$450,000 FOR LOCAL AREA TO HELP PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS

Nationals Senator Fiona Nash today welcomed a commitment from the Federal Coalition Government of $452,925 to help people in the region who have a mental illness to participate more fully in their community. Senator Nash said the ‘On Track Community Program’ will receive the funding under the Federal Government’s Support for Day to Day Living in the Community initiative which funds places in structured social activity programs for people with severe mental illness. “People in the community with a mental illness can often find it harder than others to live independently and can sometimes face certain obstacles when it comes to taking part in social activities,” Senator Nash said. “This initiative is designed to help improve the lives of many people by providing programs to assist in overcoming social isolation through increased social, recreational and educational activities. In this area in particular, the On Track Community Program will use the funding to provide 135 medium support places, for people with severe and persistent mental illness, in structured social activity programs. “These programs may include computer education, cooking and sporting and cultural pursuits.” Senator Nash said the funding was one of 51 grants announced by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Brett Mason. This is the first phase of the Support for Day to Day Living in the Community initiative announced as part of the Federal Coalition’s $1.9 billion Better Mental Health Services for Australia package, and is a significant initiative under the COAG National Action Plan on Mental Health 2006-2011. Media contact: Julie Siegert 0429 818 600

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