Mental Health Services in the St George Community

St George Hospital Mental Health Community Services conducts urgent community-based assessment and short-term treatment interventions for people with a mental illness in the community. They provide intensive long-term support for people with prolonged and severe mental illness and associated high-level disability, as well as providing non-urgent, and continuing-care services for people with a mental illness and their parents/carers and families. Here are some examples of the great work they currently are doing in the community.  

HSC Rescue project is an annual program to help students preparing for the HSC. In partnership with Headspace, 2Connect, 3 Bridges and local councils, the Community Development Coordinator is delivering workshops at Hurstville and Rockdale Library in October 2024.  

The workshops cover stress regulation skills, sensory workshops and mindfulness activities. There is also a HSC Rescue booklet available in digital and paper form, providing self-care strategies and study tips. This year, funding has been allocated to recruit a young person into a marketing internship position to co-design booklet and marketing materials, as well as to lead the promotion campaigns on social media. This is a great initiative to empower young communities and have their voices heard. 

Mongolian Women and Children’s Group 

The Mongolian Women and Children’s Group is a fortnightly mothers and children’s group run in partnership with Aus-Mon Community Services and Development Inc. The 15-week program provides information on a range of topics around women’s health issues and ways of maintaining mental health wellbeing. The group is open to Mongolian women who are pregnant or with children up to the age of five and provides opportunity for increased social connectedness within Mongolian community while supporting participants to access further psychosocial supports.  

STG Poppy Playgroup 

Poppy Playgroup, in partnership with Kingsgrove Community Aid Centre, is a group for mothers with children under the age of five, experiencing diagnosed or undiagnosed mental health challenges. Mental Health Clinicians from St George Mental Health Services, including Adult Community Mental Health Service, Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Services, and Mental Health Unit, attend the playgroup. Clinicians provide psychosocial supports to participants as well as respond to crisis as needed. The group is run in partnership with the Kingsgrove Community Aid Centre, who also host the weekly playgroup on-site.