❓ Ravlich inquires about a Community Action Plan for Balgo Aboriginal Community regarding mental health. The response details suicide prevention strategies, funding allocations, and mental health services provided and planned for the community.
AnsweredQoN 4409Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Balgo Aboriginal Community in the East Kimberley, and I ask -
(1) Has this community signed up to a Community Action Plan?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), how long until the Plan is in operation?
(4) What services have been offered to this community in the last six months?
(5) What services are being offered there now?
(1) Has this community signed up to a Community Action Plan?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), how long until the Plan is in operation?
(4) What services have been offered to this community in the last six months?
(5) What services are being offered there now?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
29 September 2011
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health
Response time
51 days
(1-2) No. However over the past 2 years, leaders in Balgo have participated in suicide prevention strategies which have ensured that there have been no suicides in the Balgo Community.
The community have been focused on providing an intensive 'suicide watch' in Balgo and developing awareness and understanding about community based approaches to suicide prevention.
Approximately $800,000 has been allocated through the Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention for the Suicide Prevention Strategy in the Kimberley. This funding to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service (KAMSC) provides four full-time community coordinators to develop Community Action Plans (CAP) and deliver training in the Kimberley. As the Balgo community is situated in the Wyndham-East Kimberley region they are able to participate in the development of CAP/s for this area.
(3) Not applicable.
(4)
The MHC has agreed to support the Balgo community to hold their own community suicide summit in 2012. The MHC funded approximately 20 community members to attend the Blank Page Summit Hard Yarn Youth Mob in Billard on 25-29 July 2011.
The Kimberley Mental Health and Drug Service (KMHDS) provides visiting specialists from Broome and Kununurra every six weeks. This includes, an enhanced team to visit Balgo to assist with the increased referrals of identified at risk youth; a Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Team in reaching to Balgo every six weeks; a psychiatrist visit every three months for five days; an adult mental health clinician visit every six weeks for three days and a child and adolescent mental health clinician every six weeks.
The Mental Health Commission (MHC) provided an additional $536,000 for temporary staff across a range of agencies to provide an enhanced Standby Suicide Postvention Support. Kinway, based in Kununurra, have been the main agency providing this additional support to the Balgo community.
In August 2011 the Drug and Alcohol Office (DAO) approved additional funding to the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) to employ 2 FTE alcohol and other drug workers to be based in Halls Creek and Warmun over the next 12 months. These workers are employed to provide prevention, treatment and support services to the residents of Halls Creek and surrounding communities, including a visiting service to Balgo, following the closure of the Halls Creek Sobering-up Centre.
Commencing in the 2011/12 financial year, funding of $10 million over the next four years will provide additional alcohol and other drug prevention and treatment services and Aboriginal alcohol and other drug (AOD) health workers in the Kimberley. These funds are expected to provide for the employment of up to 18.5 FTE alcohol and other drug workers for the region and will allow for a significant increase in AOD service delivery to Balgo.
(5) I am advised that the KMHDS continues to provide an enhanced mental health in reach service to Balgo.
It is expected, that the Statewide Specialist Aboriginal Mental Health Service will provide an additional 2 FTE for Balgo and neighbouring communities.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
The community have been focused on providing an intensive 'suicide watch' in Balgo and developing awareness and understanding about community based approaches to suicide prevention.
Approximately $800,000 has been allocated through the Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention for the Suicide Prevention Strategy in the Kimberley. This funding to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service (KAMSC) provides four full-time community coordinators to develop Community Action Plans (CAP) and deliver training in the Kimberley. As the Balgo community is situated in the Wyndham-East Kimberley region they are able to participate in the development of CAP/s for this area.
(3) Not applicable.
(4)
The MHC has agreed to support the Balgo community to hold their own community suicide summit in 2012. The MHC funded approximately 20 community members to attend the Blank Page Summit Hard Yarn Youth Mob in Billard on 25-29 July 2011.
The Kimberley Mental Health and Drug Service (KMHDS) provides visiting specialists from Broome and Kununurra every six weeks. This includes, an enhanced team to visit Balgo to assist with the increased referrals of identified at risk youth; a Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Team in reaching to Balgo every six weeks; a psychiatrist visit every three months for five days; an adult mental health clinician visit every six weeks for three days and a child and adolescent mental health clinician every six weeks.
The Mental Health Commission (MHC) provided an additional $536,000 for temporary staff across a range of agencies to provide an enhanced Standby Suicide Postvention Support. Kinway, based in Kununurra, have been the main agency providing this additional support to the Balgo community.
In August 2011 the Drug and Alcohol Office (DAO) approved additional funding to the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) to employ 2 FTE alcohol and other drug workers to be based in Halls Creek and Warmun over the next 12 months. These workers are employed to provide prevention, treatment and support services to the residents of Halls Creek and surrounding communities, including a visiting service to Balgo, following the closure of the Halls Creek Sobering-up Centre.
Commencing in the 2011/12 financial year, funding of $10 million over the next four years will provide additional alcohol and other drug prevention and treatment services and Aboriginal alcohol and other drug (AOD) health workers in the Kimberley. These funds are expected to provide for the employment of up to 18.5 FTE alcohol and other drug workers for the region and will allow for a significant increase in AOD service delivery to Balgo.
(5) I am advised that the KMHDS continues to provide an enhanced mental health in reach service to Balgo.
It is expected, that the Statewide Specialist Aboriginal Mental Health Service will provide an additional 2 FTE for Balgo and neighbouring communities.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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