NT Mental Health Coalition CEO, Geoff Radford was
interviewed by ABC Alice Springs on 14th January 2025 regarding mental
health and wellbeing services in Central Australia
Geoff discussed the need for more investment in
community-based services across the Northern Territory and outside larger urban
areas.
‘There is a piece of work that the Commonwealth did recently
to determine the number of people with severe and complex mental ill health
that are missing out on the NDIS. For the Northern Territory, that’s about 8100
people,’ Geoff said.
Geoff highlighted the work of MHACA (Mental Health
Association of Central Australia) and Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, supporting
people with their mental health and social and emotional wellbeing in and
around Alice Springs.
Community mental health provides practical and therapeutic
support to keep people well.
There needs to be supports that allow people to step in and out of the system when their need increases, as well as practical supports around people that keep them well, such as encouraging people to keep their connections with family community and country.
Click below to listen.