While the NDIS provides some assistance, significant challenges remain for supporting people with psychosocial disability.

Looking for solutions, the MHCSA conducted research in the City of Salisbury to discover how we find – and support – South Australians falling through the cracks of mental health support.

We did this with what is called a Living Lab Model. This means we embedded researchers in the community with key priority groups. From there we ascertained what was needed to support these communities, and how they wanted to access them.

Consultations with Nunkuwarrin Yunti and KWY Aboriginal Corporation highlighted the importance of culturally appropriate service provision, with physical health conversations often preceding mental health discussions.

They told us  mental health conversations are most appropriately conducted through informal “yarning circles” outdoors rather than formal office settings.

Here we learnt critical gaps exist connecting Aboriginal health services and psychosocial supports.

When we surveyed carers we discovered a third rated their mental wellbeing as poor or very poor, and over 70% did not know where to find support.

Also 88% required mental health support at least monthly and 63% needed it daily or weekly.

We learnt that major barriers to seeking support include cost, lack of time, and insufficient respite services preventing participation in wellbeing activities.

In this community we discovered significant stigma around mental health, with over 80% never seeking professional support.

Key barriers included fear of family and/or community judgment and lack of awareness around mental health.

Often physical health is prioritised to maintain work capacity, with GPs viewed primarily for physical concerns and not mental health support.

This sector faces unique challenges including shift work, long hours, workplace injury, and persistent stigma.

GPs are associated with WorkCover claims rather than mental health support.

They also identified the need for Peer Workers to come in as Link Workers in community settings (libraries, cultural grocery shops, sports clubs).  Here they would connect people to social activities and services addressing non-medical needs.

By being in spaces where people are, Peer Workers can identify and support people where they are at, without the pressure of navigating a mental health system.

To address the entire unmet need in The City of Salisbury requires $11.2 million annually. This investment would enable specialisations for target populations and a mobile peer
workforce capable of assessing and responding to varied support needs.

With federal-state funding agreements now in place, the timing is optimal to implement these learnings and transform how psychosocial support is delivered in The City of Salisbury and beyond.

To help us advocate for investment in community based solutions, join the My Mental Health, My Community campaign here.

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This project utilised Social Prescribing. To read more about this co-design read the Flinders University report here.