Swan Hill Healthy Minds Network

The Swan Hill community wanted a better understanding about depression and mental illnesses and how it could reduce and prevent suicides in the region.

The Mayor of Swan Hill Rural City Council called for a roundtable discussion with key people who provide services for people suffering with, or caring for people with, a mental illness.

The first outcome from the initial meeting was the formation of a Swan Hill Healthy Minds Network in 2004.  The Network’s first task was to support a Community Depressive Illness forum.

650 community people attended the Community Depressive Illness forum.  350 evaluation forms were filled out.  The collation of the evaluations provided the Swan Hill Healthy Minds Network with clear direction as to how to address the needs of the community so they can respond to issues relating to depression and mental illness.

One of the strategies for the Network was to promote a range of contact numbers that are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These contact numbers assist people requiring immediate support.  People are helped by speaking to a qualified  person who can provide confidential advice and are able to refer them to a local agency for ongoing assistance.

In collaboration with the Swan Hill District Hospital’s Health Promotion Department, the Mallee Division of General Practice and the Year 11 Art/Graphic  students from the two local colleges, the Healthy Minds Network developed posters and a DVD as a means of publicizing the project.

For further information on the Swan Hill Healthy Minds Network project:

National Award for Local Government 2006

Swan Hill Rural City Council was the winner of the National Award for Local Government in 2006 in the category of “Health and Wellbeing” for municipalities with a rate payer base of under 15,000.  This award recognizes the role of Local Government in understanding and addressing local major health and wellbeing priorities.  Innovation and proactivity are the cornerstones of the award.  The Rural Award component of the Health and Wellbeing Award focuses on the work of rural and remote communities in this field with an emphasis on ways that small rural communities are finding local solutions to local primary health and aged care needs.