Greater mental health support for Tasmanian adults
Posted on May 25, 2021
Tasmanian adults living with mild mental illness now have greater access to free online and telephone-based mental health support, including a culturally informed service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Primary Health Tasmania on Tuesday 25 May announced the new Australian Government-funded services, to be delivered in the state by Remedy Healthcare.
The services will increase the support options available to adult Tasmanians with or at risk of mild mental illness and make it easier for them to receive the help they need, when they need it.
This includes people with anxiety and depression, people experiencing isolation, those in rural and remote locations, and people affected by pandemic-related isolation and bushfires.
Eligible Tasmanian adults will be now able to access:
- one-on-one assessment, coaching and follow-up sessions with the MindStep service (available via telephone or online)
- a culturally sensitive adaptation of MindStep specifically for Aboriginal adults, called Healing Minds (available via telephone).
The MindStep and Healing Minds services – developed in partnership with Flinders University – aim to reduce psychological distress and improve quality of life by helping people self-manage their mental health and wellbeing.
They use cognitive behavioural therapy to complement the care people receive from their GP, psychologist or psychiatrist.
Primary Health Tasmania spokesman Grant Akesson said an estimated 14% of Tasmanian adults self-reported high or very high levels of psychological distress prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These new services increase the support options available to Tasmanians experiencing mild mental illness, especially people who find it difficult to travel to face-to-face appointments,” Mr Akesson said.
The new service complements similar mental health and wellbeing services delivered by Mindfulness Programs Australasia.
Primary Health Tasmania already commissions Mindfulness Programs Australasia to deliver mindfulness group sessions to communities around Tasmania – these are a mix of face-to-face, telephone and online sessions.
Primary Health Tasmania commissioned Remedy Healthcare following an open tender process.