cohealth secures funding to deliver mental health recovery services in north and west metropolitan victoria

cohealth, Australia’s newest, and one of the country’s largest community health organisations, formed through the recent merger of three leading community health organisations – Western Region Health Centre, Doutta Galla and North Yarra – has been successful in its bid to deliver mental health recovery support services in Victoria’s North and West.

cohealth’s transitional Chief Executive Officer, Lyn Morgain said that cohealth is excited to have the opportunity to deliver services under the new funding model that provides much greater flexibility and respects and fosters client choice.

“cohealth has a strong history of working in mental health for more than 30 years through its three founding organisations”, Morgain said.

“At the core of our approach to developing mental health services is codesign. We work hand-in-hand with people experiencing mental illness to understand their circumstances and goals and to develop appropriate support for recovery.

“cohealth is in the unique position of being able to support clients with both their mental and physical health needs.

“In addition to our mental health services we provide clients with priority access to medical, dental, allied health, and many specialist health and support services. Some of our services are appointment free to improve access as we know people with mental health issues often find it difficult to access traditional appointment based clinics”, Morgain said.

“The new funding provides us with the opportunity to expand services and support more people across a wider geographical area, to minimise the impact of mental illness and aim to prevent long term disability. The Minister is to be congratulated on undertaking a process that both achieves reform and also provides comprehensive endorsement of the role of both specialist and community health agencies in this work.

“The funding means we can continue to operate services such as our youth residential rehabilitation services that help young people get back on their feet after an early experience of psychotic illness”, she said.

“We can increase the service offering of Individual Client Support Packages that assist recovery by ensuring people with mental illness have all the opportunities to succeed that most people have, including safe and secure housing, education and employment opportunities, meaningful and nurturing relationships and the chance to excel in life.

“As well as providing support services, cohealth will work in partnership with the community and families of people with mental illness to end the stigma and discrimination that is still so prevalent in the community and which denies people the right and opportunities to participate fully in community life as valued community members”, Morgain said.

cohealth is a not-for-profit organisation, that provides a range of vital local health and support services, throughout Melbourne’s North and West, including medical, dental, allied health, mental health, and counselling, and many specialist health services.