The Victorian Government undertook targeted initiatives to help our multicultural communities recover from the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2023–24, this included extending mental health support within the COVID-19 response package to multicultural community services. These services were Cabrini Outreach, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and Foundation House.
The funding allowed Cabrini Outreach to continue operating The Hub. This dedicated facility provides specialised mental health services for people seeking asylum, even if they do not have a Medicare Card. In 2023–24, The Hub offered comprehensive care to more than 250 people from multicultural backgrounds who faced social isolation and psychological distress. The Hub uses a multidisciplinary approach that includes psychiatric assessment and management, counselling and referrals.
This funding also enabled the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre to deliver the Mental Health and Wellbeing Response Program. The program provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary support. It includes psychiatry, mental health, nursing, eye care, immunisations and allied health, as well as support to access medications. In 2023–24, close to 900 people were supported through more than 6,750 appointments.
The government also funded Foundation House to provide more than 7,856 hours of specialist psychiatric and counselling services. These services support people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds who have experienced torture and trauma (DH: $2.607 million in 2023–24).
DH continued to support community organisations through its COVID-19 Community Grants Program. The program funded multicultural community organisations to share information about testing, vaccination and COVID-19 medication
(DH: $2.036 million in 2023–24).
Grants helped 31 multicultural organisations support communities to prevent COVID-19 and socialise safely. This support reached 41 priority language groups across Victoria.
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