Gerald Lynch
cohealth and the Quang Minh Buddhist temple have partnered up to provide community mental health support to the local Vietnamese Buddhist community.
Aiming to reduce the stigma associated with accessing mental health services, Abbot Thich Phuoc Tan from the Braybrook temple approached cohealth for help.
“In our community, there is a lot of stigma around mental health, and a lack of information about what help is available,” he said.
“People often come to talk to me about their problems, but they don’t have the scientific words to describe what is going on.
“I can help them with spiritual guidance, but I know they need a holistic approach that looks at their spiritual, mental and physical health.
cohealth already operates the Brimbank mental health and wellbeing local in Sunshine, offering free mental health support without the need for appointments, GP referrals or a Medicare card.
The locals provide support and treatment for adults aged 26 and older experiencing mental illness or psychological distress in their community, including those with co-occurring substance use or addiction, removing barriers that many Victorians face when they need treatment, without making them jump through hoops like a GP referral, meeting eligibility criteria or cost.
cohealth will build the capacity of the temple to suit the mental health needs of its community and aim to increase the number of people at the temple who are using cohealth’s mental health service in Brimbank.
cohealth’s director of community mental health and homelessness responses Angelika Broederlow said that making mental health services culturally-safe and accessible is vital.
“Our approach brings health services to where they are needed, rather than waiting for people to navigate the system,” she said.
“We use the knowledge and expertise of bicultural workers to make sure that our services are culturally safe and relevant.
“This new mental health partnership will explore a range of initiatives to improve the mental health of the community connected to the temple, and is using codesign principles to ensure the community is involved every step of the way,” she said.
cohealth got the partnership underway at the temple’s annual Tet festival (Lunar New Year festival) on February 9 and 10, with Vietnamese bicultural workers from cohealth in attendance.
