Asylum Seeker Health Services Mental health support in the time of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Asylum Seeker Health Services

Mental health support in the time of COVID

Asylum Seeker Health Services

Cabrini Outreach have three main programs/services for people seeking asylum:

• 1. Cabrini Asylum Seeker and Refugee Health Hub (the

Hub)

• 2. Regional Specialist Mental Health Service - new
• 3. Hume Whittlesea Pharmacy Waiver Program

Asylum Seeker Health Hub - Services

Primary Health Care:

• Nurse led clinics – refugee health assessments, immunisation, pathology

collection, referrals, care coordination and mental health assessments – using MH-STAR tool.

• GP – mental health assessment, care plans and treatment
• Physiotherapy – pain management – often related to mental health

Specialist Mental Health Service:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Mental health clinicians (social work and psychology background) –

counselling and care coordination Health waiver program – for pharmaceuticals, glasses, hearing aids and other medial aids and equipment

Eligibility for the Hub

Priority access is given to the following people seeking asylum who:

• Have no Medicare
• Have Medicare but no income
• Are living in community detention.
• Are particularly vulnerable, and have Medicare and

limited income. Vulnerabilities may include – single- headed households with children, homelessness, family violence.

Regional Specialist Mental Health Service

• Additional funding received from DHHS for mental health

care in rural/regional areas due to impact of COVID.

• Project Coordinator setting up service and new mental

health clinician employed.

• Extension of the Specialist Mental Health Service already

provided by the Hub – but using a telehealth model.

• Focus is Shepparton, Mildura, Swan Hill and Robinvale.
• GPs and community-based organisations can refer.

Regional Specialist Mental Health Service

Expansion of eligibility (compared to the Hub):

• People seeking asylum – remains the same
• Temporary Protection Visa (TPV) or Safe Haven

Enterprise Visa (SHEV)

• Other temporary visa – eg. where person has lost

work and is not eligible for government support

• Undocumented migrants – eg visa expired, exploited

labour conditions, trafficking.

Referral information for Hub and SMHS

Waitlist – a few weeks More information, including referral form: https://www.cabrinioutreach.com.au/heritage-and-strategy/australian- programs/asylum-seekers-and-refugees/asylum-seeker-and-refugee-health- hub MH-Star tool: Screening tool for assessment of mental health (can be used by non-health workers) and is part of the referral form: https://www.cabrinioutreach.com.au/heritage-and-strategy/australian- programs/asylum-seekers-and-refugees/development-of-mental-health-tool/

Flyer for regional services

Hume Whittlesea Pharmacy Waiver Program

• In partnership with Whittlesea Community Connections

(Epping) and Red Cross, with some funding from DHHS.

• Eligibility – people seeking asylum with limited or no income.
• Scripts prescribed by GP or specialist (including for mental

health) will be paid for by Cabrini Outreach.

• More information and referral form here:

https://www.cabrinioutreach.com.au/heritage-and- strategy/australian-programs/asylum-seekers-and- refugees/hume-and-whittlesea-pharmacy-waiver-program/

Contact details

Centre Manager: Tracey Cabrie Mobile: 0417 764 254 General enquiries: Telephone: (03) 8388 7874 Email: healthhhub@cabrini.com.au