The new service aims to provide a social support network to people who have health concerns, are homeschooling a child or have anxiety.

Grampians Community Health chief executive officer Greg Little said that demand for mental health services, as well as drug, alcohol and gambling support, had peaked since the shutdown.

"I believe self-isolation is obscuring family violence statistics," he said.

"We have successfully lobbied for more agencies, not just GCH, to receive funding in anticipation of a reporting spike in the future."

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COVID-19 restrictions meant offices in Horsham and Ararat were briefly shutdown and Grampians Community Health's staff have continued to coordinate services remotely.

Mr Little said they had planned for a potential shutdown in January and allowed staff to work remotely.

"The government has recognised that community health is an essential service and is ensuring funding is available to enhance delivery," he said.

"It is important for Grampians Community Health to have continuity in the community."

Mr Little said the service's links to the community has allowed them to send detailed reports on the impacts of the pandemic in the Wimmera, Southern Mallee and Central Highlands to the Victorian Government.

The new isolation support network had also helped with COVID-19 prevention by giving people and organisations the know-how to avoid spreading coronavirus.

"It's not going away in a hurry," he said.

"The program provides vital initial social contact, and the ability to refer community to the proper channels."

Grampians Community Health has also successfully revamped its drug driver and drink driver programs, which had previously been a mandatory face-to-face modified behaviour program.

"We have now introduced an online learning course, which is endorsed by VicRoads until at least the end of June," Mr Little said.

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