FRIENDS OF NORTHERN WOMEN'S GENERAL GROUP

9 The Hon. SANDRA KANCK (25 July 2007). Can the Minister for Health advise:

1. (a) What level of funding has been provided for Friends of Northern Women's General Group since 2000;

(b) When did the service cease to operate and why; and

(c) What alternative ongoing service to Friends of Northern Women's General Group is available?

2. (a) What level of funding has been provided for Women's Space General Group since 2000;

(b) When did the service cease to operate and why; and

(c) What alternative ongoing service to Women's Space Women's General Group is available?

3. (a) What level of funding has been provided for Health Matters General Group since 2000;

(b) When did the service cease to operate and why; and

(c) What alternative ongoing service to Health Matters General Group is available?

4. (a) What level of funding has been provided for Women's Time General Group since 2000;

(b) When did the service cease to operate and why; and

(c) What alternative ongoing service to Women's Time General Group is available?

5. (a) What level of funding has been provided for Breaking the Silence CSA Group, Playford Community Health Service, since 2000;

(b) When did the service cease to operate and why; and

(c) What alternative ongoing service to Breaking the Silence CSA Group, Playford Community Health Service, is available?

6. (a) What level of funding has been provided for Stepping Stones CSA Group, Salisbury West Community Health Service, since 2000;

(b) When did the service cease to operate and why; and

(c) What alternative ongoing service to Stepping Stones CSA Group, Salisbury West Community Health Service, is available?

7. (a) What level of funding has been provided for See Me Hear Me CSA Group, Enfield Community Health Service, since 2000;

(b) When did the service cease to operate and why; and

(c) What alternative ongoing service to See Me Hear Me CSA Group, Enfield Community Health Service, is available?

8. (a) What level of funding has been provided for Silent Too Long CSA Group, Ingle Farm, since 2000;

(b) When did the service cease to operate and why; and

(c) What alternative ongoing service to Silent Too Long CSA Group, Ingle Farm, is available?

9. (a) What level of funding has been provided for Modbury CSA Group since 2000;

(b) When did the service cease to operate and why; and

(c) What alternative ongoing service to Modbury CSA Group is available?

10. (a) What men's groups are being funded in the northern/north eastern suburbs;

(b) What is their level of funding since 2000; and

(c) Are these groups and their funding ongoing?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister Assisting the Minister for Health): The Minister for Health has advised:

1. (a) Friends of Northern Women's (FoNW) was a group of community women who formed circa 2002 when it was proposed Northern Women's Community Health Centre (NWCHC) would move from Elizabeth Way to its current location on Philip Highway. The group was supported initially by a social work student and later a NWCHC social worker. There was no separate budget for this group.

(b) The group disbanded in June 2005 after staging a community art exhibition at NWCHC for International Women's Day 2005. The women involved with FoNW reported that they did not want to continue meeting.

(c) ‘Women only' groups are focused on the State and national health priority areas such as: healthy weight maintenance; healthy lifestyle choices; mental health and wellbeing; and the self-management of chronic condition. Women who were part of FoNW are eligible to access any other group or one-to-one service offered by NWCHC.

2. (a) Women's Space was a community-based group that used the NWCHC premises for their meetings. It was not affiliated with NWCHC or Central Northern Adelaide Health Service (CNAHS).

(b) Women's Space ceased contact with NWCHC in December 2005.

(c) Women's Space members are able to access NWCHC services subject to meeting eligibility criteria.

3. (a) The allocation of resources for the Health Matters General Group was staff time and cost for activities. Two staff were provided for the 2 hour session as well as planning time.

(b) The group ceased to operate in 2006 due to low attendances.

(c) Playford Primary Health Care Service continues to offer one-to-one and a variety of group services to the women in the community

4. (a) The Women's Time group was a therapeutic group offered by NWCHC between 2003 and 2005. The allocation of resources was staff time only. Each session (2 hours per week) was supported by two staff plus planning time.

(b) Women's Time ceased to be operated by NWCHC at the end of 2005. The group of women involved decided to continue meeting as a community based support group.

(c) NWCHC continues to offer therapeutic one-to-one and group work services.

5. (a) Breaking the Silence was an open group for women survivors of child sex abuse (CSA). There was no designated budget. The allocation of resources included two staff to plan, run and debrief the group from across the sub-region and running costs of the group.

(b) The group's membership decreased and after consultations with the membership in December 2006, it was agreed that the focus of the group could be integrated into pre-existing primary health care services.

(c) Primary Health Care Services (PHCS) North provides one-to-one services and a variety of groups for women across the region.

6. (a) Stepping Stones was an open support group for women survivors of CSA. It was staffed by two workers to plan and run the group.

(b) The Stepping Stones CSA group ceased to operate in 2003 as it was agreed that participants would be encouraged to attend the similar Breaking the Silence group.

(c) Salisbury continues to offer one-to-one counselling and a variety of groups for women.

7. (a) The See Me Hear Me Group was a therapeutic/support group for women who were survivors of CSA coordinated by the Enfield Community Health Service. The group was facilitated initially by a social worker who received occasional support from social work students. Staff time dedicated was approximately 0.2 FTE for group and 0.3 FTE for follow up counselling.

(b) The Group moved to the Dale Street Women's Health Service where an evaluation identified that other models were more appropriate for the client's needs and these alternative models were put in place.

(c) Women continue to access existing local Primary Health Centres for counselling and group activities. The Dale Street Women's PHCS in conjunction with the Aboriginal Primary Health Centres Team and NGO agencies, such as Respond SA and Anglicare offers group services focusing on CSA.

8. (a) Silent Too Long CSA group at Ingle Farm was an incorporated group of CSA survivors which evolved from the Silent Too Long ongoing group. They were supported by provision of a computer and special resources.

(b) The women who participated in the Silent Too Long CSA group decided to cease meeting.

(c) All former participants requiring one-to-one therapeutic support services have access to such services at Primary Health Centres.

9. (a) The Modbury CSA group was an open group for women survivors of CSA. It was resourced by two workers to plan and run the group.

(b) Due to variable membership attending this group, the group ceased to operate in 2004. Other groups were offered to the women who wished to continue.

(c) PHCS North continues to provide one-to-one services and a variety of groups for women.

10. (a) Primary Health Care providers coordinate a Tuesday men's health group.

(b) (c) This group is not separately funded with a designated budget. The group uses two male workers' time to coordinate, plan and run the group.