Coronavirus and the lockdown have worsened anxiety and distress for some of Canberra’s most vulnerable people: expectant mothers and new parents, LGBTIQA+ people, young people with mental illnesses, homeless people, and carers of people with disabilities.

The ACT Government has given welfare organisations for these groups $40,000 each for mental health support, while spending the same amount on suicide prevention services. A further $20,000 will be spent on printed materials and activities for people who do not use social media.

“There has been a huge demand for mental health services and support in our community for a long time; with these additional public health regulations in place, we’re trying to make sure that the people most impacted by the lockdown regulations are able to get the extra help that they need right now,” said Emma Davidson, Minister for Mental Health.

During last year’s lockdown, these people needed higher levels of support, the minister explained.

“We want to make sure that people know where they can go to for help,” Ms Davidson said. “If you’re having a really hard time at the moment, you don’t need to do that alone.”

Perinatal Wellbeing

The Perinatal Wellbeing Centre will use its money to extend support to families who are about to have a baby or are caring for a newborn. The PWC cares and supports for parents from pregnancy until the baby turns two, especially if parents experience mental health issues (anxiety, depression, or struggling with parenthood).

CEO Yvonne Luxford said she was extremely grateful to receive the additional funding, which would help manage demand over this busy period. Perinatal Wellbeing was supporting more clients than ever before in its 30-year service, she said – client numbers have increased 152% since 2019, with no sign of decreasing – and counselling calls were longer and more complex.

“Some of the concerns we are hearing from expectant parents are very similar to last year,” Ms Luxford said. “Expectant mums are worried about support during and after their baby’s birth – especially if their family is interstate.

“Other concerns which mirror last year are about both their baby’s and their own isolation. With Mothers’ Groups and Playgroups all paused, it can be very difficult to make and maintain those important support networks. Juggling caring for baby with remote learning for older children and potentially working from home can be a real challenge.

“The big difference this year is the age groups being infected. Everyone with children is especially concerned to keep their kids safe at the moment, but you can imagine how much this can increase anxiety in new parents.”

The PWC is continuing its telephone counselling service, and groups which started their term face-to-face now meet by videoconference. The PWC is also exploring what other online groups and resources would most benefit their clients.

The PWC normally provides onsite free childcare when parents are in support groups. At the moment, the PWC must ensure their services suit parents caring for their babies and older children.

“These services continue to support new and expectant parents to ensure they are connected, their isolation is reduced, and there is an opportunity for their needs and concerns to be shared, understood, and supported,” Ms Luxford said.

Meridian ACT

Meridian ACT will expand counselling, peer support, and mental health services for LGBTIQA+ people. Although many live healthy and happy lives, CEO Philippa Moss explained, a disproportionate number have poorer mental health outcomes and higher risk of suicidal behaviours than the wider community because of stigma, prejudice, discrimination, and abuse – and lockdown and the pandemic have worsened the problem.

Many feel isolated and afraid. “Often, people are disconnected from families. And so they spend their time with their families of choice, but that’s harder – particularly for young people who may live with parents who don’t support them and the choices that they make to affirm their genders.”

64% of LGBTQA+ young people aged 14 to 21 and 73% aged 18 and over have been diagnosed with a mental health condition, while almost half have been diagnosed or treated in the last 12 months.

Set up 30 years ago in response to the AIDS epidemic, Meridian provides health and social support services to people of diverse sexualities and sexual and gender identities, and to people at risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and blood-borne viruses, including sex workers, drug users, and people in custodial settings.

At present, Meridian has 30 people on its waiting lists. Even before the lockdown, the organisation struggled to meet demand.

“The demand on our services even pre-COVID was merciless,” Ms Moss said. “About five weeks ago, we had to shut our books – which we’ve never done before – on our psychological and social work services because the wait time was too extensive. It’s not fair to put people on, and then they have to wait months to get a service.”

Some LGBTIQA+ people do not feel comfortable accessing mainstream services because they have been ‘deadnamed’ or misgendered, Ms Moss said.

“We are a peer-led organisation, and that provides a sense of cultural safety. Having that lived experience within the organisation eliminates stigma and reduces the barriers to access,” Ms Moss said. “In providing a service that is 100% culturally safe, and free, we end up with a lot of people on our books.”

Meridian continues to support clients during lockdown. Some of its programs are now online, but staff can also meet clients in person.

“I’m really grateful to the ACT government for their really quick response in relation to this,” Ms Moss said. “In the last lockdown, it took ages to get any sort of community support. This time, the government’s acted really promptly. Congrats to them!”

But her organisation, she said, also needs ongoing sustainable funding to build its capacity and service the community.

Other organisations

CatholicCare Canberra & Goulburn will extend its ACT services to young people suffering moderate to severe mental illness needing more intensive support at home.

The Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drugs Service (MHJHADS) will extend the Homelessness Outreach Team pilot supporting homeless people with severe mental illness.

Carers ACT will support its carers and the people they care for; they are at risk of isolation and mental ill-health, likely to be worsened by lockdown, and are at higher risk of significant ill-health from COVID-19.

Woden Community Service will increase its suicide prevention service, Way Back, which helps people in the first few months after they attempt suicide.

What other help is available?

Psychological distress among young people increases during lockdown, Ms Davidson said; the number of children and young people presenting to emergency wards has increased by 20%, said Dr Elizabeth Moore, Co-ordinator-General of the Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing.

The Youth Aware of Mental (YAM) Health Program, introduced last year to reduce stigma around anxiety and depression, has reached more than half the 15 and 16-year-olds in the ACT already. The ACT Government is also designing an Online Youth Navigation Portal, which will provide mental health and wellbeing services for young people.

Digital mental health services are also available, Dr Moore said. Beyond Blue has a forum for young people to talk about COVID. Emerging Minds also has resources for the mental health of children and adolescents.

The MindSpot Clinic (free, anonymous assessment and treatment for stress, anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and chronic pain) and Moodgym (a self-help program for coping with depression and anxiety) can also help people build resilience and self-management.

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