Odette Nightsky, New Brighton
I find it really sad that I end up supporting people with mental health problems on buses and on the street as there is nowhere for them to go other than hang around the park and get more fragmented. Since Ontrack pulled out of Mullum, after they took over Bay Ami and then fed it to the wolves, there is now no safe place to go that offers support or recovery programs so those sensitive folk can go out for the day and ‘do something!’
The neighbourhood centre offers no programs in this regard and they don’t specialise in dealing with people with mental health issues. There is a half day program in Bruns run by the old clients that Ontrack shoved to them as they left. There is a huge gap now the cottage is no more.
I am sure the north coast health service is up to its eyeballs in work and would appreciate an NGO or similar coming in and offering programs to the sensitive community. I was told that a submission was put to the state government for a ‘Headspace’ program for younger people with mental health issues, but it was refused even though we have had more suicide in the shire than we can stomach. From Tweed to Lismore there is nothing and many that live here in the shire rarely venture to either due to transport costs and ill-timed timetables. Any philanthropist out there that want to be of service to the sensitive folk in our community? This is a gap that must be filled.
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