Ms. Farrer asks about funding for counselling services at the Broome Women's Refuge and other refuges in the Kimberley. The response indicates existing funding for support workers and referral pathways, but no additional funds available from the Department of Health for dedicated refuge counsellors.

AnsweredQoN 2381Legislative Assembly
Asked
12 June 2014
Portfolio
Child Protection

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the fact that the Broome Women’s
Refuge does not have a counselor either on site or even visit the centre. There
is a 6 week waitlist to see a counselor at Boab Mental Health in Broome. I
ask: (a) are there any Department of
Health funds that could be utilised for counselors to service the women’s
refuge in Broome to support the clients, women, children and victims of
domestic violence who frequent the centre; and (b) what funding is available to extend this further so that women in
all refuges throughout the Kimberley region have easy access to counseling
services within the refuge centre?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
13 August 2014
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Child Protection
Response time
62 days
(a-b) The Department for Child Protection and Family Support (the Department) funds Family and Domestic Violence Women's Refuges to provide accommodation and support to women and children escaping family and domestic violence.
Domestic Violence Women's Refuges are provided with funding to employ support workers who provide informal counselling and support to women accommodated at the service and to link women to other more specialised support services as required.
If women require more specialised counselling, they should be referred and prioritised by the specialist WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Kimberly mental health and drug service.
The Department of Health has advised  that WA Country Health Service (WACHS) has no available funds that could be utilised for counsellors to be employed specifically to service the women's refuge in Broome.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more