CENTRE FOR RURAL & REMOTE MENTAL HEALTH

Quarterly Report January – March 2020 About the CRRMH

The Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health (CRRMH) is based in Orange NSW and is a major rural initiative of the University of Newcastle and the NSW Ministry of Health. Our staff are located across rural and remote NSW.

The Centre is committed to improving mental health and wellbeing in rural and remote communities. We focus on the following key areas:

• the promotion of good mental health and the prevention of mental illness;

• developing the mental health system to better meet the needs of people living in rural and remote regions; and

• understanding and responding to rural suicide. Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health

As the Australian Collaborating Centre for the International Foundation for PO Box 8043 Integrated Care, we promote patient-centred rather than provider-focused Orange East NSW 2800 care that integrates mental and physical health concerns. T +61 2 6363 8444 E [email protected] As part of the University of Newcastle, all of our activities are underpinned by research evidence and evaluated to ensure appropriateness and effectiveness.

crrmh.com.au @crrmh @crrmhnsw /company/crrmh

2 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Contents

Report Page Director’s Report 4

Snapshot of the Quarter 5

Research 6

John Hoskin Library 7

Connections 8

Communications 10

Online Connections 12

Partnerships 14

Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) 17

Staff News 19

Appendix 21

3 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Director’s Report Centre Director Professor David Perkins

“One thing after another…’ does not do justice to the combination of adverse events that have impacted on rural communities in the first quarter of 2020. When many communities thought that things could not possibly get worse, along came COVID-19. In a few short weeks we moved from emergency response mode to physical distancing and lockdown. At the same time, the normal range of mental health problems continued but were supplemented with additional and widespread problems. The number of people linked to services by RAMHP workers increased by 70% during this period which is an indicator of community need and program responsiveness. Additionally, information was made available for community members through the production of three new factsheets, a podcast made in association with the ABC, and a series of heartfelt blogs from several of our RAMHP Coordinators and CRRMH staff. These are all available on our dedicated COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing website page.

While these adverse events are often understood as disasters or emergencies requiring an acute response, we know that many will have long-term effects such as the loss of jobs and businesses, the reduction in tourist numbers and challenges to the viability of rural and remote communities. We received many comments to the effect that while the consequences of drought and fire were still very real for rural people, attention had moved to COVID-19 with its daily newsfeed of statistics, graphs and speculation.

Since all but two of CRRMH staff live in rural locations, these were not theoretical challenges but personal experiences that affect homes, families and neighbourhoods. For many there is no escape and various government and charitable spending programs have made the service provider environment more complicated. There are new services, whether resident or visiting, short or longer-term which make it more difficult to navigate services or find appropriate help.

It has been important to ensure that new ways of working are safe. In a conventional training situation, such as in the training our RAMHP Coordinators would normally provide, it is possible to see when individuals are distressed and to provide appropriate support. That may not be possible using online training and the divides between those who do and do not have such access are becoming more obvious.

As usual, I am very proud of our staff at the CRRMH and RAMHP who have responded to yet another adversity in a timely and appropriate manner with the development and sharing of information and resources and the provision of extra support tailored to our rural and remote communities. Their dedication to their work while trying to adapt themselves to the “new normal” of self-isolation, social distancing, caring for older relatives, home-schooling their children, and working from home is admirable.

After 20 years of operation, we are aware of the need to listen carefully to our rural constituency and to ensure that we offer best practice and rigorously evaluated support. We expect that adverse events will continue and that rural residents will need support if they are to thrive in the face of multiple environmental, social and economic adversities.

Please contact the Centre on 02 6363 8444 or at [email protected] if you are aware of additional ways in which we can help in what are very difficult times.

Prof. David Perkins

4 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Snapshot of the Quarter

Research John Hoskin Library Connections Communications Online Connections

Professor David New Coping with the COVID-19 mental 4 new publications 111 requests Perkins presented at Impact of Drought health support this quarter supplied the NSW Liberal and Decision webpage created to Party Drought Making fact sheets distribute credible Summit produced information about the pandemic

Partnerships Partnerships RAMHP Staff News 1, 374 people linked to Dr Kris Gottschall care Project Officer for appointed project lead 115 training courses Training Rachel for Everymind’s rural and delivered to 4, 429 Murray and RAMHP remote Ahead For participants Coordinator Andrew Business project 234 community events Daley welcomed to attended the team

5 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Research Compiled by Research Assistant Lucy McEvoy

4 new publications this quarter

Developing a mobile data collection tool to Epistemic justice and the struggle for critical PhD researcher Emma Austin’s paper manage a dispersed mental health suicide literacy, authored by Dr Scott The concerns about climate change workforce, led by RAMHP Evaluation Fitzpatrick was published in Social among rural residents in Australia was Manager Sarah Maddox was published in Epistemology in February. A blog on suicide published in the Journal of Rural Studies Rural and Remote Health in February. The in February. literacy was also authored for use on our paper evaluated the data collection app website and social media channels. created for RAMHP Coordinators’ use.

For more detailed information please see Appendices 1-5

6 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 John Hoskin Library Compiled by Centre Librarian Paul Stanfield

Library Updates Note: Figures are for January & February only, due to staff leave taken in March. Library Total Activity • Short ready reference inquiries proved to be lower for this quarter – down from 192 to 110. Reference inquires were mainly from student visitors of the WNSW LHD. Consumer visits have Short reference 110 greatly reduced due to changes introduced in January. Interlibrary loan 15 requests – • Interlibrary loan requests- GRATIS reduced from 48 to 15. GRATIS

• Requests supplied from the CRRMH library were down from 146 to 111 for this period. 103 Interlibrary loan 7 requests were supplied to Western LHD staff. requests - UON Interlibrary loans 3 • Loans were down from 48 to 18. See table for other library activity this quarter. incomplete

Requests 111 supplied from Connections with UON CRRMH library

• CRRMH Librarian Paul Stanfield continues to work on a research impact analysis in consultation Requests 11 with UON Senior Research Librarian Debbie Booth. supplied external to CRRMH library

Loans 18

7 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Connections Compiled by Senior Development Officer Vanessa Delaney

• The CRRMH strives to keep politicians informed of the mental health issues facing our rural and remote communities so that policy can be better informed. On 13 March the CRRMH was visited by the NSW Shadow Minister for Mental Health Tara Moriarty MLC. Minister Moriarty was very interested to learn more about the work we are doing in rural and remote NSW. On 14 March CRRMH Director David Perkins attended the NSW Liberal Party Drought Summit in Sydney, which was organised by the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Mental Health, chaired by Scott Farlow MLC. David spoke about how we need to keep rural adversity and the perspective of rural and regional communities on the radar when adverse situations such as drought and bushfires no longer get media (L-R) Vanessa Delaney, Tara Moriarty MLC, attention. Claire Gander, Rosie Dunnett, Professor David Perkins

• Following on from the Orange Declaration, Professor David Perkins continues on the development of an international declaration in conjunction with the International Initiative in Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL). A rural mental health collaborative and iCircle has been created by IIMHL, which David is a member. Associate Professor Nellie Oelke who was a visiting scholar at the CRRMH in 2019 wrote a letter to the editor on the relevance of the Orange Declaration for Canada.

• During this quarter, the CRRMH provided feedback on the federal Department of Health’s Rural Allied Health Discussion paper, the purpose of which was to develop a set of recommendations and associated implementation considerations Professor David Perkins presenting in aimed at improving the quality of services, and equitable access and distribution of Sydney the regional, rural and remote allied health workforce. Our submission has been acknowledged in the interim report, which provides an insight into the National Rural Health Commissioner’s thinking to date.

8 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Connections cont. Compiled by Senior Development Officer Vanessa Delaney

• Dr Scott Fitzpatrick is now a member of the University of Newcastle's Academic Senate, which is the primary forum for debate on academic issues at the University of Newcastle, for the term of office from 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2021. Scott was also again invited to present a lecture on 14 March at University of Sydney for Master of Public Health students on Public Mental Health.

• During the RAMHP Face to Face Meeting in March, Vicki Worland from Gotcha4Life visited the CRRMH to discuss their plans to bring Gotcha4Life & Tomorrow Man workshops into rural NSW. It was a great opportunity to discuss how both organisations can work together to bring important suicide prevention workshops to the country.

Vicki Worland (left) with Tessa Caton

9 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Communications Compiled by Senior Development Officer Vanessa Delaney and Communications Coordinator Jocie Johnston

Collateral

• In response to the January bushfires, RAMHP produced a new “Coping with the Impact of Drought” information sheet. A Facebook post of the new resource on 9 January reached almost 35, 000 people, had over 2, 200 engagements and was shared around 250 times. 3, 300 printed copies were made available throughout bushfire affected communities via our RAMHP Coordinators, including 300 copies which Federal Member for Calare Andrew Gee took on a roadshow following the bushfires. Research Impact Study • Development of a customised “How Are You Going?” poster to suit our Indigenous communities commenced. Consultation with Indigenous stakeholders on the content was The CRRMH has been working carried out and an Indigenous artist contracted to produce the artwork, which will form part of closely with our colleagues in the the narrative for the poster. An extensive consultation phase will be carried out during the Research and Innovation second stage of the poster’s development to ensure the resource is culturally appropriate and Division at the University of accessible for our Indigenous communities prior to the poster being launched in late June 2020. Newcastle to develop a Research Impact Study which • During March, the RAMHP Team released a new Let’s Talk fact sheet which discusses will outline the impact the decision making. Specifically, the resource provides tips for making a difficult decision and CRRMH and RAMHP’s work has a tool which can be used by an individual to assist in making decisions. The resource was had on the mental health and developed in response to people in rural and remote communities struggling with making wellbeing of our rural and decisions during prolonged drought and bushfire conditions. remote communities. The study will be published in April 2020.

• The Communications Team have commenced discussions with podcast producer Kia Handley for a series 4 of the popular Let’s Talk Rural Mental Health podcast. Topics have been selected, and the team are developing key messages and identifying speakers and contributors for the podcast episodes. It is expected Series 4 will be released in the third quarter of 2020, with dates remaining flexible due to the impact of COVID-19.

10 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Communications cont. Compiled by Senior Development Officer Vanessa Delaney and Communications Coordinator Jocie Johnston

Media

• RAMHP Coordinators and the RAMHP Program Manager were in demand this quarter in response to the bushfires, the Baggy Blues project, drought community events such as the The team continues to work 'Get Up and Go' Gathering in Garema, training courses and the impact of COVID-19. with RAMHP Coordinator Judy Carmody to develop a monthly column in the Yass Tribune/ • Research Associate Dr Scott Fitzpatrick was also interviewed by the Newcastle Herald about Goulburn Post and Crookwell suicide rates and data collection. Gazette.

• This quarter the team sent out the following media releases: The following three issues were Coping with the impact of bushfires published in January, February and March. Get Up and Go - Gathering in Garema The media releases were picked by many regional papers such as the Forbes Advocate and The January: Coping with bushfires . The event in Garema was attended by the ABC TV 7:30 crew and rural reporter Tim Land February: Coping with Fookes. uncertainty March: Being kind is good for • A media release launching our new Men’s website – ‘You’ve got this mate’ was also drafted but your mental health was put on hold due to COVID-19 and a rescheduled launch date.

• RAMHP Coordinators also addressed the media about coping with COVID-19 and staying mentally well. Kate Arndell was interviewed by ABC Hunter New England and Camilla Herbig participated in an interview with Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders.

For a full list of media activity see Appendix 6

11 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Online Connections Compiled by Marketing Officer Ashleigh Middleton

COVID-19 Mental Health Support Website Analytics 1 January – 31 March 2020 and Resources CRRMH RAMHP A new webpage compiles several lead mental 12, 215 website sessions (+36%) 6,183 website sessions (+22%) health organisations’ responses to COVID-19. Top 5 pages Top 5 pages These include tips for reducing feelings of 1. Homepage – 4, 047 views 1. Homepage – 4, 210 views panic or anxiety and managing your mental 2. Bushfire support – 1, 809 views 2. Find a Coordinator – 727 views health. We have also included links to 3. Blog: It’s Grief… – 1, 587 views 3. Downloadable Resources – 686 views 4. Downloadable Resources – 879 views 4. Get Help: Online & Phone – 583 views credible, evidence-based information on 5. Coronavirus Information – 547 views 5. About us – 553 views topics such as self-isolation and quarantine.

New website additions

20 February: Working Hand-In-Hand For Drought-Affected Western NSW 134 views 28 February: The Curious Case Of Suicide Literacy 112 views 28 February: Concerns about climate change among rural residents in Australia 58 views 11 March: Recognising Perinatal Depression And Anxiety 50 views 11 March: RAMHP Welcomes Andrew Daley to the team 113 views 18 March: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information 547 views 25 March: RAMHP Welcomes Rachel Murray to the Team 69 views 26 March: RAMHP and COVID-19 36 views 31 March: It’s Grief And I Am Feeling It Too 1, 587 views

12 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Online Connections cont. Compiled by Marketing Officer Ashleigh Middleton

Social Media Analytics 1 January – 31 March 2020 CRRMH Conversations Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Instagram e-newsletter

CRRMH 965 followers (+3%) 2,829 page likes (+3%) 80 followers (+43%) 39 tweets posted 66 posts 20 posts E-newsletters continue to be sent 211 post 2, 680 post 155 post - to subscribers with the following engagements (-12%) engagements (-81%) engagements results: (+24%)

RAMHP 586 followers (+9%) 2,555 page likes (+10%) 64 followers (+42%) 440 followers (+18%) January: The Year Ahead Open 32 tweets posted 69 posts 7 posts 23 posts 475 post 14, 209 post 56 post 730 post rate- 38% Click rate 7% engagements (+9%) engagements (-24%) engagements engagements (+21%) (+21%) February: Navigating Rural Adversity Open rate- 43% Click rate 12%

March: In This Together Open Social media promotions rate- 28% Click rate 11%

Bushfire recovery and the COVID-19 pandemic was the main focus of this quarter’s social media content. Mental health and support information was widely distributed along with tailored resources created by the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program.

The Daily News Alerts service was promoted on Facebook through a small paid advertisement during March. This reached 7, 365 people and resulted in 9 new subscribers.

13 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Partnerships Compiled by Senior Development Officer Vanessa Delaney, RAMHP Program Manager Tessa Caton and Research Assistant Lucy McEvoy

Industry partnerships

• Our partnership with Rural Health Pro, the digital platform run by the Rural Doctors In partnership with the NSW Network continues. At the end of this quarter, the new platform went live and as partners we Baggy Blues Cricket Team, will use this platform to share information and resources with other rural health organisations RAMHP provided promotional and individuals. support and Community Support Skills training for four rural cricket • The CRRMH was invited to join the NSW Workplace Mental Health Network, which is events. The events aim to build made up of key organisations throughout NSW who work in the mental health sector who social connections, recognise the have some sort of focus on keeping workplaces mentally healthy. RAMHP Program role of sport in mental wellness Manager Tessa Caton and Senior Development Officer Vanessa Delaney have joined this and educate community leaders to group and will continue to share information and resources at the bi-monthly meetings and recognise signs of mental illness via email. The group has been particularly active in March through the sharing of resources and direct people to support. about COVID-19 and mental health. Other represented groups on the group include Beyond During January to March, the Blue, Black Dog Institute, SafeWork NSW, Comcare, NSW Mental Health Commission, Way Baggy Blues visited Inverell, Ahead, SIRA, NSW Health and icare. Tamworth, Kempsey and Cootamundra. All events were well attended and two final tours to • CRRMH has partnered with Everymind as its rural partner in a $3.1 million project Ahead Lithgow and Wentworth are for Business to support the mental health of people who own or work in small business. planned for November and CRRMH researcher Dr Kris Gottschall, in the capacity as post-doctoral research associate, December. will be the Project Lead researching the rural sites for the CRRMH in partnership with Everymind. The aim will be to recruit small business owners and those who work in small business in the Central West of NSW to the research.

14 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Partnerships cont. Compiled by Senior Development Officer Vanessa Delaney, RAMHP Program Manager Tessa Caton and Research Assistant Lucy McEvoy

Academic partnerships

• In early March, the CRRMH hosted a visit from Professor Nick Goodwin, Director of the Central Coast Research Institute. The research institute is a partnership between the Central Coast Local Health District and University of Newcastle. Discussions included: • research partnerships to support mental health and wellbeing of residents on the NSW central coast, • the development of an Integrated Care in Australia Declaration with the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC), and • developing education and skills-based training to support managers and professionals in integrated care design and delivery.

• The CRRMH’s Dr Hazel Dalton and Dr Scott Fitzpatrick provided substantial guidance and support in the development of the Western NSW Regional Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan, a joint foundational plan between Western NSW PHN, Western NSW LHD and Far West LHD. (L-R) Professor David Perkins, Dr Hazel Dalton, Lucy McEvoy, Professor Nick Goodwin

15 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Partnerships cont. Compiled by Senior Development Officer Vanessa Delaney, RAMHP Program Manager Tessa Caton and Research Assistant Lucy McEvoy

Community partnerships

• During the quarter, Senior Development Officer Vanessa Delaney joined the steering committee for Muswellbrook Healthy & Well, which is part of the University of Newcastle’s Family Action Centre. Muswellbrook Healthy & Well has partnered with the CRRMH in the delivery of projects under our Act-Belong-Commit licence with Mentally Healthy WA, to support the health and wellbeing of people in the community of Muswellbrook NSW.

• During the quarter, the CRRMH and RAMHP were fortunate to be the recipients of several donations to assist us in our work: • Water NSW donated $12, 650 to RAMHP through their Staff Recognition Program and Christmas campaign. • Apricity Finance and 11 of their clients selected the CRRMH to donate to at the end of 2019, resulting in a generous $2, 750 donation. • Club 4x4 Insurance donated $4, 984 to RAMHP following a well-attended event by their members in Sydney in February. These funds will be used to develop a (L-R) Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman, video for rural men with key messages around mental health and wellbeing which Tracy Ponich, Scott Pollock, Blue Mountains Councillor will assist to promote our new You Got This Mate website. Club 4x4 are strong Mick Fell, Mayor of Hawkesbury Barry Calvert supporters of RAMHP. • The Stonewall Hotel in Darlinghurst Sydney donated $4, 690 which was raised at a "Hose for Hope" fundraiser with some other Oxford Street venues. • Over $800 was raised by artists Tracy Ponich from Feathermark Photography and Scott Pollack, at the opening of an exhibition called “Broken Stories” at Braemar Gallery in the Blue Mountains in February. The two artists donated two pieces of art from the exhibition as raffle prizes, with all proceeds from the raffle donated to the Centre.

16 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) Compiled by RAMHP Program Manager Tessa Caton

Program Updates

• The number of people linked to services increased significantly (70%) between January - March Train, Link and Inform 2020. This is largely due to the widespread RAMHP response to the bushfires across rural NSW. 1 January – 31 March 2020

• The level of compounding adversity is extremely high across NSW with RAMHP Coordinators 1, 374 people linked to care assisting both drought, bushfire and COVID-19 impacted communities. 115 training courses delivered to • The entire RAMHP team are rapidly adjusting to the working arrangements required to remain safe 4, 429 participants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implementing working from home arrangements, transitioning to online learning and leveraging social media channels are some of the changes occurring. 234 community events attended

• The RAMHP team demonstrated incredible responsiveness to the challenges faced by rural communities by quickly developing tailored resources including:

• Coping with the Impact of Bushfires factsheet • COVID-19 & Your Mental Health podcast • Let’s Talk Building Social Connections factsheet • Let’s Talk Coping with Uncertainty factsheet • Let’s Talk Rural Adversity factsheet

• Many RAMHP Coordinators are working with local wellbeing sub-committees to inform the longer term recovery strategies required for the bushfire impacted communities.

17 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) cont. Compiled by RAMHP Program Manager Tessa Caton

Program Updates cont.

• RAMHP Coordinator wellbeing remains a strong priority. A large portion of the March Face to Face team meeting focused workforce wellbeing and rejuvenating the team.

• The digital launch of the You Got This Mate website has been postponed to the end of April, this was due to COVID-19 dominating all media channels in March.

People Updates

• Andrew Daley commenced as the RAMHP Coordinator based in Armidale.

• Recruitment of an additional RAMHP Coordinator in the Far West continues

• Rachel Murray commenced as the new RAMHP Training Project Officer based in Orange NSW

• RAMHP Program Manager, Tessa Caton transitioned to working remotely from Holbrook NSW, with regular visits planned to Orange throughout the year.

18 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Staff News Compiled by Senior Development Officer Vanessa Delaney

Hellos and Goodbyes

• During this quarter we welcomed Rachel Murray to the RAMHP project team as Project Officer for Training, based in Orange. Rachel grew up in regional NSW and has worked in the health industry for the past seven years as a mental health worker and a nutritionist. Rachel is extremely passionate about making a difference in people’s lives and is looking forward to working with our RAMHP Coordinators to empower individuals within the community by providing them with access to services and information around mental health.

• Andrew Daley is our newest RAMHP Coordinator to come on board, replacing Sarah Green as one of our Hunter New Rachel Murray Andrew Daley England Local Health District Coordinators. He will be based in Armidale and also grew up in rural NSW. Andy is very interested in primary prevention and early intervention in mental health and believes it is important to educate people on how to achieve good mental health, what to do in a crisis, and how to seek out help early.

• During this quarter we said goodbye to our Finance Officer Helen Turnbull as she entered retirement after almost 18 years with the Centre. Helen has seen us through many achievements and challenges and has certainly seen a lot of people come and go in her time - we wish her all the very best in her retirement.

Helen Turnbull

19 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Staff News cont. Compiled by Senior Development Officer Vanessa Delaney

Training

• Congratulations to Executive Officer Rosie Dunnett who was successful in her application to undertake the University of Newcastle’s Emerging Leaders and Managers Program (eLAMP) during 2020.

• Research Assistant Angela Booth attended a Health Literacy seminar by Professor Don Nutbeam from The University of Sydney on 12 March.

• All staff attended an information and training session about the University of Newcastle’s Success Factors program, which is online Performance Review and Development system. Success Factors allows staff to create, track goals and review performance and development goals against our vision and strategic plan each year.

A fairy tale wedding…

Congratulations to Tessa Caton, our RAMHP Program Manager, who celebrated her marriage to George Cummins in Wagga Wagga in March. We wish Tessa and George a wonderful life together!

20 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Appendix 1: Research

• Progressing the rural health agenda – following on from the Orange Declaration, Prof David Perkins continues on the development of an international declaration in conjunction with the International Initiative in Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL). A rural mental health collaborative and iCircle has been created by IIMHL, which David is a member. A/Prof Nellie Oelke who was a visiting scholar at the CRRMH in 2019 wrote a letter to the editor on the relevance of the Orange Declaration for Canada.

• Dr Scott Fitzpatrick has several achievements to report on this quarter including his contribution to a news article in January on suicide rates in the Hunter New England region; his Epistemic justice and the struggle for critical suicide literacy paper published and a blog penned; Dr Fitzpatrick is now a member of the Academic Senate (the primary forum for debate on academic issues in the University) for the term of office from 1 Jan 2020 – 31 Dec 2021, and will co-edit a Special Issue of the journal Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine due for publication in 2022.

• CRRMH provided feedback on the Rural Allied Health Discussion paper, the purpose of which was to develop a set of recommendations and associated implementation considerations aimed at improving the quality of services, and equitable access and distribution of the regional, rural and remote allied health workforce. Our submission has been acknowledged in the interim report, which provides an insight into the Commissioner’s thinking to date.

• The final report for the Evaluation of the Family Referral Service in Schools has been submitted to the multiagency funding collaborative from the Central Coast. We await feedback from the group, which may be slowed due to COVID19. This work will be prepared for a case study report for the International Journal of Integrated Care. We are preparing an Expression of Interest to undertake a further health economic evaluation (due April).

• The Western NSW Regional Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan is now published. This is a joint plan between Western NSW PHN, Western NSW Local Health District and Far West Local Health District. This was produced after a long and deliberate consultation period with stakeholders and community members across the region. This plan was guided and supported by Dr Hazel Dalton and Dr Scott Fitzpatrick, with assistance by Lucy McEvoy. We note this work follows on from the first phase of this work which culminated in the discussion paper (July 2019).

• In March, Dr Hazel Dalton Chaired the first webinar of the IFIC Australia 2020 series with a session on Case Management - making a unique contribution to integrated care with Sue Lukersmith, a Senior Research Fellow from Australian National University. You can watch the webinar here.

• In late March, in response to the COVID-19 threat here in Australia, CRRMH closed its doors and alongside other staff, the Research team moved to work from home. We have already started to see the postponement and cancellation of upcoming conferences, which is disappointing, but as we adjust to our new workspaces, we will continue to work together virtually and re-focus our efforts.

21 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Appendix 2: Proposals

Successful Proposals Essential Energy - Workplace Mental Health Review. $ 51,511. Invited proposal, submitted December 2019, amended proposal submitted and accepted in March 2020. The CRRMH will undertake a review of Essential Energy’s current and planned workplace mental health initiatives. We will undertake a literature review, a document review of the organisation’s activities on mental health and wellbeing and interviews with key informants (across six rural sites) and a workshop in Tamworth. The CRRMH will produce a final report outlining the findings of the review and key recommendations, this will also be presented the Essential Energy Executive in Port Macquarie. Professor David Perkins, Dr Hazel Dalton and Nicolas Powell.

Regional/Rural/Remote Communities (R3C) Collaborative Research Grants (Canada). Oelke et al ($40,000) Building Resilient Rural Communities: Understanding the Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change Events. Submitted by University of British Columbia and led by Professor Nelly Oelke (visiting scholar at CRRMH in 2019). Submitted Jan 2020, successful March 2020. Professor David Perkins and Dr Hazel Dalton are collaborators.

Submitted Proposals Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation proposal for vicarious trauma training. Submitted February 2020.

Pending Proposals NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Chronic disease prevention for people with a mental health condition: a population approach. Submitted by University of Newcastle and led by Professor Jenny Bowman.

Professor David Perkins is a co-investigator Co-design strategies to increase access to effective preventive care to reduce risk behaviours for people with a mental health condition at a population level. APP1198425, submitted December 2019.

National Dementia Support Program submitted by La Trobe University and led by Professor Irene Blackberry Awareness and Stigma Reduction Campaigns. VERILY consortium. $1,494,643.62. Submitted 3 April 2019.

22 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Appendix 3: Publications

Published Papers Maddox, S., Read, D., Dalton, H., Perkins, D., Powell, N. (2020) Developing a mobile data collection tool to manage a dispersed mental health workforce. Rural and Remote Health.

Austin, E.K., Rich, J.L., Kiem, A.S., Handley, T., Perkins, D.A., and Kelly, B.J. (2020) The concerns about climate change among rural residents in Australia. Journal of Rural Studies.

Fitzpatrick, S. J. (2020) Epistemic justice and the struggle for critical suicide literacy. Social Epistemology. [Special Issue: Critical Suicide Studies].

Western NSW Regional Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan. A joint Foundational Plan between Western NSW PHN, Western NSW Local Health District, and Far West Local Health District 2019-2022. Guidance and support acknowledged from CRRMH.

Accepted Submissions Perkins, D. Rural and remote mental health and wellbeing article for ACU Review. The Association of Commonwealth Universities.

Proposal for Special Issue of the journal Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine. Editors Chandler, A, Cover, R, Fitzpatrick, SJ. ‘Critical Suicide Studies: Between Methodology and Ethics’. Publication expected January 2022.

Pending Submissions Berg E, Wilhlem K, Handley T. Is there an association between dietary habits and recurrent deliberate self-harm? BMC Psychiatry, submitted 6 September 2019.

23 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Appendix 3: Publications cont.

Submitted Papers Heinsch M, Sampson D, Huens V, Handley T, Hanstock T, Harris K, Kay-Lambkin F. Understanding ambivalence in help-seeking for suicidal people with comorbid depression and alcohol misuse, PLOS ONE, submitted June 2019 – omitted from previous report.

Handley T, Lewin T, Butterworth P, Kelly B. Employment and retirement impacts on health and wellbeing among a sample of rural Australians. BMC Public Health, submitted 24 February 2020.

Handley T, Rich J, Lewin T, Kelly B. Financial and employment difficulties predict depression among rural Australians. Short article prepared for the Australian Health Economics Society, submitted 28 February 2020.

Peters I, Handley T, Oakley K, Lutkin S, Perkins D. Social Determinants of Psychological Wellness for Children and Adolescents in Rural NSW. Short article prepared for the National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health, submitted 30 January 2020.

Unsuccessful Submissions Davies, K., Read, D., Booth, A., Turner, N., Gottschall, K., and Perkins, D. Connecting with social and emotional wellbeing in rural Australia: An evaluation of the ‘We Yarn’, Aboriginal gatekeeper suicide prevention workshop, International Journal of Public Health.

24 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Appendix 4: Conferences

Accepted Fitzpatrick, S.J. Remaking life and death: Reflections on the use of coronial case reports in research. The Fourth Conference of the Critical Suicide Studies Network, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, 12-13 June 2020. POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19.

Blackberry, I., Wilding, C., Morgan, D., Perkins, D. et al. Lessons from a pragmatic trial of virtual dementia friendly rural communities in Australia. Australian Dementia Forum 2020. 31 May – 2 June. POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19.

Unsuccessful Moch, S., Perkins, D., Chan, S., Inder, K. and Fitzpatrick, S.J. A descriptive study of suicide deaths in Tasmanian rural communities from 2010 to 2016. International Mental Health Conference, Gold Coast, Australia, 29-31 July 2020.

25 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Appendix 5: PhD Students

Emma Austin has submitted her PhD for examination and her paper, The concerns about climate change among rural residents in Australia has been published.

Sophun Moch continues to analyse qualitative data for a descriptive study on suicide deaths in Tasmanian rural communities from 2010-2016 as part of his PhD thesis.

26 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Appendix 6: Media Activity

Date Media Outlet Topic Spokesperson Link January 3.01.2020 Mirage News, National Farming communities hit hard by RAMHP mentioned https://www.miragenews.com/farming-communities-hit-hard-by- Tribune.com, Get bushfires bushfires/ Farming 6.01.2020 Beef Central $2 billion national bushfire recovery RAMHP mentioned https://www.beefcentral.com/news/2-billion-national-bushfire- fund announced recovery-fund-announced/

6.01.2020 Glenrac Newsletter Unpacking the mental load RAMHP Coordinator Letitia No link Cross 9.01.2020 Manning River Times Advice from Rural Adversity Mental RAMHP Manager Tessa https://www.manningrivertimes.com.au/story/6573337/coping- Health Program Caton with-the-impact-of-bushfires/

13.01.2020 Australian National Student wellbeing and academic RAMHP mentioned https://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/student-wellbeing-and- University support update academic-support-update

13.01.2020 Great Lakes Advocate, Mental health of MidCoast bushfire RAMHP mentioned https://www.greatlakesadvocate.com.au/story/6575138/bushfir Wingham Chronicle, victims concerns mayor David West e-victims-ask-yourself-are-you-okay/?cs=447 Manning River Times 14.01.2020 Radio 2NUR Coping with bushfires RAMHP Program Manager No link Tessa Caton interviewed

15.01.2020 Newcastle Herald Suicide rates have risen in Hunter CRRMH Research https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/6580848/we-were- New England region, NSW data Associate DR Scott told-to-tell-everyone-shed-had-a-heart-attack/ shows Fitzpatrick

15.01.2020 The Lakes Mail Central Coast LHD mental health RAMHP mentioned and https://www.lakesmail.com.au/story/6582425/local-mental- staff deployed to South Coast to fact sheet health-staff-deployed-to-help-in-south-coast-fire-zone/ help with bushfires

27 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Appendix 6: Media Activity

15.01.2020 The Inverell Times Baggy Blues Cricket Tour will RAMHP mentioned https://www.inverelltimes.com.au/story/6581560/baggy-blues- bring current and former legends cricket-tour-will-bring-current-and-former-legends-to- to Inverell inverell/?cs=1649 16.01.2020 Fresh Air Daily – blue Community meeting RAMHP mentioned https://www.bluemts.com.au/news/9-january-2020-community- mountainsaustralia.com meeting/

16.01.2020 Nyngan Observer RAMHP to host Community Skills RAMHP Coordinator https://www.nynganobserver.com.au/story/6581502/free- training course to help residents Camilla Kenny course-to-help-residents-identify-those-struggling-with-mental- identify mental health concerns health/ 21.01.2020 Bega Shire Valley Australia Day Awards RAMHP Coordinator No link Council Jennie Keioskie

21.01.2020 ABC Western Plains Uncertain weather conditions, Interview with RAMHP On file drought and self-care Coordinator Camilla Kenny 24.01.2020 Bega District News Celebrate Bega Valley's best with RAMHP Coordinator https://www.begadistrictnews.com.au/story/6596640/celebrate- Australia Day community awards Jennie Keioskie mentioned bega-valleys-best-with-australia-day-community-awards/

26.01.2020 Parkes Champion Post Yeoval and Tullamore children get RAMHP Coordinator Di Gill https://www.parkeschampionpost.com.au/story/6594995/yeoval together for a day of fun and -and-tullamore-children-get-together-for-a-day-of-fun-and- respite from the drought respite-from-the-drought/ 27.01.2020 Nyngan Observer, Rural Adversity Mental Health RAMHP Coordinator Di Gill https://www.nynganobserver.com.au/story/6600571/yeoval- Western Magazine, Program hosts drought buster quoted and-tullamore-children-get-together-for-a-day-of-fun-and- Daily Liberal respite-from-the-drought/ 27.01.2020 Bega District News, Bay Coping with the impact of RAMHP Program Manager https://www.begadistrictnews.com.au/story/6600145/coping- Post, Magnet, bushfires Tessa Caton quoted with-the-impact-of-bushfires/ Merimbula News, Bombala Times, Narooma News 27.01.2020 ABC South East Australia day Award RAMHP Coordinator No link Jennie Keioskie

28 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: October – December 2019 Appendix 6: Media Activity

27.01.2020 The Daily Liberal and Rural Adversity Mental Health RAMHP Coordinator Di Gill https://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/6600571/yeoval-and- Western Mag Program hosts drought buster quoted tullamore-children-get-together-for-a-day-of-fun-and-respite- from-the-drought/?cs=112 28.01.2020 Future Directions Senate report in response to CRRMH mentioned http://www.futuredirections.org.au/publication/suicide-in-rural- International inquiry on Accessibility and quality and-remote-australia-mental-health-strategies-cannot- of mental health services in rural effectively-operate-in-isolation/ and remote Australia 28.01. 2020 Western Magazine Learn more about proposed RAMHP mentioned https://www.westernmagazine.com.au/story/6601332/learn- Alectown Wind Farm at drop-in more-at-wind-farm-drop-in-session/ session 31.01.2020 The Inverell Times Baggy Blues hosts cricket clinics RAMHP mentioned https://www.inverelltimes.com.au/story/6607901/baggy-blues- host-cricket-clinics/

31.01.2020 Yass Tribune Monthly Column: Coping with Author: RAMHP No link bushfires Coordinator Judy Carmody

February 3.02.2020 ABC South East One Book One Community RAMHP Coordinator No link Jennie Keioskie 4.02.2020 Forbes Advocate All welcome and gathering in RAMHP Coordinator Di Gill https://www.forbesadvocate.com.au/story/6603578/all- Garema quoted welcome-at-rural-gathering-in-garema/ 6.02.2020 ABC Central West Gathering in Garema event Organiser Tom Norris No link interviewed arranged by CRRMH 6.02. 2020 Northern Daily Leader Baggy Blues RAMHP mentioned https://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/6618633/humblin g-ex-aussie-quick-len-pascoe-still-feeling-the-love/ 6.02.2020 Dubbo Photo News Drought Support by RAMHP RAMHP Coordinator No link Camilla Kenny

6.02.2020 ABC New England Baggy Blues in Tamworth Phil Marks (ex cricketer) - No link organised by CRRMH

29 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Appendix 6: Media Activity

9.02.2020 Lithgow Mercury Notre Dame medical student RAMHP mentioned https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/6619488/notre-dame- honoured in the National Council medical-student-honoured-for-ongoing-work-with-rural-mental- of Women of NSW Australia Day health/ Awards 10.02.2020 ABC Hunter New Rain and rain guilt RAMHP Coordinator Letitia https://www.abc.net.au/radio/newengland/programs/breakfast/b England Cross interviewed reakfast/11926684 11.02.2020 About Regional Author events to showcase how RAMHP mentioned https://aboutregional.com.au/author-events-to-showcase-how- we can all be heroes we-can-all-be-heroes/ 12.02.2020 Coonabarabran Times Drought Support and RAMHP RAMHP Coordinator On file Cassie Mastrone

13.02.2020 The West Australian Mental health plummets CRRMH report mentioned https://thewest.com.au/news/augusta-margaret-river- times/mental-health-plummets-ng-b881459172z 13.02.2020 Augusta Margaret River Dire news on mental health CRRMH report mentioned https://www.amrtimes.com.au/news/augusta-margaret-river- TImes times/mental-health-plummets-ng-b881459172z 14.02.2020 Blue Mountains Gazette Art from a trip to the bug dry in CRRMH mentioned as a https://www.bluemountainsgazette.com.au/story/6593762/inspir Broken Hill beneficiary ed-after-road-trip-to-broken-hill/ 14.02.2020 ABC South East One Book One Community RAMHP Coordinator No link Jennie Keioskie

14.02.2020 Guardian News Baggy Blue Cricket Tour coming RAMHP mentioned https://www.nambuccaguardian.com.au/story/6631893/baggy- to Kempsey blues-tour-to-bring-nsw-cricket-royalty-to-our-shores/

9.02.2020 Lithgow Mercury Notre Dame medical student RAMHP mentioned https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/6619488/notre-dame- honoured in the National Council medical-student-honoured-for-ongoing-work-with-rural-mental- of Women of NSW Australia Day health/ Awards 18.10.2019 Mudgee Guardian Landcare| Resilient Farmers RAMHP mentioned https://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/6438424/natural- project sequence-farm/

18.02.2020 Bega District News RAMHP Coordinator Jennie One Book One community No link Keioskie

30 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Appendix 6: Media Activity

18.02.2020 PRIME7 News North The upside of drought RAMHP Coordinator Kate https://www.prime7.com.au/news/21886-the-upside-of-drought West Arndell interviewed

19.02.2020 The Weekly Times Future-focused grains research to RAMHP Coordinator Letitia https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/rural- show climate impact Cross mentioned weekly/futurefocused-grains-research-to-show-climate- impact/news-story/9a8c50f51c4bd5b6c4824a31fcdcb6fb 20.02.2020 Dairy News Australia, Growing our farmers’ mental RAMHP Program Manager https://www.theland.com.au/story/6623435/growing-our- Queensland Country health Tessa Caton quoted and farmers-mental-health/ LIfe, The Land, Stock CRRMH research and Land referenced 21.02.2020 Mudgee Guardian PDC Mudgee created fund that RAMHP Coordinator https://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/6640298/pdc- aims to help those in crisis Cassie Mastrone mudgee-created-fund-that-aims-to-help-those-in-crisis/?cs=12 mentioned and RAMHP 23.02.2020 The Namoi Valley Kelvin drought event coming up RAMHP Coordinator Matt https://www.nvi.com.au/story/6636977/fire-up-the-barbie-and- Independent on March 6 Milne quoted have-a-chinwag-at-kelvin-hall/

24.02.2020 Parkes Champion Post All welcome at rural gathering in RAMHP Coordinator Di Gill https://www.parkeschampionpost.com.au/story/6645433/all- Garema with special guest Sam quoted welcome-at-rural-gathering-in-garema-with-special-guest-sam- Bailey bailey/ 25.02.2020 Namoi Valley Kelvin drought event coming up RAMHP Coordinator https://www.nvi.com.au/story/6636977 /fire-up-the-barbie-and- Matthew Milne quoted have-a-chinwag-at-kelvin-hall/ 25.02.2020 Yass Tribune, Goulburn Monthly Column: Coping with Author: RAMHP https://www.yasstribune.com.au/story/6647315/summer-has- Post, Braidwood Times, uncertainty Coordinator Judy Carmody been-hard-are-you-ok/ Crookwell Gazette 25.02.2.20 Inverell Times Warialda and Yetman audiences RAMHP mentioned https://www.inverelltimes.com.au/story/6648000/warialda-and- enjoy free comic relief drought yetman-audiences-enjoy-free-comic-relief-drought-tour/ tour 26.02.2020 Moree Champion, Boomi community left in stitches RAMHP mentioned https://www.moreechampion.com.au/story/6649439/boomi- Goondiwindi Argus during free comic relief drought community-left-in-stitches-during-free-comic-relief-drought-tour/ tour

31 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020 Appendix 6: Media Activity

27.02.2020 Cootamundra Herald Baggy Blue events open to all RAMHP mentioned https://www.cootamundraherald.com.au/story/6651641/baggy- comers blues-events-open-to-all-comers/

27.02.2020 The Canowindra Taking a look at chronic illnesses RAMHP Coordinator Di Gill https://www.canowindraphoenix.com.au/taking-a-look-at- Phoenix mentioned chronic-illnesses/ 28.02.2020 The West Australian, Sit down to uplifting tale The CRRMHs Lishman https://thewest.com.au/news/augusta-margaret-river-times/sit- August Margaret River Health Foundation Report down-to-uplifting-tale-ng-b881472270z Times March 3.03.2020 The Land Garema drought support event RAMHP Coordinator Di Gill https://www.theland.com.au/story/6660433/all-welcome-at- shifts venue on promise of rain quoted drought-support-gathering/ 4.03.2020 The Wingham Chronicle Mental health and recovery RAMHP mentioned https://www.winghamchronicle.com.au/story/6661981/mental- session for rural business owners health-and-recovery-session-for-rural-business-owners-and- and their staff their-staff/ 4.03.2020 News Mail plus 8 ‘I didn’t see the signs’: CRRMH research https://www.news-mail.com.au/news/i-didnt-see-the-signs- newspapers Heartached in mans suicide death referenced become-alert-to-suicidal- tri/3958669/?cspt=1583802204|4324c73ad3e110887ceed096a 7f86d5a 3.03.2020 GRDC GRDC Research Update - RAMHP Coordinator Letitia No link Goondiwindi Cross

3.03.2020 ABC Central West RAMHP and the Drought Support RAMHP Coordinator Part 1 team supporting drought affected Camilla Kenny and Drought Part 2 communities Support Worker Peter Gorman 4.03.2020 The Land Garema drought support events RAMHP Coordinator Di Gill https://www.theland.com.au/story/6660433/all-welcome-at- shift venue on promise of rain drought-support-gathering/ 4.03.2020 The Land Garema drought support events RAMHP Coordinator Di Gill https://www.theland.com.au/story/6660433/all-welcome-at- shift venue on promise of rain drought-support-gathering/ 5.03.2020 ABC News Widespread rainfall in western RAMHP Coordinator Di Gill https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2020-03-05/heavy-rainfall- NSW gives hope to farmers for for-nsw-farmers-helps-boost-mental-health/12030130 strong harvest

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5.03.2020 ABC TV 7pm news Story on ‘Get Up and Go’ event RAMHP Coordinator Di Gill https://iview.abc.net.au/show/abc-news- and recent rain interviewed nsw/series/0/video/NU2001H056S00?fbclid=IwAR2C_YJO2o5h zWhNLAFZH-n_bHBXO0llfHXT6AATTbV4_bHcs_IVWcjGXNs (15:48 secs in) 6.03.2020 Prime 7 News Central RAMHP and the Drought Support RAMHP Coordinator https://www.facebook.com/PRIME7NewsCentralWest/videos/23 West team supporting drought affected Camila Herbig and Drought 9252413783416/UzpfSTI5NDE1NDE5NzQ0NzgxNToxMzM1Mj communities as well as rain guilt Support Peer Worker Peter IxNjM2Njc0Mzk0/ Gorman interviewed 6.03.2020 Bombala Times Delegate community to celebrate RAMHP Coordinator https://www.bombalatimes.com.au/story/6666084/women- International Women's Day Jennie Keioskie together/ 9.03.2020 Real FM IWD RAMHP Coordinator No link Cassie Mastrone 9.03.2020 Manning River Times Mental health and recovery RAMHP https://www.manningrivertimes.com.au/story/6662630/mental- session for rural business owners health-and-recovery-session-for-rural-business-owners-and- and their staff their-staff/ 12.03.2020 ABC Broken Hill and Women’s Retreat RAMHP Coordinator Marie No link North West SA Kelly 17.03.2020 Cootamundra Herald Baggy Blues and RAMHP RAMHP and Faith Rogers https://www.cootamundraherald.com.au/story/6679977/baggy- mentioned blues-coota-clash-to-make-lasting-impact/

19.03.2020 Goulburn Times, Yass Monthly Column: Being kind is Author: RAMHP https://www.goulburnpost.com.au/story/6687725/being-kind-is- Tribune, Crookwell good for your mental health Coordinator Judy Carmody good-for-your-health/ Gazette 19.03.2020 About Regional Cricketing captains RAMHP/ Baggy Blues https://aboutregional.com.au/cricketing-captains- commemorated and Baggy Blues partnership commemorated/

20.03.2020 ABC Hunter New COVID-19 and social connection RAMHP Coordinator Kate https://soundcloud.com/crrmh/interview_abc-hunter-new- England – Rural Report Arndell interviewed england-with-ramhp-coordinator-kate-arndell 27.03.2020 Video with Local MP COVID-19 and social connection RAMHP Coordinator https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- Dugald Saunders Camilla Kenny interviewed aHMGe1V59Y&feature=youtu.be 30.03.2020 Goulburn Post Being kind can be good for our Author: RAMHP https://www.goulburnpost.com.au/story/6702730/being-kind- mental health Coordinator Judy Carmody can-be-good-for-our-mental-health/

33 | Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Quarterly Report: January – March 2020

RAMHP QUARTERLY UPDATE JANUARY – MARCH 2020 RAMHP Quarterly Update Report, January – March 2020

RAMHP Quarterly Update Report: January – March 2020

This report is intended to provide an update for our key stakeholders on the work being undertaken by the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP). It is intended that this report will be emailed to key stakeholders and also available on the Program’s website and that of the Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health. Please email comments or questions to: [email protected].

Table of Contents

Section Page Number

General RAMHP Program Updates 3

Data Considerations 14

RAMHP Updates by Program Component 15

LINK 15

TRAIN 21

INFORM 23

| 2 General RAMHP RAMHP Updates by Data Considerations LINK TRAIN INFORM Program Updates Program Component

General RAMHP Program Updates

The Rural Adversity Mental Health Program – Tessa Caton all media channels in March.

RAMHP Program Updates People Updates • The number of people linked to services increased significantly • Andrew Daley commenced as the RAMHP Coordinator based in (70%) between Jan-Mar 2020. This is largely due to the widespread Armidale. RAMHP response to the bushfires across rural NSW • Recruitment of an additional RAMHP Coordinator in the Far West • The level of compounding adversity is extremely high across NSW continues with RAMHP Coordinators assisting both drought, bushfire and • Rachel Murray commenced as the new RAMHP Training Project COVID-19 impacted communities Officer based in Orange NSW • The entire RAMHP team are rapidly adjusting to the working • RAMHP Program Manager, Tessa Caton transitioned to working arrangements required to remain safe during the COVID-19 remotely from Holbrook NSW, with regular visits planned to Orange pandemic. Implementing working from home arrangements, throughout the year. transitioning to online learning and leveraging social media channels are some of the changes occurring • The RAMHP team demonstrated incredible responsiveness to the Report Q1 Highlights challenges faced by rural communities by quickly developing tailored resources including: • 1,374 People Linked to Care • Coping with the Impact of Bushfires Factsheet between Jan – Mar 2020 (↑70%) • COVID-19 & Your Mental Health Podcast • Let’s Talk Building Social Connections Factsheet • 115 Training Courses were • Let’s Talk Coping with Uncertainty delivered to 4,429 participants • Let’s Talk Rural Adversity Factsheet between Jan – Mar 2020 • Many RAMHP Coordinators are working with local wellbeing sub- committees to inform the longer term recovery strategies required • 234 Community Events were for the bushfire impacted communities attended by RAMHP Coordinators • RAMHP Coordinator wellbeing remains a strong priority. A large between Jan – Mar 2020 portion of the March Face to Face team meeting focused workforce wellbeing and rejuvenating the team • The digital launch of the You Got This Mate website has been postponed to the end of April, this was due to COVID-19 dominating | 3 General RAMHP RAMHP Updates by Data Considerations LINK TRAIN INFORM Program Updates Program Component

General RAMHP Program Updates

RAMHP Communication Highlights– Jocelyn Johnston and New Coping with the Impact of Bushfire Resource Lauren Dunkley In response to widespread bushfires throughout NSW over the summer From early January the Communications team hit the ground running months, the RAMHP and CRRMH Communications team worked to supporting rural communities with information and resources to help produce a new resource to assist individuals and communities who had cope with the widespread bushfires over the Christmas period. been impacted by bushfire. The fact sheet provided information about normal emotional responses to bushfires. when and how to seek mental This involved developing useful factsheets and working with the media health support and links to appropriate services. When shared on to deliver information on mental wellbeing and self care during the Facebook, the resource reached 32,200 people. bushfires and how and where to get help. Get-up & Go Garema The team also prepared to officially launch the ‘You’ve Got This Mate’ at Get Up and Go in Garema was held on 5 March and was an the end of March but due to the COVID-19 crisis– the launch has been event organised in response to the ongoing severe drought impacting put on hold. the Central Tablelands. The event had the aim of connecting farmers, small business owners, contractors, family members and friends with Two videos from Minister Bronnie Taylor and RAMHP Ambassador Gus mental health information, strategies and support services. Worland will be shared on social media announcing the website in the Surprisingly, rain fell on the day the event took place. Over 170 people next few weeks. attended the event at the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange to hear from guest speaker Sam Bailey and other lived experience With COVID-19 unfolding the team has also been busy setting up a speakers. dedicated webpage on the RAMHP website which includes information on how to cope with uncertainty, tips on coping with isolation, the importance of social connections and links to other helpful reputable organisations and websites.

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RAMHP Communication Highlights– Jocelyn Johnston and Events Lauren Dunkley Baggy Blues Tour RAMHP eNewsletters In partnership with the NSW Baggy Blues Cricket Team, RAMHP released one eNewsletter during this period. RAMHP provided promotional support and Community Support Skills training for four rural cricket events. The events aim to build social The March/April edition, Building Connections from a Distance, was connections, recognise the role of sport in mental wellness and educate delivered to 1,753 recipients and had a 30% open rate. This edition community leaders to recognise signs of mental illness and direct focused on the role of RAMHP Coordinators during the COVID-19 people to support. During January to March, the Baggy Blues visited crisis, new Let's Talk resources, the addition of a new RAMHP Inverell, Tamworth, Kempsey and Cootamundra. All events were well Coordinator Andy Daley, the CRRMH's Daily News Alerts Service. attended and two final tours to Lithgow and Wentworth are planned for November and December. Website During this quarter, the RAMHP website received 6,183 website sessions (+19.94%) The average website session was 2:07 mins. The Club 4x4 Rigs & Rolls website had 4,469 new users (+27%). During January Club 4x4, who provide insurance to the 4x4 enthusiasts, approached RAMHP to be the recipient of funds raised The top 5 pages were as follows: from a Rigs & Rolls event. The event aimed to bring together 1. Homepage – 4,940 views likeminded individuals and families, share mental health information 3 Find a RAMHP Coordinator – 1,549 iews and build social connections. $5000 was raised and RAMHP will work 2. Downloadable Resources – 746 views with Club 4x4 to develop a communications resource which will link 4. Online and Telephone Support – 583 views men to the You Got This Mate website. The partnership has produced 5. About Us – RAMHP – 550 views many communications opportunities as Club 4x4 have a subscriber base of over 200,000 people, of which the majority are men.

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. General RAMHP RAMHP Updates by Data Considerations LINK TRAIN INFORM Program Updates Program Component

General RAMHP Program Updates

Media Highlights

RAMHP Coordinators were in demand during Q1 in response to the bushfires, the Baggy Blues project, drought community events such as the 'Get Up and Go' Gathering in Garema, training courses and COVID-19.

This quarter the team sent out the following media releases: Some examples of key media activity are presented in Table 1 on the following page. Please note this is a sample only. Get Up and Go - Gathering in Garema (583 KB) The full list for January –March can be seen in Appendix A of the Monday, February 3, 2020 CRRMH Quarterly Report. Coping with the impact of bushfires (622 KB) Thursday, January 9, 2020

The media release on coping with the impact of bushfires was picked by many regional papers and the Get Up and Go Gathering resulted in a few media interviews with the ABC and articles in the Forbes Advocate and The Land. The ABC TV 7:30 crew attended the event and ABC rural reporter Tim Fookes was also there broadcasting live.

A media release launching our new Men’s website – You’ve got this mate’ was drafted but has been put on hold until the launch goes ahead in the next few weeks.

The team also worked with RAMHP Coordinator Judy Carmody to develop content for a regular monthly column in the Yass Tribune/ Goulburn Post and Crookwell Gazette. The following three issues were published in January, February and March • January - Coping with bushfires • February – Coping with uncertainty • March –Being kind is good for your mental health | 6 General RAMHP RAMHP Updates by Data Considerations LINK TRAIN INFORM Program Updates Program Component

General RAMHP Program Updates

Table 1: Overview of media Interactions (note this is a sample only – see Appendix A of the CRRMH Quarterly report for a full list)

Date Media Topic Spokesperson Link Outlet

9.01.2020 Manning River Times Advice from the Rural RAMHP Manager Tessa https://www.manningrivertimes.com. Adversity Mental Health Caton au/story/6573337/coping-with-the- Program (RAMHP) impact-of-bushfires/

15.01.2020 Inverell Times Baggy Blues RAMHP mentioned https://www.inverelltimes.com.au/stor y/6581560/baggy-blues-cricket-tour- will-bring-current-and-former-legends- to-inverell/?cs=1649 16.01.202 Nyngan Observer RAMHP to host RAMHP Coordinator https://www.nynganobserver.com.au/stor Community Skills training Camilla Kenny y/6581502/free-course-to-help-residents- course to help residents identify-those-struggling-with-mental- identify mental health health/ concerns 21.01.2020 ABC Western Plains Uncertain weather RAMHP Coordinator On file conditions, drought and Camilla Kenny self-care 24.01.2020 Bega District News Australia Day Awards RAMHP Coordinator Jennie https://www.begadistrictnews.com.au/st Keioskie ory/6596640/celebrate-bega-valleys- best-with-australia-day-community- awards/

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Date Media Topic Spokesperson Link Outlet 21.01.2020 The Daily Liberal and Rural Adversity Mental Health RAMHP https://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/6600 Western Mag Program hosts drought buster Coordinator Di 571/yeoval-and-tullamore-children-get- Gill together-for-a-day-of-fun-and-respite-from- the-drought/?cs=112

31.01.2020 Yass Tribune Coping with Bushfires RAMHP Coordinator Judy Carmody 4.02.2020 Forbes Advocate All welcome and gathering in RAMHP https://www.forbesadvocate.com.au/story/660 Garema Coordinator Di 3578/all-welcome-at-rural-gathering-in- Gill garema/

10.02.2020 ABC Hunter New Rain and guilt RAMHP https://www.abc.net.au/radio/newengland/prog England Coordinator rams/breakfast/breakfast/11926684 Letitia Cross 12.02.2020 The Coonabarabran Drought support and RAMHP RAMHP On file Times Coordinator Cassie Mastrone 18.02.2020 Prime 7 News North The Upside of Drought RAMHP https://www.prime7.com.au/news/21886-the- West Coordinator upside-of-drought Kate Arndell

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Date Media Topic Spokesperson Link Outlet 20.02.2020 Dairy News Australia, Growing our farmers’ RAMHP Program https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/6 Queensland Country mental health Manager Tessa Caton 623435/growing-our-farmers-mental-health/ LIfe, The Land, Stock quoted and CRRMH and Land research referenced 25.02.2020 Yass Tribune, Coping with uncertainty RAMHP Coordinator https://www.yasstribune.com.au/story/6647315/s Goulburn Post, Judy Carmody ummer-has-been-hard-are-you-ok/ Braidwood Times, Crookwell Gazette

5.03.2020 ABC News Widespread rainfall in RAMHP Coordinator https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2020-03- western NSW gives hope to Di Gill 05/heavy-rainfall-for-nsw-farmers-helps-boost- farmers for strong harvest mental-health/12030130

6.03.3030 Prime 7 News Central RAMHP and the Drought RAMHP Coordinator https://www.facebook.com/PRIME7NewsCentralWe West Support team supporting Camila Herbig and st/videos/239252413783416/UzpfSTI5NDE1NDE5Nz drought affected Drought Support Peer Q0NzgxNToxMzM1MjIxNjM2Njc0Mzk0/ communities as well as rain Worker Peter Gorman guilt interviewed

12.03.2020 ABC Broken Hill and Women’s retreat RAMHP Manager No link North West SA Marie Kelly

20.3.2020 ABC Hunter New Coping with COVID -19 RAMHP Coordinator https://soundcloud.com/crrmh/interview_abc- England Kate Arndell hunter-new-england-with-ramhp-coordinator- kate-arndell

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RAMHP Social Media – Lauren Dunkley

The following table provides an overview of the key statistics for RAMHP’s Facebook page.

Table 2: Overview of RAMHP’s Facebook Page Statistics, Jan – Mar 2020

Statistic Impact

246 new likes were achieved during this period, bringing the total • Number of likes increased by 10.32 % during the period number of likes to 2555

Post Publishing this quarter was 69 • This quarter featured posts included information about coping Posts decreased by 37.3% this quarter following advice received with the impact of bushfire, advice on how to remain socially in recent training to limit social media posting to once per day. connected during COVID-19, and what normal responses to On review of results for this quarter, RAMHP will reverse this disaster look like. Three job vacancies were also advertised. strategy and increase posting. Engagement with posts: • Total engagements were down by 23.72% − Reactions 3,363 • Posts that attracted high engagement included a post about RAMHP's How Are You Going poster, the release of the new − Comments 380 Coping with the Impact of Bushfire resource and a new blog − Shares 1045 penned by RAMHP Coordinator Letitia Cross which discussed emotions as a result of COVID-19 isolation. − Link Clicks 910

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General RAMHP Program Updates

RAMHP Social Media – Lauren Dunkley

The following table provides an overview of the key statistics for RAMHP’s Twitter page.

Table 3: Overview of RAMHP’s Twitter Statistics, Jan – Mar 2020

Statistic Impact

46 (+8.5%) new followers were achieved during this period, bringing • RAMHP’s Twitter audience continues to increase the total number to 586

Post Publishing this quarter was 32 during this period • Publishing frequency decreased by 8.6% this quarter

35 Tweets during this period: − Post Link Clicks 86 (+177%) • Engagement has increased by 9.2% this quarter, continuing a positive trend. − Replies 4 (steady) − Retweets 74 (+ 25.4%) − Tweet Likes 139 (-12%)

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RAMHP Social Media – Lauren Dunkley

The following table provides an overview of the key statistics for RAMHP’s Instagram page.

Table 4: Overview of RAMHP’s Instagram Statistics, Jan – Mar 2020

Statistic Impact

68 new followers (+18.28%) were achieved during this period, • RAMHP’s reach on social media continues to grow and bringing the total to 440. Instagram content is engaging new users.

Post Publishing this quarter was 23 during this period • Publishing frequency has been reliably consistent throughout the period for the newly launched Instagram account. 3 Story posts were created during the quarter to trial the engagement of this Instagram tool.

Engagement with 25 posts: − Likes 692 (+19.52%) • Engagement increased by 20.9% during this period. − Comments 19 (+35.71%) − Saves 17 (240%) − Impressions 13241 (+ 16.2%)

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Data Considerations

This Report 1 represents the first period of data collected using the RAMHP App in 2020. There are a number of considerations which must be taken into account when interpreting the results of this Report. These include:

• Annual leave taken by RAMHP Coordinators during the reporting period may impact on their data presented in the Report.

• The correctness of data from the RAMHP App relies on the accurate data entry of the RAMHP Coordinators.

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How Many People Were Linked?

Chart 1: Number of Links Jul. 2019 – Mar. 2020, by Linkage Type

133

123 1241 130

Number of Links Number of 683 469

Jul - Sep 2019 Oct - Dec 2019 Jan - Mar 2020 Quarter

Linked someone to services/resources to help someone else Linked someone to services/resources for themselves

• From January – March 2020, 1,374 people were linked to mental • The majority of links (n=1,241, 90%) were people seeking health support services or resources by RAMHP Coordinators. This assistance for themselves. represents a 70% increase from last quarter. It is the highest number of links per quarter since this data was first recorded in July 2016.

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How Did Linking Take Place?

Chart 2: Proportion of Links Jan. – Mar. 2020, by Method of Linkage • During January – March 2020, the largest number of links took place when RAMHP Coordinators attended community events 10% (n=120, 34%).

5% • A considerable proportion of linkages also occurred by providing advice to other professionals (n=63, 18%) and 4% 34% through phone or email contact (n=71, 20%).

20%

8%

18%

I met them at a community event or meeting They attended training I delivered I provided linking advice to a professional in my partnerships/networks Through phone or email contact The ‘person in need’ works for a service in my partnerships/networks The ‘person in need’ was referred from another service Other

Note: (n=351). 1,023 cases were not included as they were group links i.e. when a number of people are linked at the same time for a specific issue. | 16 General RAMHP RAMHP Updates by Data Considerations LINK TRAIN INFORM Program Updates Program Component

How Did Linking Take Place?

Table 5: Proportion of Links Jan. – Mar. 2020, by Method of Linkage & Local Health District

Hunter New Illawarra South Western How linking took place Far West Mid North Coast Murrumbidgee Nepean Blue Mtns. Northern Southern Western England Shoalhaven Sydney Total

I met them at a community event 21% 40% 0% 40% 21% 50% 3% 0% 46% 34% 34% or meeting

They attended training I delivered 21% 7% 0% 0% 5% 0% 13% 0% 7% 7% 8%

I provided linking advice to a professional in my 7% 20% 0% 30% 16% 25% 29% 0% 15% 22% 18% partnerships/networks

Through phone or email contact 18% 8% 60% 30% 16% 0% 42% 0% 19% 29% 20%

The ‘person in need’ works for a service in my 14% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 5% 0% 6% 0% 4% partnerships/networks

The ‘person in need’ was referred 0% 1% 20% 0% 32% 0% 8% 100% 5% 2% 5% from another service

Other 18% 24% 20% 0% 11% 25% 0% 0% 3% 5% 10% TOTAL 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Note: (n=351). 1,023 cases were not included as they were group links i.e. when a number of people are linked at the same time for a specific issue.

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What Symptoms Or Issues Were RAMHP Coordinators Assisting With?

Chart 3: The Ten Most Frequent Symptoms Identified when Linking, Jan. – Mar. 2020

Service quality or access issue 121

Relationship concerns 130

Symptoms of an emerging mental health disorder 144

Disaster or adverse event 183 Trauma (e.g. sexual assault, military combat, victim 237 of crime, harassment)

Drought 277

Change in behaviour 353

Work or financial concerns 371

Grief and loss 456

Fire 944

Stress 1062

Number of Times a Symptom is Selected

• The 10 most common issues or symptoms RAMHP Coordinators • The issue fire (n=944) has been measured since 6th Jan 2020 and is assisted with are presented above. More than one issue or symptom the second most frequent issue identified among links this quarter. can be selected for each person linked (N=4,695). This indicates the high number of people affected by the fires that RAMHP Coordinators have had one-to-one contact with and • The most common issue or symptom was stress (n=1,062). recommended services and resources to.

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What Support Or Resources Were Suggested by RAMHP Coordinators?

Chart 4: Number of Times a Type of Support or Resource was Suggested, Jan. – Mar. 2020

Legal aid 5 Education support services 6 Family or relationship service 12 Carer support service 13 Alcohol or Other Drug Service 16 Social worker 23 Non-Gov MH Team 30 Youth services 35 Housing assistance service 44 CMHT 61 Social support group 62 Employment support services 115 Website information, online therapy or e-mental health 138 Other 185 Farmgate 197 MH Line or Accessline 210 Other mental health telephone support service 224 Private specialist 256 Material or financial assistance service 296 Emergency services 314 Rural assistance services 404 GP 483 Printed information 551 I provided strategies 1128 Number of Times a Suggestion was Given

• RAMHP Coordinators usually provide more than one type of • This most frequent types of services and resources support or resource when they link (N=4,808). recommended are likely to reflect the Coordinators’ response to the fires. These include material and financial assistance • The most common support or resources provided by RAMHP services (n=296, 6%) and emergency services (n=314, 7%). Coordinators were practical strategies (n=1,128, 23%), printed information (n=551, 11%), and GP (n=483, 10%).

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Coordinators’ Stories From Those We Help

I received a phone call from the daughter of an elderly woman with mobility issues unable to I received a call from a person who lost leave the fire-affected area. I notified the RFS their home in the Tathra fires and is still and informed the caller that I knew a resident in not housed due to ongoing legal issues the area who worked for council and would be between them and their ex-partner. I I met a small business owner affected able to check on them and possibly move them. encouraged them to get legal advice. by the recent fires. They weren’t This was done and the elderly woman was coping well with people coming into moved to a safer area. their shop and off-loading their concerns. They want to help but feeling very ill-prepared. I gave them information about other supports including the Service NSW Bus which will be in town next week, and information about community grants. A member of an agricultural show society A School Principal contacted me looking for from a fire affected region reached out to me information on mental health services available for information about supporting fire affected to her students, due to cumulative impacts of communities. They also requested a guest drought, isolation, COVID-19 and a lack of speaker for their local show. I linked them to the RAMHP website for information and services. I provided an overview of the face to I spoke with a dairy farmer resources and provided contact details for face, online and telephone support services, struggling with drought and now the local RAMHP Coordinator in their area. self-directed supports, and online information. fire. They have poor physical health making it difficult to continue working and increasing their stress. I linked them to RFC and a Farmgate Counsellor.

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How Much Training Was Delivered?

Chart 5: Number of Training Courses Delivered, by Course Type, Chart 6: Number of Training Participants, Jan. – Mar. 2020 Jul. 2019 – Mar. 2020

134 4 2 13 115 106 5 23 7 6 9 20 4,429 28 3,705 56 51 3,005

25 Number of Training Courses

28 26 17 Number of Training Participants

14 8 8 Jul-Sep 2019 Oct-Dec 2019 Jan-Mar 2020 Jul-Sep 2019 Oct-Dec 2019 Jan-Mar 2020 Quarter Total number of training participants across all training courses

CSS WSS HISS TT MHFA W&Y VW GTD Total

• From January – March 2020, 115 training courses were • RAMHP Coordinators delivered mental health training to 4,429 delivered by RAMHP Coordinators. participants this quarter.

• The most common training courses delivered were Mental Health • On average each course contained 39 participants. First Aid (n=20, 17%), Tailored Training (n=51, 44%), and Workplace Support Skills (n=17, 15%).

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Who Did RAMHP Coordinators Train?

Chart 7: Number of Training Courses, Audience Type, Jan. – Mar. 2020 • Training courses were predominantly comprised of general General Community Members 31 community members (n=31, 27%), primary industry

Primary industry 17 (n=17, 15%), community group or organisations (n=12, 10%) and mental health workers (n=12, 10%).

Community group or organisation 12

Mental health 12

Other government or council 9 Examples of Organisations Trained

Other Private Business 6 • NowChem Sports 6 • Men's shed • Orange City Council Physical health (eg medical) 4 • Riverina Community College

Education 4 • Sapphire Coast Pantry

• Small Business Owners - Pambula Chamber of Commerce Audience Type Youth 3 • Outback Pharmacies • NSW Farmers Other 2 • Liberty Services • Eurobodalla Shire Council Mixed welfare services 2 • Mountain Blue Blueberries

Carers 2

Aboriginal 2

Heavy industry 1

Police or emergency services 1

Disability 1

Number of Training Courses | 22 General RAMHP RAMHP Updates by Data Considerations LINK TRAIN INFORM Program Updates Program Component

What Audiences Were Reached Through Community Events?

Chart 8: Coordinator Attendance at Community Events, by Audience Type, Jan. – Mar. 2020 • RAMHP Coordinators attended a large number of fire-related (n=87, 37%), farming (n=65, 28%) and general community (n=65, 28%) Fire-related 87 events.

• General community events included Molong Gathering meeting, Australia Day Awards, Festive One in Queanbeyan and several General community 65 Women Like Us - Health Nights in Hunter New England.

• RAMHP Coordinators had direct contact with 3,688 visitors at events. Farming 65

Women 6

Youth 5 AudienceType

Education 2

Other 2

Men 1

EPA staff 1 | 23 Coordinator Attendance at Community Events If you have any questions regarding the content of this Report, please contact: Tessa Caton Program Manager, RAMHP Ph: 0484 339 996 Email: [email protected]