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The Division is in receipt of Commonwealth funding to provide a Drought relief program during the period 2008 - 2010.
The Division is working in partnership with the Flinders and Far North Division (Port Augusta) to manage this program across the Mid North and Far North regions of South Australia.
The Division closely relates to SA State provided services to ensure maximum access for the community to relevant services.
Activities to be provided include:
The Division hosts a Website that provides information and resources that may be of use to drought affected communites through:
MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELLING
The Division has engaged a Psychotherapist to provide professional counselling in a General Practice and visiting service. The appointee is engaged half time by this Division and half time by the F&FNDGP.
This service is provided across the Mid North and Far North regions from a General Practice environment in local community settings and a visiting service for more remote needs.
Access to the service can be made through local GP referral.
"EMERGENCY RELIEF TEAM"
The Division has identified that currently ther is no emercency relief team to offer the complete package to a farm family in distress.
We are developing a team that can provide a complete response in less than 24 hours.
- Psychologist
- Mental Health Nurse
- Business Analyst
- General Practitioner
The Division would promote tha availability of this team with an aim to quickly assist the family to assess their situation and assist them to address immediate measures and continue to support them into the future giving them time to work through and consider their options.
The proposed Team would draw upon the resources of the Division, Beyond Blue, and othe NGO providers as well as State mental health services.
PRACTICE AND HEALTH SERVICE MENTAL HEALTH UPSKILLING
The Division will be providing opportunities for Mental Health upskilling within practices and local Health Services to ensure the delivery of contemporary basic counselling services through same.
The target activity is to better identify pre-disposing causes for depression and mental health issues that may relate to Drought affect and encourage referral of clients into the Drought Mental Health Shared Care activity.
ABSENTEE WORKER ACTIVITY
Farmers are taking up employment on mining sites absent from the region with the family taking up responsibility for property management. This is impacting on families and mental health for all.
The Division is seeking to identify and support affected families and tailor individual solutions with direct counselling the primary aim.
"FRONTLINE RURAL WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM"
This program provides for the targeting of bank managers, stock agents, agricultural suppliers, insurance agents etc who deal direct with rural farmers and businesses to give them the tools to understand a person in distress and to provide solutions on how to deal with their situation.
We have formed a parntership with Beyond Blue to implement the "Frontline Rural Workforce Training Program". This program is a short session on how professionals in contact with rural people can ask the right questions, identify a potential issue and give information for support.
"TOGETHER BUILDING FAMILIES PROGRAM"
This is a program drawing upon the experience of Child and Youth Health Services. The concept is for an "adopt a granny" activity to support isolated young families by cooking, craft with the children, gardening, child minding, playing to give the mother a break to release her from exposure to the stresses of work and finance demands.
The activity will be accessed through a referral programme with Rural Medical Practioners encouraged to refer families identified with a need. Child and Youth Health Services will support the activity.
"SUSTAINABLE FAMILY FARM BUSINESSES"
For years the viability of the family farm, as it exists currently has been questioned. We will, in partnership with State and other NGO's, engage people with significant knowledge of rural business models to deliver options for local farmers to explore as a way forward.
In each local area we will be conducting a dinner meeting, inviting all rural people both farmers and business people to attend an information session on the options available to family farms to secure their future by exploring the many corporate models that exist.
USEFUL WEBSITE LINKS
Beyond Blue Drought Page
SA Drought Link
E Drought News
Aussie Helpers challenges Australian’s to keep the “Dream Alive” in rural Australia.
The Booklet 'Managing the Pressures of Farming' now has a website
RESOURCES
SA Drought Hotline 180 20 20
SA Rural Financial Counselling 1800 836 211
Tax Relief for Farmers
Dr John Ashfield - Counselling Brochure
Dr John Ashield - Information Flyers for Practices
OTHER DIVISONS IN NORTHERN SA ALSO MANAGING COMMONWEALTH FUNDED DROUGHT PROGRAMS
Yorke Peninsula Division (Kadina)
Barossa Divison (Angaston)
Flinders and Far North Division (Port Augusta)
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