On 1 August 2019, we sponsored a #CroakeyGO to help inform our regional mental health plan.
An innovation in public interest journalism developed by the team at public health organisation Croakey.
It is walking journalism – where the Croakey team brings people together to walk and talk in a particular place about health-related matters, and to collaboratively produce social media and other editorial content.
Our #CroakeyGO focused on the mental health system. Our hashtag #NavigatingHealth trended nationally, with 1661 tweets receiving 13.35 million impressions.
“Poverty and health and mental health conditions are intimately linked. They can reinforce and exacerbate and cause each other. You can’t really talk about one without talking about the other – the solutions need to cross over that divide as well.”
– Ryan Sheales, Victorian Council of Social Service
“It is brilliant to see all those professionals in the same spot. And it is fantastic to hear about a lot of services that I have never heard of.”
– Amuna Abella, drummond street services
“I’ve found it a wonderful experience. I have to fess up I was a little doubtful. However, I’ve met people I haven’t met in the past and very unlikely to have met them in the future, I suspect, but really valuable people to meet.”
– Ian Ferretter, Gambler’s Help West
“The growing concerns about access to mental health services, both inner city but also in those new outer suburban areas, is of concern to me.”
– Fiona Patten, MLC for Northern Metropolitan Region
“How do we shift the mindset with our people to utilise the local primary health care provider?”
– Lionel Austin, Victorian Aboriginal Health Service and a Gunditjmara man
“I was excited about today so I would have been shattered if it wasn’t as good as it has been. It’s been amazing – this is an amazing opportunity to learn but also to connect.”
– Ayesha Maharaj, La Trobe University
“Our data shows that a lot of families are really reticient to talk about mental health issues. A lot of families don’t think necessarily about using the language of mental health but they’ll talk about poverty, talk about not being able to put food on the table.”
– Karen Field, drummond street services
“There needs to be a no wrong door approach. We need to be able to refer somewhere with confidence to know, yes, they will accept it.”
– A/Prof Ralph Audehm, GP at Carlton Family Medical
“I love the idea of being physical while we talk, rather than sitting around a desk.”
– Lara Kaput, SaySorry.org
“I feel a lot of mental health clinicians need a bit more understanding around complex PTSD…some don’t understand the impact on survivors of institutional child sex abuse. They (survivors) feel judged by the mental health system.”
– Vicki Khouri, drummond street services
We acknowledge the people of the Kulin nations as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our work in the community takes place. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.
We also recognise, respect and affirm the central role played in our work by people with lived experience, their families and/or carers.
While the Australian Government Department of Health has contributed to the funding of this website, the information on this website does not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government and is not advice that is provided, or information that is endorsed, by the Australian Government. The Australian Government is not responsible in negligence or otherwise for any injury, loss or damage however arising from the use of or reliance on the information provided on this website.
We acknowledge the people of the Kulin nations as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our work in the community takes place. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.
We also recognise, respect and affirm the central role played in our work by people with lived experience, their families and/or carers.
While the Australian Government Department of Health has contributed to the funding of this website, the information on this website does not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government and is not advice that is provided, or information that is endorsed, by the Australian Government. The Australian Government is not responsible in negligence or otherwise for any injury, loss or damage however arising from the use of or reliance on the information provided on this website.
