Community & Business
31 October, 2024
Distress support service to begin
A NEW service aimed at providing an immediate compassionate response for any person experiencing distress is a step closer to starting, after widespread consultation about how best to roll out the program was completed.
Distress Brief Support is part of a national trial, with the Tablelands region and Mareeba Shire communities one of only two Queensland trial sites.
It is aimed at providing an immediate, compassionate response to people experiencing distress, including those who may be at heightened risk of suicide.
Being delivered in partnership between Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) and Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service (CHHHS), Distress Brief Support will be made up of two elements - community engagement points that provide a compassionate response to people and can connect them to further support; and a short-term support team that can provide practical support for up to three weeks, as well as connecting people to broader services and support.
Earlier this year, the NQPHN consulted with more than 360 community members, community groups, and service providers have participated in online and face-to-face consultation sessions, including shopping centres, markets, and Men’s Sheds and other community groups.
The organisation’s Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Team travelled more than 1,250km, visiting Mareeba and Atherton, along with Mt Garnet, Dimbulah, Herberton, Millia Milla, Malanda, Ravenshoe, Kuranda, and Yungaburra.
“We also engaged with First Nations community members and service providers through Kuranda Social Justice Group, MAMU Aboriginal Corporation, Mulungu Aboriginal Corporation, and Ngoombi Community Services Indigenous Corporation,” NQPHN interim chief executive officer Ben Tooth said.
“The Distress Brief Support community consultations gave us unique insight for the design and delivery of this new approach to supporting people in distress in North Queensland.
“Overall, the community consultations revealed the underlying causes of distress for those who live in the Tablelands Region and Mareeba Shire, and how the community wanted Distress Brief Support to be delivered.
“The main causes of distress for those of the Tablelands Region and Mareeba Shire communities included relationships (19%), finances (23%), ageing, housing, connection, and health.
“Other causes include substance use, work, natural disasters, family violence, and previous trauma.
“We heard that community members reach out to family, friends, and social networks or groups when experiencing stress or distress, rather than using formal services.”
Mr Tooth said the consultation identified that the region also had a vast range of community groups already established, which represented potential community engagement points, which is one of the steps in the Distress Brief Support model.
“Community members also want the short-term support teams to be locally based, rather than having workers who commute from Cairns, and support must be accessible for those who live in the rural towns as well, not just the central locations of Mareeba and Atherton,” he said.
The NQPHN held three sessions in September to share the findings from earlier consultations with community members who had previously participated in discussions about the Distress Brief Support trial.
The sessions also included how the Distress Brief Support roles would work. This included an overview of the community engagement points, which will provide an immediate compassionate response, and the short-term support team that will work with people experiencing distress over a longer period.
The process to identify service providers to deliver the new initiative was also outlined to those who attended.
“We anticipate Distress Brief Support service delivery will begin in 2025 following a process to select the organisations to deliver the service which has started and will take
several months to complete,” Mr Tooth said.
