombala Shires supporting people with mental illness over the age of 16 to improve their quality of life.
Ensuring good physical health is something of which we are all aware and strive to achieve and maintain for ourselves and our families.
The same applies to caring for our mental health.
A PHaMs spokesperson said being well both physically and mentally had many different contributing factors and the recovery journey is different for everyone requiring individual approaches that are tailored to specific needs.
“Asking individuals what they would like to have happen in their lives, what are their strengths, how can capacity be built to support the individual, not just for today, but for tomorrow and on into the future,” they said.
“Connecting the individual to the community, community life and activities that provide meaning and purpose, these are things we are all involved in and benefit from.
“It is fortunate the people of Bega Valley and Bombala Shires have a very strong sense of community and continue to work together to build a community that has a great diversity of people and an attitude of inclusiveness, tolerance and caring.
“PHaMs is working with many local services to provide coordinated care for individuals - complementing without duplicating, filling gaps wherever possible and in regional rural areas there are many gaps in service.
“Partnerships and collaboration are the keys to not only effective use of limited resources, but also integrating service provision for individuals so the best outcomes are achieved.”
PHaMs is a Federal Government initiative and is one of many programs and services provided by the Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW.
The Fellowship has been in operation for over 25 years educating and advocating, assisting and supporting people with mental illness, working always toward the vision of people with mental illness being treated equally in society without discrimination and without stigma.
If you are someone experiencing mental illness call PHaMs on 6492 1811, or if you are a carer of someone with a mental illness then Carer Assist could be a useful support, call 4474 4900.
