A report into a national framework for responding to mental health and wellbeing issues following a disaster was presented to a Bega community forum on Tuesday March 16.
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Advisors from the Australian Government National Mental Health Commission (NMHC) presented the report which will inform the National Disaster Mental Health and Wellbeing Framework at the Civic Centre.
Council staff, mental health professionals and concerned members of the community attended to offer their feedback.
The report was presented on behalf of Christine Morgan, the Prime Minister's national suicide prevention advisor and CEO of the NMHC, by framework director Dr Caroline Alcorso and Rina Bruinsma, deputy coordinator of the National Bushfire Recover Agency. Key findings were presented by research lead Dr Kate Brady from Melbourne University.
The framework will aim to create a more coordinated approach between levels of government responding to mental health following disasters.
Bega and Eurobodalla residents vital respondents in the report
The report, entitled Our Stories - Beyond the Disaster, was conducted with 26 participants aged between 30 and 70, with 12 of those participants coming from the Bega and Eurobodalla. Other participants were people affected by 2019 monsoon flooding in Townsville and North West Queensland.
The project gathered stories from people who had lived through natural disaster. It aimed to create a more coordinated approach between levels of government in responding to mental health following natural disasters.
It also looked into individual, family and community responses to find out how local challenges and adaptations can be implemented on a national level.
"From these experiences the Commission has gained a greater understanding of how the aftermath of a disaster can be just as impactful on mental health and wellbeing as the initial disaster.
"There is a long tail, and this is also not a linear journey for many," said Ms Morgan in an issued statement.
Report recommendations for organisations supporting disaster affected people:
- Taking a more human-centred, trauma informed approach to disaster support
- Recognising the aftermath of stressors like access to housing or health issues
- The need for proactive, flexible, context appropriate coordinated mental health services
- Clear and simple access to support and checking for eligibility
- A more streamlined approach across various organisations wanting to help out after a natural disaster
- Using a wide range of communication channels to make sure people are aware of support available
- Long-term planning for services and more training for workers in disaster affected areas.
The three presenters then took questions from the audience with a panel discussion led the NMHC's community researcher, Leanne Atkinson.
Liz Scott, the Community Engagement Officer for Bushfire Recovery in Headspace Bega opened the discussion with a comment on the lack of youth involvement in the report.
"There really hasn't been a voice for young people at all and they haven't been included in the conversation. These most vulnerable young people are the ones continuing to suffer the most due to Covid-19 and the bushfires.
"In our community, there is not enough people on the ground and so we can't actually get people to move here because there are not enough houses.
"So this support is all well and good, but practically how is that going to look for communities on the Far South Coast that often don't get the staff that other communities get?
Ms Bruinsma acknowledged the unmet need, with feedback to be taken to the minister. Her solution, grant-based solutions for communities.
However, audience members spoke of the challenge to find the skills and expertise for grant applications.This was met with guidance from the panelists to reach out to the commission for help with grant writing.
If funding is now coming in the form of grants... what it does is pit one community against another, it's competitive and it's wrong!
- Chris Walters from the Cobargo Relief Centre.
BVSC recovery project lead Chris Horsburgh identified the community loss if information collected during grant writing was not redistributed back.
"It would be a real shame for that knowledge to be lost and to not be available at the community level... because we could spend years regathering that knowledge."
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Social capital needed to bounce back faster from disaster
The panelists also acknowledged the importance of social connectedness and social capital in communities that bounced back faster in times of disaster.
Ms Atkinson was met with applause when she identified that there were gaps the service level provision of social infrastructure from a local government perspective in a normal day-to-day setting, let alone during disaster.
"We focus so much on physical infrastructure such as roads and buildings, so often at the cost of social and community infrastructure, and if we can't get that right day to day we are never going to be step up when the disaster comes around."
Local mental health support contacts:
Bega Valley Recovery Support Services, 02 6499 2345
NSW Mental Health Line, 1800 011 511
Lifeline's Bushfire Recovery Crisis Line, 13 43 57
Ellouise Bailey
Queensland Country Life reporter based in Rockhampton and reporting on agriculture in the central Queensland region. Got a story? Get in touch: 0447 477 399 or email ellouise.bailey@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Queensland Country Life reporter based in Rockhampton and reporting on agriculture in the central Queensland region. Got a story? Get in touch: 0447 477 399 or email ellouise.bailey@austcommunitymedia.com.au
