Wimmera mental health rural outreach workers have seen 48 per cent of people who called them within 24 hours, despite having to travel up to three hours.
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Swinburne University has released its initial findings into the Rural Outreach Project, as the program seeks to secure ongoing funding from state and federal governments.
The program began in December, after the Horsham, Hindmarsh, West Wimmera and Yarriambiack Shire municipalities pooled their Seasonal Conditions funds to hire former Rural and Remote Engagement worker Mal Coutts.
Other key findings show the workers met with community members in their home the majority of the time, while depression or anxiety, grief and suicidal thoughts were the most common issues for which Wimmera residents sought the service's help.
The study lead is Dr Hilary Davis, senior research fellow at Swinburne's Centre for Social Impact. She said the findings suggested there was more of a need for crisis management in the region than first thought.
"The workers can refer residents onto services such as financial advisers, social workers and medical professionals so people know where to go," Dr Davis said.
"They are also well known and trusted individuals in the community, and in that sense it shows how they can effectively inform people on how to get the help they need. It's very early days, but I would certainly imagine this program could be implemented in other regional areas that are under-serviced in terms of mental health."
Dr Davis said the university would release its overall findings into the program in December this year.
Outreach program co-ordinator Ngareta Melgrin said the research concerned the first three months of the program, since when two new workers have been hired to help people beyond the West Wimmera.
"It really shows the need in the community for this type of service, and how responsive we can be on any scale of need," she said.
"With regards to the timeliness of responding to need, sometimes responding to people in a timely manner involves working around their work and other life commitments. For farmers or just anyone it might not be the right time for them for us to see them on the same day they reach out.
"If we don't respect the appropriate timeframes and locations in which to meet people, there is a risk we won't establish a relationship of trust and respect that we need to to help them."
Ms Melgrin said the group had met people in schools, offices and homes as part of the outreach program.
She said West Wimmera Shire chief executive David Leahy would be presenting the report at a state and federal level to advocate for ongoing and sustainable funding for the outreach program.
Edenhope and District Memorial Hospital chief executive Andrew Saunders said it currently had enough money to continue until the end of the next financial year in 2020.
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