Coping For Better Times
Remote mental health care, integrated with existing services, is a key part of the Government’s COVID-19 strategy, and will provide a path to a better recovery. By Dr Fiona Martin.
Dr Fiona Martin
As Australia embarks on the road to recovery following the coronavirus crisis, a robust mental health care system will be a key navigational tool for that journey.
Our nation was confronted by the coronavirus pandemic when we were already vulnerable from bushfire and drought.
The pandemic’s isolating and anxiety-inducing effects have no doubt added to this collective stress and trauma. For those with chronic or pre-existing mental health conditions, the coronavirus climate presents a range of triggers that can cause someone’s wellbeing to deteriorate. As we move through the aftermath of a financial and health crisis, we will need to draw on resilience, activate our support networks and take initiative with help-seeking behaviours in order to get to the other side.
Our healthy coping mechanisms are temporarily out of reach, and when combining this with the situational stresses of the pandemic, it can be easy to repeatedly turn to alcohol consumption, online gambling and fast-food. Burn out has been a real risk to working parents overseeing home-schooling and for frontline workers dealing with the brunt of the pandemic.
As a psychologist, I would often talk to clients about creating a mental health toolkit.
Our tool kit needs to consist of good sleep hygiene, maintaining a healthy diet, doing regular exercise, structuring the day, initiating social connection and practising mindfulness and relaxation techniques. Humour and fun are important tools to include as well—laughter is the best medicine!
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Twelve months ago, I was elected to the Australian Parliament. While I no longer treat patients, I find myself drawn to policy that involves improving our mental health care system.
Mental health policy has always been on the agenda of the Morrison Government. I am proud to be a part of a government that has invested more into mental health than any previous government. The coronavirus pandemic has brought these policy matters centre stage with the most recent announcement of the $48.1 million National Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Response Plan. This investment builds on approximately $500 million for mental health and suicide prevention since January.
The Government’s mental health package supports three immediate priorities of the pandemic plan: data and modelling, outreach and connectivity. The plan addresses the higher levels of reported anxiety and psychological distress impacting Australians while also targeting those with severe, complex and chronic mental illness who have disconnected from services and support networks.
In conversations with the Health Minister Greg Hunt, I advocated for the creation of a chief mental health officer who could bring expertise to our coordinated National approach. Shortly after, the Government made the inaugural appointment of a Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health, Dr Ruth Vine. Once again, the Government has taken proactive steps to draw on expert advice to close the evidence-policy gap.
The pandemic has caused us to rapidly adapt and overcome existing challenges in our mental health care system. There has been a greater emphasis placed on the connectivity and coordination of services. The plan overhauls community models of care so that they integrate public, private and nongovernment delivery sectors.
Australia’s mental health services are dealing with an unprecedented challenge. Due to social distancing, it was necessary to expand Telehealth services for mental health. Using technologies like phone-calls and videoconferencing can be effective, especially where a patient has an established relationship with their clinician. Rural and remote communities have accessed services this way for many years. The evidence shows, in most circumstances, accessing these services through Telehealth can be effective.
Telehealth has been an important lifeline to many by providing much needed psychological services to people during this crisis. However, it is my opinion that face-to-face consultations are preferred where possible. I am sure that patients and clinicians look forward to returning to face-to-face services when restrictions are lifted.
In many ways, the Australian Government has been leading the world in its response to the pandemic and that has been no different in the mental health sphere. We were among the first countries in the world to look to the mental health impacts of COVID-19 on the general population as well as those with existing conditions, integrating this into our recovery plan. Significant Government funding into organisations like Beyond Blue, the Blackdog Institute, headspace, Kids Helpline and Lifeline have boosted capacity for support. This is targeted to our health care workers, older Australians, new and expecting parents, young Australians and those with pre-existing mental health conditions.
This proactive and coordinated national response will be an important compass for Australians in our response and recovery to COVID-19. It will also pave the way for a more coordinated mental health system in the years to come.
I know that Australians are experiencing loneliness, fear and anxiety because of this pandemic, and that’s understandable. Still, people in Australia should be feeling supported. You wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world. The Government has put in place sensible measures and they are working. It is time to draw on the resilience of the Australian spirit as we embark on the road to recovery.
Psychologist Dr Fiona Martin is the Federal Liberal Member for Reid.