Drought, Mental Health

Mr HUGHES (Giles) (14:58): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Can the minister update the house on mental health support packages being delivered for drought-affected communities?

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:58): I thank the member for Giles for his question and his interest in this very significant issue for our state. As members will know, the state government has outlined a $73 million drought support package across the state covering a whole range of different areas of public policy and government endeavour. But one very important area has been over $2½ million that we have contributed as part of our initial package towards mental health and wellbeing programs across the state.

We know that the drought has had significant financial impacts, significant community impacts and, of course, health and wellbeing impacts and stress on farmers, families and regional communities across the state. We have been working very hard between the Department for Health and Wellbeing, Preventive Health SA and also the Mental Health Commissioner for the state, Taimi Allan, to devise a package of different supports and to now roll those out across the state to support those communities.

The first element of those packages is in relation to supporting non-government organisations and these are non-government organisations that provide predominantly psychosocial community supports across the state. A lot of these non-government organisations are already on the ground providing support and hence it was a logical step for us to increase the funding and the support we have been able to provide them where they can rapidly increase that support that they can do.

More than $1.2 million of that package has gone to those trusted NGO providers, particularly Centacare, UnitingSA, Mind Australia and Skylight Mental Health to provide more mental health support for people across the state. Relationships Australia is also providing mental health support for the culturally and linguistically diverse communities in drought-affected areas and the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia is allocating grants to ACCHOs, Aboriginal community-controlled organisations and Aboriginal communities in those drought-affected regions as well.

Those supports, I am advised, are available now across the community, with mental health support available for individual or family sessions. Group sessions can also be facilitated based on community needs. Ways to access these mental health services have been expanded and they now include people self-referring to those services to make sure that we can reach as many people as possible. Other support services are available in the communities, such as rural financial counsellors. Family and business support mentors can now also refer, ensuring that help is never difficult to access.

We have also invested in some targeted community programs, one of which has been eight men's tables across those drought-affected regions. These provide safe, welcoming spaces where men can share a meal and talk honestly about the issues that are affecting them. Two South Australian regional coordinators have been appointed and are out in communities swiftly raising awareness and building support for those men's tables.

The first table is expected to launch in the South-East, with visits to towns such as Naracoorte already generating strong interest from local men keen to be part of a table. Preparations are underway for community visits in and around Cummins, Berri, Minlaton, Nuriootpa, Whyalla, Jamestown and Murray Bridge in coming weeks.

We have also been supporting Fat Farmers, a grassroots organisation with a proven record in combining exercise with social connection. They are establishing eight new physical support groups, building on their existing 23. They will be tailored to local needs, offering a place for people to come together, keep active and talk openly in a supportive environment.

And quickly, we are also supporting Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation, who have had seven men's and seven women's workshops; Grain Producers SA, who have been hosting great grain quiz nights; ifarmwell, who have been supporting farmers across the state as well with wellbeing supports; and many other different programs rolling out, because we see this as a really essential part of that package for drought communities.