Newcastle Herald campaigns for Safe Havens to expand for mental health care

That was made clear this week in a NSW government mental health gap analysis, released by minister Rose Jackson. Coinciding with this, the Newcastle Herald obtained data that showed the extent of this problem in our region.

The statistics aren't pretty.

They reveal that more than 10,000 people are being turned away from emergency departments annually for mental health issues in Hunter New England and Central Coast.

Newcastle mental health advocate Craig Hamilton said the figures were "staggering", especially "when you think of the people who don't turn up to get help because they feel stigmatised".

Mr Hamilton, a former ABC radio sports presenter, was among the first people to speak out about mental health in 2004, with the publication of his book, Broken Open.

Twenty years later, he is still advocating for mental health awareness and services. He's also talking about suicide, asserting that it must no longer be a taboo issue.

The Newcastle Herald has been reporting extensively on the mental health and suicide issue, reflecting a growing need for people to get the help they require.

We're campaigning for the NSW government's Safe Haven program to expand.

Newcastle's Safe Haven is open only three days a week for five hours a day.

The Herald reported in March on the suicide of Stockton's Kahi Simon at age 20.

His family and the Black Dog Institute have called for 24-7 Safe Havens.

Hunter Medical Research Institute CEO Frances Kay-Lambkin said this week that Safe Havens for people in crisis should be expanded to take pressure off emergency departments (EDs).

"The evidence suggests that if you can invest in Safe Havens, then it significantly reduces emergency department presentations for mental health," she said.

"That makes EDs cheaper to run, so the money you save pays for the Safe Havens."

As well as Safe Havens, Mr Hamilton says much more crisis healthcare and hospital beds for the mentally ill are needed.

The NSW government's gap analysis showed 58,000 people a year across the state with severe mental health needs were missing out on care.

It said alternative models were being investigated to reform the system for emergency mental health care.

"Emergency mental health care should be provided in the least restrictive setting and reduce pressure on EDs," the report said.

"There has been an increase in mental health presentations to EDs, with higher levels in rural and regional areas.

"This is attributed to the lack of alternative supports in the community with EDs becoming, at times, the default access point into the mental health system."

This showed that a large proportion of people were "missing out on psychosocial support services".

The truth is that this problem has been highlighted in previous state and federal government reports.

While successive governments made efforts to respond, they haven't been enough.

But now there's a perfect storm due to the effects of the pandemic, social media, climate change fear, social isolation and economic disadvantage.

Our leaders must provide more shelter from the storm.

The expansion of safe havens would be a good place to start.