Armidale's mental health services have come a long way in the last decade, Isabelle Devos, carer advocate at One Door Mental Health, believes.
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She has seen stigma and shame around mental illness start to drop away, and more support and services appear - but some of the city's most vulnerable people still need help.
At a private meeting with the National Mental Health Commission's CEO Christine Morgan and chair Lucinda Brogden a fortnight ago, Ms Brogden discussed young carers (eight to 21-year-olds) who may be solely responsible for their parent.
"We're just not sure if the government's really considering [their] needs, especially in rural areas," Ms Devos said.
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Part of the problem, she believes, is that when people with mental illness were deinstitutionalised years ago, they were released into the community without adequate social support or interactions.
"Many now live alone in public housing, perhaps seeing a support worker once a week for a few hours," Ms Devos said.
Some carers feel the burden of ongoing support has fallen on them, while a lot of people with chronic mental illness would like to live independently, away from their families in a supported group home, like units or a vacant motel, where services could regularly visit them.
One Door gives carers, family, and friends of people living with mental illness access to information, education, advocacy, and emotional support. It runs its Family & Carer Mental Health Program in partnership with Local Health Districts.
When Ms Devos came to Armidale 10 years ago, there was only one support group for carers, run by a couple of volunteers, because then only the hospital provided support services for family members with mental illness.
These days, she said, the once-rigid mental health system has opened up, and embraced the NGOs working on the side. Both work with family and carers as part of the treatment team.
One Door has a place, too. "We don't prescribe medication," Ms Devos said, "but we do all that softer support around the edges."
Nevertheless, she thinks, Armidale needs more support for both young carers and people with mental illness.
One Door used to run youth peer support programs like On Fire and Wings; adventurous social days (with bushwalking and camping); and classes for young carers - but funding has dried up over the last couple of years.
"It's been really hard to watch that funding not be present," Ms Devos said. "You have something that you can see helps, and which doesn't cost a lot - and then you can't do it anymore."
Now, she provides one-on-one support to young carers, meeting them at McDonald's, the library, or in the park.
Armidale also lacks a funded, professional-led support group for people with mental health conditions who want to meet others, she said. (The Mental Health team used to offer one more than a decade ago.) The group would require either a volunteer to manage the group, or someone with professional skills to make sure the group is a safe place.
People with bipolar and depression also want a support group.
Nor does Armidale have an active drop-in centre for people with mental illnesses that provides a support group, art classes, or exercise tips.
"It seems like a little thing," Ms Devos said, "but it's often where things fall apart. They have the health system looking after their health - but [little for] the softer edges around around social interactions, [which] aren't difficult to manage."
The Armidale and District Women's Centre used to offer free drop-ins, with workshops and classes, tea and coffee, as well as counselling - but it closed in 2010. Now, Ms Devos said, the Armidale Neighbourhood Centre tries to fill that gap.
Freeman House (St Vincent de Paul) helps people on Centrelink who are homeless or at risk link with local service providers through its Ozanam Learning Centre.
Ms Devos would also like more free and easily accessible support for people with mental illness, particularly for help with exercise plans, diet advice, and cleaning homes.
"It's really hard to find that kind of support for the practical things," Ms Devos said. "Everything costs money, and money is often a concern."
One Door Mental Health is at Suite 8, 94 Beardy St, Armidale. Contact Isabelle Devos on 6772 3211, or email isabelle.devos@onedoor.org.au.